E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

What is the logic behind the exclusive relationship between low beam and fog lamp?

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Old Jan 9, 2012 | 11:54 PM
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What is the logic behind the exclusive relationship between low beam and fog lamp?

So, when you pull the knob to turn on the fog lamp, the low beam turns off. I don't understand, what if I am driving at night under a dense fog? I also have trouble figuring out where the rear fog lamp is - it's supposed to be on the driver side only ... nothing look obvious
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Old Jan 10, 2012 | 12:36 AM
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I have my low beam and fog lamps on at the same time, something is very wrong if your low beams turns off and all you have is fog lights.
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Old Jan 10, 2012 | 01:03 AM
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Originally Posted by AzCamel
I have my low beam and fog lamps on at the same time, something is very wrong if your low beams turns off and all you have is fog lights.
maybe a cluster command setting then, I don't know. not only when I turn on the fog lamp, the low beam turns off, when I switch from fog lamp back to the low beam, there is a moment, a gap .. feels forever, when the fog lamp is off, and the low beam has not yet turns back on, and it's pitch black ... very scary, man!
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Old Jan 10, 2012 | 01:31 AM
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Originally Posted by anewbie
So, when you pull the knob to turn on the fog lamp, the low beam turns off. I don't understand, what if I am driving at night under a dense fog? I also have trouble figuring out where the rear fog lamp is - it's supposed to be on the driver side only ... nothing look obvious
The fog light is on one side so that it does not look like a break light and someone from behind knows which is the driver's side and vice versa.

What I find annoying about the fog light placement is that you can pull the know only in ON position and not the AUTO position, where I leave it. Given the headlamp switch is not illuminated at night (I am sorry but this is idiotic of MB) good luck trying to turn the fog lights on at night while driving in the dark.

I don;t see the point in turning on just the fog lights but I agree in that the fog lights should have been activated by a separate switch like most other cars I've owned.
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Old Jan 10, 2012 | 08:17 AM
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Thats incorrect information. 1) there is only a left rear fog light to assist cars in passing (on the left) during foggy weather, 2) the high beam and driving lights will not function at the same time to prevent blinding oncoming traffic. Correct, driving lights do not turn on using the "auto" setting...
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Old Jan 10, 2012 | 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Davel
Thats incorrect information. 1) there is only a left rear fog light to assist cars in passing (on the left) during foggy weather, 2) the high beam and driving lights will not function at the same time to prevent blinding oncoming traffic. Correct, driving lights do not turn on using the "auto" setting...
Compounded by even more incorrect information. The reason the high beams don't come on with the fog--not driving--lights is not to avoid blinding other drivers, it is because high beams and driving lights are aimed higher and fog reflects their light back into your eyes. This defeats the purpose of fog lamps, which are aimed low and have a sharp cutoff, to avoid the backscatter and allow you to actually see in the fog.
And I don't have my manual with me, but I believe I recall reading that in the later-model cars the fog lamps do not come on with the low beams and are the only lamps lit in fog, for the foregoing reasons.
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Old Jan 10, 2012 | 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by brm
... in the later-model cars the fog lamps do not come on with the low beams and are the only lamps lit in fog, for the foregoing reasons.
This goes back to my original question, what about driving at night in dense fog? I can see close (10 ft), but I can't see far with fog lamp alone.
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Old Jan 10, 2012 | 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by anewbie
This goes back to my original question, what about driving at night in dense fog? I can see close (10 ft), but I can't see far with fog lamp alone.
If it's that thick, you either shouldn't be driving, or should be driving at a speed that is consistent with the distance you can see. Most people rarely run into a circumstance where fog lights are the only option; they simply use their low beams. If the fogs only illuminate for ten feet, they aren't giving you any more visibility than you would get with the low beams, anyway.
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Old Jan 11, 2012 | 04:44 PM
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Fog lights are for on coming traffic and should be yellow, that way they can see and avoid you. I would take your car to a MB dealer and find out if there is a program error, on dark nights I have my fogs and low beam on at the same time.

BTW, just to make sure we are not talking about the "fog/parking indicator" correct? the one that is all the way to the LEFT and is designed for you to be parked and is mainly used in Europe. If you turn the knob all the way to the right and pulled out you should have all your lights, low beam, fog lights, and fog/parking lights
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Old Jan 11, 2012 | 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted by AzCamel
BTW, just to make sure we are not talking about the "fog/parking indicator" correct? the one that is all the way to the LEFT and is designed for you to be parked and is mainly used in Europe. If you turn the knob all the way to the right and pulled out you should have all your lights, low beam, fog lights, and fog/parking lights
That is what I am talking about. When I pull the knob, my low beam turns off.
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Old Jan 11, 2012 | 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by anewbie
That is what I am talking about. When I pull the knob, my low beam turns off.
As they should be. If you need fogs lamps due to dense fog, the lighting should be low to the ground to get under the cloud. Having normal headlamps illuminate at the same time would result in light bouncing off the impenetrable fog back into your eyes, constricting your pupils and deteriorating your ability to see.

Fog lights are not for conspicuity. Daytime running lamps are. Fog lamps are for the sole purpose of helping you see under the fog for a short distance, which is commensurate with the low speeds you should be driving in those conditions.
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Old Jan 11, 2012 | 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Sportstick
As they should be. If you need fogs lamps due to dense fog, the lighting should be low to the ground to get under the cloud. Having normal headlamps illuminate at the same time would result in light bouncing off the impenetrable fog back into your eyes, constricting your pupils and deteriorating your ability to see.

Fog lights are not for conspicuity. Daytime running lamps are. Fog lamps are for the sole purpose of helping you see under the fog for a short distance, which is commensurate with the low speeds you should be driving in those conditions.
Now I am really confused. Should low beam and fog light be mutually exclusive, or not? AzCamel says his low beam and fog light comes on at the same time.
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Old Jan 11, 2012 | 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by anewbie
Now I am really confused. Should low beam and fog light be mutually exclusive, or not? AzCamel says his low beam and fog light comes on at the same time.
It's not clear if he modified his car, or whether his vehicle is not properly equipped. Not all manufacturers had the foresight to set up the logic properly, but the bottom line is that the lights should be used separately, in the different conditions appropriate for each. Some people have confused fog lamps with additional "driving lamps" and try to have four forward pointing white lights, thinking it looks better, but if they are using headlamps in a fog condition, they are creating a safety risk.
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Old Jan 11, 2012 | 07:18 PM
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In my 07 fogs and lows can be on at the same time. Lows are BIX btw.

And while we are at it.

A lot of older style BIX didn't illuminate right in front of the car like the newer ones do. Therefore older ones had fogs on in conjunction with lows; as did non-BIX, aka halogens
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Old Jan 12, 2012 | 02:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Sportstick
As they should be. If you need fogs lamps due to dense fog, the lighting should be low to the ground to get under the cloud. Having normal headlamps illuminate at the same time would result in light bouncing off the impenetrable fog back into your eyes, constricting your pupils and deteriorating your ability to see.

Fog lights are not for conspicuity. Daytime running lamps are. Fog lamps are for the sole purpose of helping you see under the fog for a short distance, which is commensurate with the low speeds you should be driving in those conditions.
Um no... No car manufacture turns OFF their main source of light when you turn on the fog lights.

To the OP, make short vid. But if you are sure your low beams turn out it seems to be a relay broken or programming error.
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Old Jan 12, 2012 | 10:53 AM
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While I won't argue the usefulness of fogs or what you should do in different situations, but I've never experienced any car from any company shutting down the low-beams when fogs were activated. But all turn off the fogs when high beams are activated.
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