Rear Fog Light Switch

[JWadle]

Anyone know the correct location and type of switch for a rear fog light on a '72 2002?

[algon]

Did they have separate switches for a euro rear fog lamp? I was just going to wire mine into the fog light switch for the front fog lamps....would this not make the most sense? Maybe not if you were running big driving lights up front instead of true fog lights. I'd be curious as to the correct answer to this myself!

[Rocan]

I am just speculating here, but my bet would be that power is sent to the rear fog lights when the front fogs are on, and putting the vehicle in reverse grounds the circuit, turning them on. You do NOT want the rear fogs on all the time while the front's are running... the drivers behind you may find that a BIT distracting! haha.

[Preyupy]

The factory did not offer a rear fog light option on the 2002, there were some Cibie and Hella rear fogs offered in the catalogue but they were dealer installed. The usual way to wire the rear fogs, and the way BMW did it in the european market on E12, E24, E28, E30... was to run the rear fog when the front fogs are on, they are wired so they stay on when you go to High Beam (on 4 headlight cars the fogs must turn off when the high beams are on, the law says you can only have 4 lights on at any one time)

[Conserv]

I am just speculating here, but my bet would be that power is sent to the rear fog lights when the front fogs are on, and putting the vehicle in reverse grounds the circuit, turning them on. You do NOT want the rear fogs on all the time while the front's are running... the drivers behind you may find that a BIT distracting! haha.

Some, particularly European, countries require -- and have even long required -- rear fog lamps. Sweden comes to mind. Rear fog lamps are not backup lamps but are designed to make the car visible from the rear under foggy conditions. Hence, on modern cars with rear fog lamps, the rear lamp generally comes on with the front fog lamps.

My 2002 A-6 Avant (U.S. model, delivered in the U.S.) had a pair of rear fogs that worked precisely that way. Yes, they would be distracting to drivers behind you if you foolishly used your fog lamps when there was no fog! France and Germany, at minimum, however, prohibit the use of fog lamps when there is no fog or when you reach highway speeds. Since most U.S. model cars with rear fog lamps have only a single rear fog lamp, it's easy to tell when drivers are using their front fogs even when approaching them from behind: they appear to be driving down the highway with one brake light lit!

Nonetheless, I don't know the correct answer for a '73 2002. And that answer needn't follow current European laws. On U.S. and Canadian square taillight models, there is a dashboard pull switch clearly marked "FRONT FOG LAMP" (with a dummy knob from the factory, intended to be replaced with a working switch if fog lamps are installed). Back in the day, you would often use one of the green, internally-illuminated pushbutton switches -- mounted next to the ashtray -- to operate a rear fog, separately from the front fogs.

I'm thinking of adding a rear fog lamp to my '76 but I haven't decided yet whether I would wire it separately or simply add it to my FRONT FOG LIGHT switch.

Steve

[BillWilliams]

Mike Pugh has a real trick set-up to wire the rear fog so it can be switched on and used as a third brake light.

His schematic is floating around, that is how I did mine on a 72 tii

[Gordon]

What's the green dummy switch on the center console by the ashtray for? I thought that was for the rear fog light. US spec 02's only have the dummy switch, Euro spec 02's actually have a green switch in the same location that can be used for a rear fog light. I have one in my tii but it's not wired up to anything. I scored it years ago out of an 02 in a junkyard in Germany when I was stationed there.

G-Man

[Conserv]

What's the green dummy switch on the center console by the ashtray for? I thought that was for the rear fog light. US spec 02's only have the dummy switch, Euro spec 02's actually have a green switch in the same location that can be used for a rear fog light. I have one in my tii but it's not wired up to anything. I scored it years ago out of an 02 in a junkyard in Germany when I was stationed there.

G-Man

Back in the day, I saw the internally-illuminated green pushbuttons -- which replace the green dummy buttons provided with U.S.-spec cars -- used for front fog lamps, driving lights, and rear fog lamps. At one point I had 1 fog lamp and 1 driving light in the front: I used the green pushbutton for the driving light.

Steve

[02Les]

What's the green dummy switch on the center console by the ashtray for? I thought that was for the rear fog light. US spec 02's only have the dummy switch, Euro spec 02's actually have a green switch in the same location that can be used for a rear fog light. I have one in my tii but it's not wired up to anything. I scored it years ago out of an 02 in a junkyard in Germany when I was stationed there.

G-Man

On my Touring (manuf 9th Nov, '73.....birthday car!), there is a dummy switch lower left of the gauge cluster which is for the optional front fog light. The green button in the console (also optional) is for the rear fog light.

[jgerock]

My 2002 A-6 Avant (U.S. model, delivered in the U.S.) had a pair of rear fogs that worked precisely that way. Yes, they would be distracting to drivers behind you if you foolishly used your fog lamps when there was no fog! France and Germany, at minimum, however, prohibit the use of fog lamps when there is no fog or when you reach highway speeds. Since most U.S. model cars with rear fog lamps have only a single rear fog lamp, it's easy to tell when drivers are using their front fogs even when approaching them from behind: they appear to be driving down the highway with one brake light lit!

Steve

Too many US drivers drive with the single rear fog lamp on - most I would presume don't know anything about it. Volvo's, Mercedes, Audi's, etc. Very distracting from behind just like driving with high beams on all the time.

My wife's 2002 C-Class M-B has a two-position fog lamp switch built into the rotating light switch. Pull out once for front fog lamps, then out to a second position to add the rear fog lamp. Also, when a rear bulb burns out, the car automatically selects another bulb and informs you in the dash display. It makes changing bulbs a little tricky.

RANT - those cars with daytime running lamps in the front and dash lights - NO REAR LIGHTS at night. I pull up to folks at traffic lights and they have no idea what I am talking about when I tell them they have to turn their lights on at night.

[Conserv]

My 2002 A-6 Avant (U.S. model, delivered in the U.S.) had a pair of rear fogs that worked precisely that way. Yes, they would be distracting to drivers behind you if you foolishly used your fog lamps when there was no fog! France and Germany, at minimum, however, prohibit the use of fog lamps when there is no fog or when you reach highway speeds. Since most U.S. model cars with rear fog lamps have only a single rear fog lamp, it's easy to tell when drivers are using their front fogs even when approaching them from behind: they appear to be driving down the highway with one brake light lit!

Steve

Too many US drivers drive with the single rear fog lamp on - most I would presume don't know anything about it. Volvo's, Mercedes, Audi's, etc. Very distracting from behind just like driving with high beams on all the time.

My wife's 2002 C-Class M-B has a two-position fog lamp switch built into the rotating light switch. Pull out once for front fog lamps, then out to a second position to add the rear fog lamp. Also, when a rear bulb burns out, the car automatically selects another bulb and informs you in the dash display. It makes changing bulbs a little tricky.

RANT - those cars with daytime running lamps in the front and dash lights - NO REAR LIGHTS at night. I pull up to folks at traffic lights and they have no idea what I am talking about when I tell them they have to turn their lights on at night.

+1

I asked a friend once why he always drove with his fog lights on. Expecting to hear some thoughtful rationalization (that I could denigrate), he simply said "Cause they look cool!" And this was from a guy in his mid to late 40's!

It's not going to get better.

Regards,

Steve

[Guest Anonymous]

Searchin the way back builds, I believe early 320 models have different color push button switchs on console that can be used to replace the dummy green fog switch on a o2, used mine for front fogs on my first 02 Dave

[JWadle]

Thanks for all the input and ideas.

Since there seesm to be no clear standard for a 2002 rear fog switch, I've decided to use separate switches the front and rear fogs. Living in Boulder, we often have heavy fog coming off the foothills of the Rockies and fog lights are very helpful. However, in my experience, I use the rear fog light only in the heaviest fog to be seen from behind. I use the front fogs more often, e.g. in rain.

My DD (VW R32 MkV) has front and rear fogs with separate pull out positions on the (Euro) switch for front and rear.

I'm planning on using two lighted switches (amber front, red rear) replacing the dummy green button in my '72 2002tii.

I'll post a pic when done.

[BillWilliams]

If you do not have a third brake light, may want to think about being able to use that light as third brake light too.

[kbmb02]

I've seen green, yellow and purple...