Fog Lights Add Visibility in Bad Weather

According to the Federal Highway Administration, nearly 40,000 crashes occur yearly in fog. That’s because fog can reflect bright light, potentially blinding you to oncoming traffic. Fog also makes it difficult to spot danger and judge distances.

So how do you mitigate the risk? First, never use high beams on a foggy road. That worsens visibility because high beams place more light on the fog than on the road. The best approach is to install a set of properly adjusted fog lamps. A fog light’s beams direct downward at a wide angle to illuminate only the road immediately ahead.

The best fog lights are yellow. Yellow light produces less glare and allows your retinas to focus with less strain.

Some car enthusiasts install fog lights strictly for appearances. We agree that many performance cars and off-road vehicles look cooler with them, but fog lights also serve an essential safety function. Considering that fog lamps could save your life, a new set is not an expensive purchase. Fog light kits range from $20 to about $120, depending on the type.

Types of Lighting Tech

Many older cars are equipped with halogen bulb fog lights.

There are three main options:

• Halogen light bulbs are the cheapest and oldest technology. They get hot and have relatively short lives. You can expect to replace them more often but at a more reasonable cost.
• High-intensity discharge (HID) lights are filled with xenon gas and deliver an intense, bright light.
• LED (light-emitting diodes) fog lights are the best, but the most expensive. They also use less electricity. Many vendors offer an extended warranty for LEDs because they are so durable.

If you plan to use an under-the-bumper mount, you can install universal fog lights rather than units specific to your car. If the lights mount inside the bumper, you’ll need to buy a pair designed for your particular make and model.

Installing Fog Lights

Let’s assume that your car did not come equipped with the wiring, holes, and necessary switches to install fog lights. But, if it did, that would make the job much easier.

Kits come with the lights, brackets, wiring, and switch.

A typical kit will include:

• Left and right lights
• Mounting brackets
• A relay
• On-off switch for the interior
• Fused, color-coded wiring

It’s a good idea to check enthusiast forums for your specific vehicle. If you learn that wiring is present in the bumper, you might be able to buy an OEM switch. Fog lamps should only operate with low beams. With a factory switch, the fog lights shut off when the high beams are turned on.

Here the basics for installation:

• Start by disconnecting the negative battery cable. Mount the switch in the car in an out-of-the-way location. Then run the wiring through one of the dedicated holes in the firewall.
• You may have to get on your back to locate a hole, and remove some interior panels and trim. If there are no holes, you can drill one, but use a rubber grommet to seal it as effectively as possible.
• The color-coded wires from the switch connect through the firewall to the coded wires on the lights. Use secure, weatherproof connections. Black is ground, which goes to any unpainted area. You can probably attach the ground wires to existing screws.
• The red wires are for power. They connect to the relay and the battery or an empty switched fuse location—one that only works with the ignition on. That ensures you won’t have a dead battery because the fog lights were left on.

After the wiring is complete, secure your work with plastic ties.

Mounting the Fog Lights

This fog light fits into an existing pod.

Fog lights work best when mounted on or below the bumper. Aim for about 10 to 24 inches above the road surface and below the center of the headlights. When the light is positioned lower, more of the ground will be lit.

The job is easier if the lights mount under the bumper. But that leaves them vulnerable to curbs and errant bumps in the road. Trucks and SUVs, sometimes have a grille mount, making things easier.

If you are going to install the fog lights in the bumper area, the front bumper cover will most likely need to be removed. Consult your owner’s manual or online videos about how to do this.

After choosing the best location for the lights, in the cover, cut holes slightly larger than the lights. It’s okay if the holes are somewhat ragged. Trim pieces in the kit go on the outside to cover up your handiwork.

Tips for Aiming

You’re not entirely done. To maximize the benefit of fog lights, they should be properly aimed. Follow these steps:

• Park your vehicle on a level surface, 25 feet from a wall.
• Measure the distance between the center of the fog-light beam (on the vehicle) and the ground.
• Place a horizontal mark on the wall at that height.
• Then, adjust the lights so the top of the fog beam pattern is about four inches below the lamp center.

When you’re finished, step back and enjoy this simple upgrade. Yes, fog lights look cool. But getting home in one piece is even cooler. Remember, the primary goal is to see better in the fog. So use your fog lamps when necessary and slow down to give yourself enough time to react to what those lights reveal.

See Fog & Driving Lights for Universal for sale on eBay.