Fog lights added

[JackCrackerMan]

So over the weekend I had the dealership (or should we call them the stealership?) install the fog lights on my 2011 Rogue. First, they installed the dongle with the Automatic lights switch (which I didn't have previously... but I did have the sensor so they work apparently). Second, and I didn't discover this until after they were installed and I went through the owners manual specifically for the fog lights, but the fog lights only work when the headlights are on?

The whole point of fog lights, from a practical stand point, is for them to be functional when in a FOG bank... you don't want your headlights on when driving into a fog bank. Much of the blame falls on me for failing to read that section of the owners manual prior to getting them installed but I was assuming through common sense that they would be functional when the headlights were off and the front park, side marker and tail lights were on.

Has anyone else come across this and figured out an easy solution?

[ImStricken06]

So over the weekend I had the dealership (or should we call them the stealership?) install the fog lights on my 2011 Rogue. First, they installed the dongle with the Automatic lights switch (which I didn't have previously... but I did have the sensor so they work apparently). Second, and I didn't discover this until after they were installed and I went through the owners manual specifically for the fog lights, but the fog lights only work when the headlights are on?

The whole point of fog lights, from a practical stand point, is for them to be functional when in a FOG bank... you don't want your headlights on when driving into a fog bank. Much of the blame falls on me for failing to read that section of the owners manual prior to getting them installed but I was assuming through common sense that they would be functional when the headlights were off and the front park, side marker and tail lights were on.

Has anyone else come across this and figured out an easy solution?

technically speaking you are right. you dont want headlights on in the fog - but in the same token you want to be seen as well.
today's automakers make fog-lights as more of an accessory than an actual functioning part. its just a gimmick item that looks appealing.
most of the time they dont even point were you need them an require adjusting or brighter bulbs.
-almost every car now a days - you can not run the fog-lights independent of the headlights. they are only to be on during headlight operation.

you can changing this by: rewiring the wiring in the relay fuse box. snip a wire, and send it to the tail-light fuse and the fogs will come on with the 1st twist of the headlight switch.(i dont recommend this, but its possible. and has been done very often with the maxima's)

EXAMPLE:(2002 maxima)

The green dots indicate the position of the wires from the relay that need to be used to make this work. The red dots are the wires that you dont touch.

[JackCrackerMan]

Thanks for the info... love it, it's called a "Fog lamp" for a reason. While I admit it does look good visually, I didn't spend that much money for something that has no function for it's purpose.

I've only ever needed fog lamps once, coming down from a snowboarding trip. It was night time, no street lights (as it was literally out in the middle of no where, 100 miles from the nearest town). The fog was so thick I had to turn my lights off (left hazards/tail lights on so people could see me). With the lights on you literally cannot see a thing!

[ImStricken06]

Thanks for the info... love it, it's called a "Fog lamp" for a reason. While I admit it does look good visually, I didn't spend that much money for something that has no function for it's purpose.

I've only ever needed fog lamps once, coming down from a snowboarding trip. It was night time, no street lights (as it was literally out in the middle of no where, 100 miles from the nearest town). The fog was so thick I had to turn my lights off (left hazards/tail lights on so people could see me). With the lights on you literally cannot see a thing!

again, i agree 100%. i love those that in the middle of a blinding fog, or snow storm and they put on their high-beams lolololol
- but manufacturers have to comply with state and federal laws that call for strict headlight aiming, placement and wattage.

today's fog-lights are simply for esthetics and nothing else. they are not strong enough nor aimed in the direction that they need to be.
you can crawl under your front bumper and find a small hole that leads to what appears to be a soda bottle cap looking thing on the back of the foglight (see example photo below) stick a Phillips head in there and turn to adjust higher or lower to aim.
(click to enlarge)

[JackCrackerMan]

Do you think it'd be possible for them to be setup to run both when the headlights are on as well as when you have the parking side marker/tail lights on?

[ImStricken06]

Do you think it'd be possible for them to be setup to run both when the headlights are on as well as when you have the parking side marker/tail lights on?

you would have to rewire them to the tail lights. this way when you turn the knob to the parking lights (fogs turn on and stay on, including when you turn to the headlights - since the parking lights stay on then too)

[JackCrackerMan]

Do you think it'd be possible for them to be setup to run both when the headlights are on as well as when you have the parking side marker/tail lights on?

you would have to rewire them to the tail lights. this way when you turn the knob to the parking lights (fogs turn on and stay on, including when you turn to the headlights - since the parking lights stay on then too)

I thought about that after I posted it lol...

[Rogue One]

Back in the day, the clear ones were called driving lights and only the yellow ones were called fog lights. As it turns out the yellow ones are no more effective than the clear ones.

Here's a good discussion on fog lights http://www.cartalk.com/content/do-fog-l ... ee-through

[Leo2005]

I can post a pic of my fresh installation of led fog lights from http://www.vleds.com but never will be adjusted right because they're universal. By comparing the price tag of $20 to $250 I decided to try...what the heck? Looks good duh. Anyway...my setup still is the same just like with original '08 bumper but when I upgraded it to '11 bumper older fog lights did not fit but price tag is something to think about if I really want them. You can see my setup in that thread and I think this is the best idea for fog lights I ever seen: Independent Fog Lights Here's the diagram just in case: