How to make low/fogs stay on w/ Hi

10745 Views 40 Replies 16 Participants Last post by yt400pmd, Dec 4, 2017

Al3e925

Discussion Starter · Jul 29, 2016

I drive at night over 100 miles daily.

Halogens suck enough, but i do want to know if theres a mod to keep the lows and fogs on when i switch to HI BEAMS....

ANYONE??

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BrandoFisher117

· #2 · Jul 29, 2016 (Edited)

Curiosity killed the cat.... Is there a legitimate reason, besides driving at night, you want to do this?

So, just to clarify, you want the fogs, the lows, and the highs all operating at the same time?

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Al3e925

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 29, 2016

Lol I honestly just don't like the hesitation and "gap" of lighting

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Al3e925

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 29, 2016

And yes, all three on when highs are triggered

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Patman

· #5 · Jul 29, 2016

I presume what you are really after is the fog lights staying on when you switch to high beams. Currently the fogs go out when switching to high beams. Really what I think you should try doing
before trying to light up the world with your lights is to adjust your headlights. That will make he lights a little more effective as they come not very well adjusted.

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jmlo96

· #6 · Jul 29, 2016

Patman is very right. I adjusted my headlights. and I'd say they were aimed about 2 inches lower than they should have been. You might have to adjust them a few times to get that happy medium, but all it requires is a wall on a flat surface and a philips head screwdriver.

Also, in regards to your first post the Cruze uses only one headlight bulb. Therefore, it is impossible to have the lows stay on with the highs. The only way you can get the fogs to stay on is learn how to reprogram the BCM, or rewire the fog lights to another switch.

BrandoFisher117

· #7 · Jul 29, 2016

Patman said:
I presume what you are really after is the fog lights staying on when you switch to high beams. Currently the fogs go out when switching to high beams. Really what I think you should try doing
before trying to light up the world with your lights is to adjust your headlights. That will make he lights a little more effective as they come not very well adjusted.

:sigh:

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Al3e925

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 30, 2016

Ahhh i haven't even looked at that, I'm used to my old colorado where it had a low and a separate high beam. ****, i shall adjust them a little. Good call. Thanks guys!

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Nieboh

· #9 · Feb 10, 2017

You should double check your state's laws regarding the use of multiple beams. In most states, fog lamps and high beams are considered the same, and you are limited to 4 filaments burning at once. It will be illegal in most states to operate fog lights while also operating high beams. Also, what would be the point? Unless your fog lights are obnoxiously bright, you really won't even see them with your high beams going. If conditions are such that you need fog lights, high beams will reflect back in your face from the fog, snow, etc. that necessitates the fog lights, making visibility worse. Other than to be a jerk (and there are plenty of times when I'd like that feature to 'get back' at trucks with fog lights as bright as regular lamps) I don't know why you would want this.

By example, this is from an Oregon Department of Transportation safety release:

Fog lights are designed to be used at low speeds in fog, heavy mist, snow and other situations where visibility is significantly reduced. Front fog lights are generally aimed and mounted low to increase the illumination directed towards the road surface. However, after sunset and during other low visibility situations, fog lights are required to be turned off when an oncoming vehicle approaches. During normal visibility conditions, fog or auxiliary lights should be turned off. It is not appropriate to drive with fog or auxiliary lights left on all the time

From Washington State vehicle codes, they're a little less clear on the issue:

RCW 46.37.230Use of multiple-beam road-lighting equipment.
(1) Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway or shoulder adjacent thereto during the times specified in RCW 46.37.020, the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the vehicle, subject to the following requirements and limitations:
2) Whenever a driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within five hundred feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in RCW 46.37.220(2) shall be deemed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of road contour and loading.
(3) Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches another vehicle from the rear within three hundred feet such driver shall use a distribution of light permissible under this chapter other than the uppermost distribution of light specified in RCW 46.37.220(1).

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Blasirl

· #10 · Feb 10, 2017

Just to reiterate the great responses here:

42-4-212 - Spot lamps and auxiliary lamps.

(1) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two spot lamps, and every lighted spot lamp shall be so aimed and used upon approaching another vehicle that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam will be directed to the left of the prolongation of the extreme left side of the vehicle nor more than one hundred feet ahead of the vehicle.
(2) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two fog lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than twelve inches nor more than thirty inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands and so aimed that, when the vehicle is not loaded, none of the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle shall at a distance of twenty-five feet ahead project higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes. Lighted fog lamps meeting the requirements of this subsection (2) may be used with lower head-lamp beams as specified in section 42-4-216 (1) (b).

(3) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than twenty inches nor more than forty-two inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of section 42-4-216 shall apply to any combination of head lamps and auxiliary passing lamps.

(4) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than sixteen inches nor more than forty-two inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of section 42-4-216 shall apply to any combination of head lamps and auxiliary driving lamps.

(5) Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class B traffic infraction

Found Here: Colorado Laws

and: HEADLIGHTS 24"-54" TAILLIGHTS NOT ABOVE 72"

42-4-219 - Number of lamps permitted.

Whenever a motor vehicle equipped with head lamps as required in this article is also equipped with any auxiliary lamps or a spot lamp or any other lamp on the front thereof projecting a beam of an intensity greater than three hundred candlepower, not more than a total of four of any such lamps on the front of a vehicle shall be lighted at any one time when upon a highway. Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class B traffic infraction.

Also

42-4-207 clearance and identification.

lifted from www.colorado4x4.org as I was having server issues when I tried to go to the official site - so these laws are from 2003 and I would suggest you go to the official site.

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EricSmit

· #11 · Feb 10, 2017

Basically, the point is, there is no reason to have the fog lights on when the high beams are on, unless you forget what the road surface is from the time it leaves your high beams and your car reaches the area.

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Al3e925

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 10, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

You guys just don't drive at night. Give all these laws and reasons you don't think its a good idea, blah blah. I was just asking if anyones done it.

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EricSmit

· #13 · Feb 10, 2017

I do drive at night, and I understand wanting more light, but keeping your fog lights on with your high beams isn't a practical route to achieve that.

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obermd

· #14 · Feb 10, 2017

EricSmit said:
I do drive at night, and I understand wanting more light, but keeping your fog lights on with your high beams isn't a practical route to achieve that.

I drive at night as well. There are instances where the fogs would be helpful even with the highs on. Personally I feel the high beams in the gen 1 Cruze are just about worthless as they're too diffuse. Adjusting the lows to reach out a little further and using the fogs for near in lighting works better than the high beams do.

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EricSmit

· #15 · Feb 10, 2017

obermd said:
I drive at night as well. There are instances where the fogs would be helpful even with the highs on. Personally I feel the high beams in the gen 1 Cruze are just about worthless as they're too diffuse. Adjusting the lows to reach out a little further and using the fogs for near in lighting works better than the high beams do.

That would be more practical than the high beams and fogs. I do drive at night, and I frequently use the fogs and low beams to see better; I promise, I really do get it.

BrandoFisher117

· #16 · Feb 10, 2017 (Edited)

In the OP's original question, they stated they wanted the highs, lows, AND fogs on at the same time.

Now, I drive with my lows and fogs on in the early morning (4-5am), but I have not been in a situation where I was thinking, "Man, it'd be nice to have my highs, lows, and fogs on at the same time." Sure, there are probably situations where it may be nice, but I cannot think of any at the moment.

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obermd

· #17 · Feb 10, 2017

My dad had a car that could do this and yep, he could challenge a locomotive head lamp with that car. Regardless of the state laws reference earlier (and Oregon's law was written prior to manufacture designed fog lamps) the FMVSS limits the amount of candlepower that a passenger car and light truck can emit at any given time. Toyota actually had a recall on some of their "off-road" vehicles a couple of years ago because it was possible to exceed this limit when you added the factory optional top bar lights.

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Blasirl

· #18 · Feb 10, 2017 (Edited)

Al3e925 said:
You guys just don't drive at night. Give all these laws and reasons you don't think its a good idea, blah blah. I was just asking if anyones done it.

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Sorry if you do not care for the answers, but as for me, you hit one of my pet peeves. I drive an extreme amount at night. I have what is colloquially called photo-phobia. I get headaches from overly bright lights.

h34r:

So when Joe Schmoe discovered aftermarket lighting and thought it was cool to be able to see for 6 miles out, and then proceeds to either put HIDs in stock housings or puts in 8000K lamps and then figures if he raises the cutoff he can see even more...

I just want to bust out his lights when he rolls up on me. To add insult to injury he adds projectors to his fog-light housing instead of amber fogs and never turns them off.

There are legal as well as ethical (not the word I want, but it will have to do) reasons for the number of filaments burning at the same time as well as in some circumstances the candlepower as well.

Now if you are a courteous driver and you shut off your driving lights (non amber lamps in the fog light housing) just as you would when you go to dims from brights, I want to give you a hearty thanks and if you choose to break the law when no one is around - so be it, I can understand in certain circumstances.

PS As you can see from my answer, I have not done this so therefore cannot give you an answer on how to do it. But I would caution you if you use the stock lighting it may throw a code when the E/BCM reads the wrong amperage flowing.

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obermd

· #19 · Feb 10, 2017

<Moderator Hat>

Front headlight modifications are a touchy subject here as this impacts the safety of others on the road. We have a policy of not allowing discussions on unsafe modifications to the headlights because this really does impact the ability of other people to not hit you. This doesn't mean you can't discuss replacing your lights with brighter lights or with HIDs, so long as you describe how you're avoiding endangering other drivers on the road. We actually have a few members who have done just this using aftermarket lamp housings and their lights look really, really good, both from the front looking at the car, and from their driver's seat.

Asking how to safely modify your headlights is fair game. I'm not sure OP will like the answers he gets to his question, but the question is legitimate.

</Moderator Hat>

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EricSmit

· #20 · Feb 10, 2017

To answer the question, there is not currently an off the shelf mod to make that happen, because nobody has seen any value in doing so.

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