Is this a feature or a defect with German cars?

[Azxster]

Does anyone notice that one light is always on for German cars??

i.e. This was a Mercedes Benz B200

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9291/2209072214rx1.jpg

[jeeva86]

I never noticed this. Sounds like his bulb might be gone.

[Pusch]

Thats just a rear foglight.

They come standard on vehicles sold in Europe, but they have their own ON switch.

The only reason you see them in NA, is because for some reason, some people just want to scream "look at me!"

[Whitedart]

Thats just a rear foglight.

They come standard on vehicles sold in Europe, but they have their own ON switch.

The only reason you see them in NA, is because for some reason, some people just want to scream "look at me!"

On the vehicles I have seen with these rear fog lamps, it is usually operated with the switch for the front fog lamps (that are usually on when there is no fog).

[V A N Q U I S H]

That blue light? I also saw it on the TSX.

[onecoolloser]

That blue light? I also saw it on the TSX.

No. The left taillight has a portion near the bottom that lights up brighter than the rest - its the rear foglight.

It comes standard in all Benz's, maybe other brands too.

[seftonm]

It's a defect with the driver. Rear fogs should only be on when they are needed. It's an easy retrofit into Mk4 Jettas and Golfs, I did it and it has been useful a few times with extreme fog or rain.

[ar_ken]

Rear foglight. IIRC it comes standard with MOST European makes except VW..

[Azxster]

Ohhh I see... but it sure is annoying and distractive. The light is so bright its like being high beamed from the rear end.

[dassub]

It's not supposed to be that much brighter than the rest of the rear lights. I suspect they didn't turn on their headlights, and left just the daytime runners on. My Audi has it like this too.. it was made like this so drivers don't mistake them as break lights. When I was changing a break light bulb back there before, I even noticed that the socket doesn't exist on the right side, as it is intended to not be there at all.

[seftonm]

It's not supposed to be that much brighter than the rest of the rear lights.
Most of the lights I've seen are much brighter than the regular taillights. My taillights use a 10W bulb, my rear fog is 21W.

[Paolo]

It's a defect with the driver. Rear fogs should only be on when they are needed. It's an easy retrofit into Mk4 Jettas and Golfs, I did it and it has been useful a few times with extreme fog or rain.

ford focus are also capable of rear fog lights
many people here have retrofitted them on.

[MkmBandit]

Ohhh I see... but it sure is annoying and distractive. The light is so bright its like being high beamed from the rear end.

When the weathers clear, maybe.. in snowstorms you'll wish all cars had that feature, I know I do.. I have it on my 98 Volvo.

[leung_jai]

when winter comes i'll have my Original Nissan LED tail lights installed...52 LEDs in total, 26 each side !!!! WAHAHAHAHAHA !! Talk about brightness !!!! :twisted:

[warpdrive]

It's not supposed to be that much brighter than the rest of the rear lights. .

It's just the picture, but the rear foglight is always a lot brighter than the normal taillights. I was following a Volvo with the rear foglight on, and it was very annoyingly bright.

FWIW: I hate idiots who turn on the rear foglight when driving in normal weather.

[GunnerX]

As many have mentioned, most people have no clue that they have this function so they don't know that they have it on nor do they know how to turn it off. I see it all the time and is very annoying. But then, there's a lot of morons out there that turn on high beams on city streets even though I'm approaching them. And yes I know they know they turn it on because I see them turn it off when the car way ahead in front of me was near them but then they turn it on right away with me approaching.

[Rekognize]

Rear fog lamps

(ECE Regulation 38, SAE J1319) In Europe, vehicles must be equipped with one or two bright red "rear fog lamps" (or "fog taillamps"), which are switched on manually by the driver in conditions of poor visibility to enhance vehicle conspicuity from the rear. The allowable range of intensity for a rear fog lamp is 150 to 300 candelas, which is within the range of a U.S. brake lamp. For this reason, many European vehicles imported to the United States have their rear fog lamps wired as brake lamps, since their European-specification brake lamps may not be sufficiently intense to comply with U.S. regulations, and rear fog lamps are not required equipment in the U.S.

Most jurisdictions permit rear fog lamps to be installed either singly or in pairs. Proponents of twin rear fog lamps say two lamps provide vehicle distance information not available from a single lamp. Proponents of the single rear fog lamp say dual rear fog lamps closely mimic the appearance of illuminated brake lamps (which are mandatorily installed in pairs), reducing the conspicuity of the brake lamps' message when the rear fogs are activated. To provide some safeguard against rear fog lamps' masking of brake lamps, ECE Regulations require a separation of at least 10 cm between adjacent illuminated edges of brake lamps and rear fog lamps..

[cereal83]

Thats just a rear foglight.

They come standard on vehicles sold in Europe, but they have their own ON switch.

The only reason you see them in NA, is because for some reason, some people just want to scream "look at me!"

This man is correct, you see it everywhere in Europe

[seftonm]

when winter comes i'll have my Original Nissan LED tail lights installed...52 LEDs in total, 26 each side !!!! WAHAHAHAHAHA !! Talk about brightness !!!! :twisted:
I don't like LED's as rear fog lamps, they don't seem to make enough heat to melt snow that accumulates on a long cold drive.

[new_vr]

It's just the picture, but the rear foglight is always a lot brighter than the normal taillights. I was following a Volvo with the rear foglight on, and it was very annoyingly bright.

FWIW: I hate idiots who turn on the rear foglight when driving in normal weather.

It's not just the rears that are annoying, but the front ones too

[V A N Q U I S H]

No. The left taillight has a portion near the bottom that lights up brighter than the rest - its the rear foglight.

It comes standard in all Benz's, maybe other brands too.

OH! Right, now I know, I only activate it if I'm parked on the side of the road.