Rear Fog Light Thread

[robotvoice]

I haven't seen any specific threads for this yet so I thought I would make one.

The BRZ/FR-S will be equipped with a rear fog light in countries where cars are required to have one (like those in Europe) and the US versions will get a non-functioning reflector in its place. The light is located in the red upside-down triangle on the rear bumper between the reverse lights:



Since US regulations don't require rear fog lights on our vehicles here, not many people know what this light is actually for. The entire purpose of a rear fog light is to make it easier for drivers behind you to judge where your car is in bad weather. It's as simple as that. It's also not a good idea to drive with this light on in clear weather because it actually becomes very distracting for other drivers on the road because it runs at the same brightness intensity as your brake lights.

Some people will try to incorrectly wire the rear fog light as an additional brake light. While this doesn't hurt anything, that is not what the light is intended for and your car is already designed from the factory with more than enough brake lights.

Hopefully this thread will help provide some info for those looking to make their rear fog light functional. Some members have verified that there is an empty spot for a bulb in the rear fog so it should be fairly easy to wire the light up.

[Bristecom]

Is it turned on via a switch/button or does it automatically come on with the fog lights or headlights?

[Kunzite]

You should have a "fog switch" with 3 positions: Off, front and front+back; or Off and front, for US (in Europe, the front fog light can be missing, which means Off and back)
The car's headlights (low beam) must be On, afaik, for it to work.

[Saibot]

I see these on lots of JDM YO! cars lol

[azian_advanced]

i imagine it being just like the IS300. just a push-button on/off switch. i've only used mine a couple of times. but it's nice that it's mounted low, close to the ground, where visibility is at its best during foggy conditions.

[chulooz]

It seems like a pretty pointless regulation when you consider the two (much brighter) LED taillights that already pretty low and would be lit under limited visibility conditions.

Ill pass, but some nice LED reverse lights will be considered.

[robotvoice]

I'm not 100% sure about the BRZ yet but in the 08+ Imprezas, the Euro rear fog is turned on and off from the stalk where you would turn your regular fog lights on and off so I am assuming it might be the same for this car. The Euro stalk is a little expensive though so I wound up wiring mine to turn on with my front fog lights.

Originally Posted by chulooz

It seems like a pretty pointless regulation when you consider the two (much brighter) LED taillights that already pretty low and would be lit under limited visibility conditions.

Ill pass, but some nice LED reverse lights will be considered.

Rear fog lights operate at the same brightness of your BRAKE lights, not your regular running lights in your tails, so actually the rear fog is MUCH brighter than the regular tails...hence the reason they are used in bad weather.

[Kunzite]

and that's also the reason why they should never be used in good weather.

[Draco-REX]

I plan to turn that into a "Rain Light". I stuck my head under the bumper of a BRZ demo that's rolling around. It still had a reflector inside and it looked like it just didn't have the hole for the Bulb socket cut out. Should be rather easy to wire up.

[robotvoice]

Originally Posted by Kunzite

and that's also the reason why they should never be used in good weather.

Absolutely correct, it's actually pretty distracting in clear weather at night.

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

I plan to turn that into a "Rain Light". I stuck my head under the bumper of a BRZ demo that's rolling around. It still had a reflector inside and it looked like it just didn't have the hole for the Bulb socket cut out. Should be rather easy to wire up.

Very cool, I didn't know if anyone had looked under there yet. It sounds like we're going to have to get the EDM/JDM light to be able to put a bulb in and wire it up correctly. The GR STI sedan guys have to do this as well if they want to run a rear fog.

[Lighting Red]

Originally Posted by chulooz

It seems like a pretty pointless regulation when you consider the two (much brighter) LED taillights that already pretty low and would be lit under limited visibility conditions.

Ill pass, but some nice LED reverse lights will be considered.

My little brother has an 2007 MINI Cooper S with the rear fog lights factory fitted. The rear fog lights are actually brighter than the brake lights. I have driven behind him during heavy rains, and those rear fogs are AMAZING! I would like to find out if the bulb MINI specifies for their rear fog light would work on the Subaru.

I think swapping the reverse lights for LEDs and inclusion of the rear fog lights would be my first modifications. The reverse lights are not very powerful, and since they are so low I am afraid those conditions may contribute to other drivers not seeing that I am backing up.

[Lighting Red]

Originally Posted by Kunzite

and that's also the reason why they should never be used in good weather.

Call me intolerant, but in general I think people who use fog lights when the weather conditions do not call for it should be shoed in the nuts or ovaries. Especially if it's use of the rear fogs that are being abused. In nice weather they are annoyingly bright.

[[M]]

I've never had a reverse fog before, I may have this be one of my first additions just to see.

[LSxJunkie]

Originally Posted by Kunzite

and that's also the reason why they should never be used in good weather.

This. I was stuck behind a 2011 Cayenne with its rear foglights on 2 nights ago. Mind you, those fog lights are in the taillight housing, right below the brakelights and are at eye level. It looked like he was riding the brake and his CHMSL was out until he hit the brake and I was actually dazzled by the amount of light coming off the back of his car. Asshat.