Subaru Has the Fog Lights Wrong

2005 Subaru OBW, L.L. Bean edition.

Unless I am reading the manual wrong or doing something else wrong, I believe that the Subaru engineers have made a serious mistake with their fog light.

On my Subaru, it appears to be not possible to turn on the fog lights UNLESS the full headlights (not the full-time running lights) are turned on.

This is ridiculous!! Anyone who has experience driving in serious fog understands that using your headlights under such circumstances is flat wrong. In a thick fog, the tiny suspended water droplets reflect the light from the headlights right back at you and, far from providing better visibility, blind you and make it even more difficult to drive.

Those fog lights are down low for a reason. In a serious fog, all you will be able to see is one lane marker out. You creep along waiting for the next lane marker to come into view. Driving does not get more frightening than this. (And please, lets not have any jerks saying you shouldn't be driving under such conditions. You can be driving along and suddenly find yourself in just such a fog with no warning.)

I drove for three years in Belgium and once or twice was caught in such a fog and was able to drive safely only by slowing waaay down, turning off my headlights, turning my fog lights on and creeping along. I would NOT have been able to proceed to the next exit to get off the road without those properly designed (i.e., not to bd used with the headlilghts on) fog lights.

Can anyone turn on their Subaru fog lights w/o turning on their headlights???

Thanks, bob

Reply to
Bob
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The fogs will go off if you engage the headlight high beams. Low beams with fogs seem OK to me. perhaps your lows are adjusted too high?

This might be an option, have the fog relay rewired to the stupid parking light button on top of the steering column.

Carl

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

It sounds like the complaint is that it is not possible to have the fogs on at all unless the headlights are also on. I agree - that completely defeats the purpose of fog lights. It just gives the driver a better view of the fog or snow. If you can stand to have the headlights on at all, you don't really need fog lights.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

OTOH it might be a legal requirement.

Reply to
nothermark

Every subie w/fogs I've seen only need the parking lights on, not the low beams.

as for carl, my forester doesn't kill the fogs on high beam.

-mark

Reply to
mark jb

One problem is Daytime Running Lights, which force your low beams on whenever you're moving (though at reduced intensity).

There is plenty of information on the net on both how to disable the DRL and turn your fogs on whenever you want them.

Search "Disable DRL" and "Fog mod" on nasioc.com or ScoobyMods.com.

Reply to
Paul

It might be... although it would be a pretty stupid requirement. Not that being stupid ever got in the way of any law... ;-)

The last time I *really* wished I had fog lights was in my work truck on a mountain road in dense fog late at night. I tried headlights (white out) and no headlights (pitch black) and finally decided on headlights, but it was a close call. One way I could see only white, the other way I could see only black. I just put it in compound low and idled with a foot on the clutch and one on the brake so I could stop quickly when a wheel went off the side.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

Just went to the garage and tried it out on my 2004 WRX. Fog lamp button on. Parking lights only yielded no fogs. Full headlights and the fogs turned on. High-beams, and the fogs turned off. Seems pretty normal for a factory fog lamp setup to me.

Reply to
y_p_w

Here, it's legal to have just fogs (and running lights), but I've yet to see a car from the manufacturer that permits it.

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Reply to
Cam Penner

No mistake.

Pretty much mandated by local regulations. I can't think of any factor setup for sale in North America that doesn't do that. All manufacturers would design the lighting system to be legal anywhere where it might be used.

Haven driven in some of the nastiest Tule Fog imaginable, I still think that having low beams on is important. If all I had were the fogs on, there's no way any oncoming traffic would be able to reasonably see me.

No - but at least slow down for the given conditions. Some fog lamps are poorly designed and would suck mightily if you want to use them alone. Apparently there's no decent regulations regarding the aiming of fog lamps in the US. Check out the following:

Apparently European fog lamps must meet standards that just don't exist in the US.

Maybe an aftermarket setup with a separate switch.

Reply to
y_p_w

Get a couple of towels and hang them over the headlights, held by the hood. Pick the right towel and oncoming traffic will still see them.

Reply to
_

certainly in UK - fogs must go off on main beam and can only be in conjuction with driving lamps (dipped beam) - My scooby will allow just fogs but it upsets Mr Plod

Nobody

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Reply to
Nobody

I politely disagree. My other car is a 13-year old BMW. You have the option to use fog lights with no headlights or fog lights with headlights. The choice is yours. bob

Reply to
R. Gerard

You know...if I lived in a heavy fog area this is exactly what I'd do. What a clever idea for that silly button! bob

Reply to
R. Gerard

Crikey! At last! Someone who understands how fog lights are supposed to work. As opposed to those inconsiderate jerks in the SUV behemoths who feel they have to have every light on their boats illuminated. The "I paid for 'em, I'm going to use 'em!" attitude, despite the fact that it blinds every oncoming driver. bob

Reply to
R. Gerard

Nope. Or BMW would not be allowed to sell cars in the U.S. that provide for the use of fog lights without headlights being on. bob

Reply to
R. Gerard

Try any BMW. The all offer the choice of using your fog lights W/O headlights being on. bob

Reply to
R. Gerard

I'm sure BMW is subject to Daytime Running Lights laws just like everyone else.

Reply to
Paul

If I'm on the road and fog is that bad, I am just looking for a place to get off the road. Since the golden rule for driving in fog is to keep the speed down to where you can stop in the distance you can clearly see, fog lights provide all the light you need (unless the fog is so light you don't need fogs at all). "When driving in fog, remember that occasionally twisted masses of steel and terrified humanity can hurtle out at you at the same speed you are driving." - my driving instructor.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

It is, for a Stateside model.

Fog comes worse in Europe...a LOT worse.

Reply to
CompUser

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