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Getting the fog lights to run with the high beams


RAV

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I believe the fog lights shut off when you use the high beams.

On my Ford Sport Trac, from a mod on the site mysporttrac.com, I cut one of the terminal tabs on a lighting relay and got the fog lights to run when the high beams are on.

Anyone have any thoughts of doing this here? What relay? Is it possible?

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usually the law is no more than 4 lamps that are pointing forward can be on at one time

Here in CA, (and many other states here ) it is illegal to have fogs and hi beams on at the same time...not sure why either.

I beleive it has to do with the lumiosity of th high beams and how much light is directly emitted. they do not want to cause accidents with too much light. Which is why light racks are for off road use only.

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Sounds like another one of those laws enacted by someone who doesn't properly use their lights. You are supoised to NOT be running High Beams when there is on coming traffic, or vehicles in front of you. So the Fog Lights on at the same time would not be a hazard.

My 3500 Pickup I bought used has been I believe re-programmed (per reading other forums) by a dealer to let them remain on when the High Beam is on.

In reality, with the amount of traffic these days, I hardly ever get to even run any of my vehicles with the High Beams.

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Sounds like another one of those laws enacted by someone who doesn't properly use their lights. You are supoised to NOT be running High Beams when there is on coming traffic, or vehicles in front of you. So the Fog Lights on at the same time would not be a hazard.

My 3500 Pickup I bought used has been I believe re-programmed (per reading other forums) by a dealer to let them remain on when the High Beam is on.

In reality, with the amount of traffic these days, I hardly ever get to even run any of my vehicles with the High Beams.

I never said it was a smart law, but a law none the less.

But most logical people like you or I know not to run Hibeams in non-rual areas or with oncoming traffic. Unfortuatly there really are people out there that do not know better, sad to say.

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  • 2 years later...

Ok, let's think about this for a second. The purpose of FOG lights is to be able to see the road in FOG or heavy precipitation conditions. That's why they're low to the ground and are aimed pretty well down. Ever turn on your high beams in fog? It makes it worse.

So the only reason you'd want your fog lights on with your high beams is a vanity thing, except no one is going to see because you can only use your high beams when no one else is around.

I do not understand why anyone would go through the effort of defeating this thing. So the only reason I can think of that you'd want to is "just because".

Edited by Powdered Toast Man
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I agree with you in principle, but disagree in practice. The 'low and wide' beam of a fog light is GREAT at filling in dark spots near the front of your vehicle, whether it's clear or foggy. When you live in deer country (and they're so bad around here the city is planning to institute an urban hunting season to cull the herd) those extra few feet of light help. At least in my personal experience. No, they're not "necessary," but I'm all in favour of every extra little bit of light I can get at night.

Now, at the same time, when I see oncoming vehicles with fog lights on, I know they're on low beams ... so even if they're really bright lights, I don't flash them to kill their high beams. So that feature serves a small and fairly useless purpose in that way too. lol

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They also probably set it that way from the factory because it's illegal in enough places to just make it standard. Also, so many morons don't even know how to use their lights properly. I see so many vehicles driving around town with just their DRL's on at night. OR they're driving around with their high beams on all the time.

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I agree there is no point in having your high beams on when there is fog / heavy snow. It makes the flakes and fog seem even thicker by making it much brighter.

However, I too live in a remote area and having the fog lights and high beams on is a plus to have a clearer view in regular conditions...

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