How to use fog lights?

[Gasaraki]

I don't need a debate on the need for fog lights, etc.
I’m only interested in learning how to use fog lights (see first post)

I tried this morning to turn off lights, and selected fog lights. Nothing happened. When lights were on auto, I could toggle fog lights on and off, but that seems counter intuitive, as I believe fog lights are instead of, not in addition to main lights.
Is it possible to use fog lights only, if so, how.


Not trying? You absolutely tried and succeeded!
I get it, no need to keep repeating…Americans are bunch of idiots that don’t know how to drive, and Australians are superior drivers.

Fog lights turn on and off with your main headlights (when you turn the fog light on in the screen). You can't just have your fog lights on. Also if the car or you put on the high beams, the car will turn off the fog lights. This is exactly how it operates on my Subaru also.

 

[haroldo]

Also on this car the front fog lights may remain set to on but only light when low beams are on

Actually, this isn't correct.
I experimented this morning in a parking lot near a glass building (so I could see what was happening).
If you set lights to Parking Lights, you can turn on the Fog Lights, without the headlights (low beams) being on.
Not sure if there's enough illumination to try driving in a fog, as it was only slightly foggy this morning, but it works.

Really appreciate the way Tesla makes it so easy, and intuitive, to figure out how to use things (/sarcasm)

 

[Candleflame]

Fog lights turn on and off with your main headlights (when you turn the fog light on in the screen). You can't just have your fog lights on. Also if the car or you put on the high beams, the car will turn off the fog lights. This is exactly how it operates on my Subaru also.

this is incorrect and defeats the purpose of fog lights.
you can switch the headlights off while havign foglights on if you want to.
Put the daytime running lights on only and then switch the fog lights on as well.

 

[Candleflame]

Actually, this isn't correct.
I experimented this morning in a parking lot near a glass building (so I could see what was happening).
If you set lights to Parking Lights, you can turn on the Fog Lights, without the headlights (low beams) being on.
Not sure if there's enough illumination to try driving in a fog, as it was only slightly foggy this morning, but it works.

Really appreciate the way Tesla makes it so easy, and intuitive, to figure out how to use things (/sarcasm)

if you need to use foglights then the problems is TOO MUCH illumination as the light gets reflected back at you. If you dont get this there is no need to use fog lights.

 

[haroldo]

if you need to use foglights then the problems is TOO MUCH illumination as the light gets reflected back at you. If you dont get this there is no need to use fog lights.

Seems like you're dead set intent on convincing people to not use fog lights, I get it.
Let's focus on answering the questions and the point of this thread, that is how to use it (not whether they should use it or not).
It's not for you, and you'll probably not use it, but there are others that are interested in learning, and there will be times when fog creeps up and find ourselves in a sudden dangerous situation. Few plan on driving in dense fog...it's one of those things that happens in low lying areas, or with changing weather.
I (as well as many others, I guess) are interested in learning how use it (...again, not why not to)
thanks!

 

[Candleflame]

Seems like you're dead set intent on convincing people to not use fog lights, I get it.
Let's focus on answering the questions and the point of this thread, that is how to use it (not whether they should use it or not).
It's not for you, and you'll probably not use it, but there are others that are interested in learning, and there will be times when fog creeps up and find ourselves in a sudden dangerous situation. Few plan on driving in dense fog...it's one of those things that happens in low lying areas, or with changing weather.
I (as well as many others, I guess) are interested in learning how use it (...again, not why not to)
thanks!

i wrote a very long reply before on how to use it and what they are used for. if you dont drive in dense fog then you wont need the front fog light. The purpose of the front fog light is to avoid getting a reflection back from dense fog. what part of that do you not understand?

 

[haroldo]

The purpose of the front fog light is to avoid getting a reflection back from dense fog

I think everyone knows that (if not, they shouldn't be driving)

Many in this thread (and probably quite a few others not participating) might be unaware of how to access them, independent of the low beams. The control panel, as well as the owners manual doesn't indicate, how to use them without the low beams

 

[jrweiss98020]

For many years US "safety" regulations said factory-installed fog lights could only come on when the low beams are on. All my recent cars with factory-installed fog lights are/were set up this way. I wired up several of my older cars so I could independently control the fog lights. I'll have to check my M3 to see what it does...

 

[Candleflame]

For many years US "safety" regulations said factory-installed fog lights could only come on when the low beams are on. All my recent cars with factory-installed fog lights are/were set up this way. I wired up several of my older cars so I could independently control the fog lights. I'll have to check my M3 to see what it does...

on the model 3 the foglights can be switched off on with the dipped beams

 

[Gwgan]

Actually, this isn't correct.
I experimented this morning in a parking lot near a glass building (so I could see what was happening).
If you set lights to Parking Lights, you can turn on the Fog Lights, without the headlights (low beams) being on.
Not sure if there's enough illumination to try driving in a fog, as it was only slightly foggy this morning, but it works.

Really appreciate the way Tesla makes it so easy, and intuitive, to figure out how to use things (/sarcasm)

Can confirm no fog lights without headlights on my car. Would like a check on a new refresh X and S. Anyone?

 

[Candleflame]

Can confirm no fog lights without headlights on my car. Would like a check on a new refresh X and S. Anyone?

what happens if you just pull the switch to DRLs while the foglights are on?

 

[Gasaraki]

Maybe cars in Australia are different but in the USA, if you leave the fog lights "on", they will turn on and off with the main low beam lights. You can't just run fog lights. They are not even bright enough to do anything...

 

[Gasaraki]

what happens if you just pull the switch to DRLs while the foglights are on?

Don't even know what that means. You can't turn off DRLs in the US. The fogs are not on when DRLs are on.

 

[haroldo]

You can't just run fog lights

This isn't correct.
If you set lights to Parking Lights, you can turn on the Fog Lights (without the headlights being on)
The fog lights will illuminate with the parking lights (which doesn't provide much illumination)

 

[Gasaraki]

This isn't correct.
If you set lights to Parking Lights, you can turn on the Fog Lights (without the headlights being on)
The fog lights will illuminate with the parking lights (which doesn't provide much illumination)

Are parking lights the intermediate lights on ICE cars? You can get 3 stages instead of 2 like I have now? Mine are just auto On and Off for the lights.

 

[haroldo]

Parking lights (see attached image) would be considered the same as Daytime Running Lights (DRL) that are always on.

Mine are just auto On and Off for the lights.

You don't have Parking?
Probably the equivalent of the first twist on a conventional car's light stalk.
Set Exterior Lights to Parking, then turn on Front Fog (and you can party likes it's 1999!)

(screenshot grabbed from internet, so image shown is out of date)

 

[Gwgan]

what happens if you just pull the switch to DRLs while the foglights are on?

DRL switch = "Parking" here; the fog lights turn off.

 

[haroldo]

"Parking" ...; the fog lights turn off.

That's odd...the other morning I set Parking and Front Fog and the fog lights turned on.

 

[Gwgan]

That's odd...the other morning I set Parking and Front Fog and the fog lights turned on.

Not odd, just Tesla. My old Model X is not configured like your newer Model 3. That's why I'm interested to know what the latest S and X are doing.

 

[Candleflame]

DRL switch = "Parking" here; the fog lights turn off.

DRL is the same as parking, in the 90s/2000s many older cars used the parking lights as DRLs which is where the concept came from i guess. So the DRL logo is the same as the parking light logo and they are interchangeable.

in european speced teslas switching to the parking lights does not turn off the fog lights.