fog lights, again...

[Breaksbassbleeps]

This has to be the longest reply to a forum post, the original one got closed.

Just after a little help regarding a fog lights retrofit. I've heard that due to a SAM problem, some 451's won't accept the TAN code to enable them. Does anyone here know how to determine from the SAM serial number whether my smart's cursed never to have the retrofit?
Sam - A4515400850 / 001
Hw - A4515451601 / 001
Sw - A4514466895 / 001

I take it that if I can't retrofit this way then I would need to get a separate relay unit to use fogs?
Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

Alex.

[cougar7609]

Re: fog lights, again...

To be honest with you I would just make your own wiring and wire them in that way with a relay. Ive never heard of anything so stupid in my life that the addition of fog lights requires a TAN code. Buy the lights, take the wires out from there take a feed from the SAM relay with the switch to a wire from the battery that directly powers the lights and hey presto you have fog lights... since when do Mercedes think they can get people to pay for fog lights.... ridiculous idea! Even more ridiculous than the idea of TAN codes in the first place.

[137699]

Re: fog lights, again...

The question has to be asked.... Why do it at all?

In 25 years of driving I can probably count on two hands the number of times I have needed front fog lamps.

Apart from to test them they have never been switched on our current 450 or s-max as I don't think visibility has ever dropped to the requisite 30yds when it becomes legal to switch them on.

[problemchild1976]

Re: fog lights, again...

used mine yesterday on the M4!

its not always about seeing where you are going (like headlamps at night), its having that light making you visible in foggy conditions.

if you are changing lane in fog on the motorway, then its better to be able to see those coming up from behind at a glance rather than trying to make out the silver mondeo with no lights on in the outside lane.

JJ

[137699]

Re: fog lights, again...

Err - you just turn on dipped beam headlights for that.

This is what the highway code says about foglamps:

236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.
Law RVLR regs 25 & 27

Rule 226 defines "seriously reduced" as 100m - so I was wrong about 30yds -but even so, it almost never falls to 100m visibility.

[problemchild1976]

Re: fog lights, again...

trust me - they were required. as were rear. you couldn't see the dipped headlights of cars as they came up from behind due to the soak of sunlight through the fog. the front fogs are low enough to be out of the way of things.

i always switch them on/off when i can see the rear lights of the car 100m ahead.

visibility isn't just linked to fog. yesterday it was a mix of fog and early morning lighting.

i also put mine on when its wet and there is bad spray etc.

100m is quite a long way.

i never judge the situation on how far i think i can see, i judge it on what is actually happening around me.

JJ

[madDan]

Re: fog lights, again...

I use the fogs on my Roady quite often strangely enough - when it's foggy at night on country roads and the dip is dazzling me, no point using them if dip is working okay, they work well in thick fog with the side lights on, if you drive on lit roads they probably are of no use.

As for the silver (or fog coloured cars) why are they on the whole the ones with no lights on at all in fog?

[problemchild1976]

Re: fog lights, again...

beats me - same as the sun goes down.....

its always the bloomin dark cars that don't have their lights on

when i used to say to my friend about turning his lights on as dusk drew in he used to say... "but i can still see where i am going!"

doh!!!!

thats why i say that its not about what you can see its about what is going on around you.

i could see perfectly well in the fog if there was no other cars on the road i could have done 100 BUT it was difficult to see what cars ahead were doing with just their normal lights on and those coming from behind you really had to watch to see what lane they were in, what their closing speed was etc.

the ones with front fogs on were easier to work out. more looking forward and keeping an eye out for grey cars with no lights on.

JJ