New Elantra fog light question

Just curious - i got my new toy and it does not have the fog lights. how hard would it be to put them in? Different/missing bracketry or just buy the parts, snap in, and connect the harness?

nothermark

(Burning music cd to try that next)

Reply to
nothermark
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I'd first check to see if there are even connectors there. The wire harness may well be different. You'll need a new headlamp switch to be compatible with the fog lamps. Again, proper wiring may not be present there, either.

Reply to
hyundaitech

you could put a relay under the hood wire to the parking lamps. then wire the fog lamps to it.

Reply to
BAin

I know how to add them. What I was wondering was how hard it would be to add them using the factory wiring. Hyundaitech answered that for me in that he indicated thre is a different switch and possibly harness. That tells me I can plan on adding some aftermarket components if I want to add more lights. I am thinking of driving and fog lights that give more than "road presence".

Reply to
nothermark

I hope you're not saying that you're one of those inconsiderate types who think that driving with fog lights on all the time is a good idea. One man's "road presense" is another's "major eye irritant". For the record, auxilliary lights (fog or driving) should ONLY be used when the conditions warrant. Not only is that the considerate thing to do, it's the law in most states.

Reply to
Brian Nystrom

Can you say more about what conditions warrant the use of auxilliary lights? It seems like folks with four-light setups drive with them all on as a matter of course. Also, why do you consider the extra lights a major eye irritant, assuming of course that they are placed below the regular headlights and properly aimed?

Reply to
Swingman

Fog lights, by by DOT regulation, are supposed to be wired to the low beams so that they can only come on when the low beams are on. They're useful in fog, rain and snow. I have occasionally used them on very twisty and lightly travelled back roads where they help to illuminate the road edges. Otherwise, they should not be used in clear conditions, since they serve no purpose.

Not many cars have auxilliary driving lights, which are essentially "super-high-beams" that provide improved long distance visibility. By DOT regulation, they have to be wired to the high beams. As with high beams, they should only be used in open areas under clear conditions, when there is no oncoming traffic. The improved performance of modern high-beam headlights have made driving lights essentially superfluous other than for off-road use.

Why? What possible purpose could it serve under clear conditions on typical roads? All it does is blind and/or annoy other drivers without providing any benefit to any one. It's pointless.

Do you actually drive a car? If so, the answer should be obvious. Unnecessary use of fog lights is irritating to other drivers and it's just plain inconsiderate. Although proper aiming helps, bright lights are still bright lights.

Reply to
Brian Nystrom

Thanks for the details. Yes, I drive and understand how irritating the lights of other vehicles can be. It seems to me there are multiple causes for that though, such as incorrect aiming, no apparent standard for headlamp height above the ground, and driving with the highbeams on. I just wondered how much of a problem extra driving lights (wired to the low-beams) present to others?

Regarding Hyundai factory installed driving lights, are the extra lights on the Elantra GT wired to the low-beams?

Reply to
Swingman

Yes they are wired to the low beams and will go off when you flip yer lights to high beam....

Pete...

Reply to
Pete & Cindy

Pete's correct. The auxilliary lights on Hyundai vehicles are fog lights, not driving lights and are wired appropriately.

Your response raises an interesting question. I wonder if the reason that many people leave their fog lights on all the time is that they confuse them with "daytime driving lights" that are common on many cars and assume that they should leave them on? Unfortunately, the terminology of automotive lighting is somewhat ambiguous and confusing if you don't know the precise definitions of the various types of lights.

Reply to
Brian Nystrom

I think you're right. I've been driving for many years (carried a commerical license for a time), and never learned the definitions/differences between "driving", "auxilliary", and "fog" lights.

Reply to
Swingman

Just to be clear "auxilliary" refers to any lights that are added to the car, be it fogs, driving lights or something else.

Reply to
Brian Nystrom

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