# Fog Light On/Off



## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

If you have the fog lights on & make a quick stop(under 10 minutes), they will be on the next time you start it.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

spacedout said:


> If you have the fog lights on & make a quick stop(under 10 minutes), they will be on the next time you start it.


This. Only other way would be rewiring them but you may need to have a different switch to have them turn on.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

I wish GM would program the car so when the wipers are on the fog lights are on. If the car doesn't have fog lights, the parking/tails should be on with wipers(parking/tails are already always on with fogs). 

Shocking how many people I see(or can't see soon enough) because they are driving around without any lighting in inclement weather.


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## cruzinred92 (Dec 4, 2013)

My headlights turn on when my wipers are on atleast med speed for about 3 min. Noticed on a long highway drive with periods of rain. After a few min with wipers on the headlights and park lights turned on. After turning the wipers off for a few min it goes back to Drl's.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

cruzinred92 said:


> My headlights turn on when my wipers are on atleast med speed for about 3 min. Noticed on a long highway drive with periods of rain. After a few min with wipers on the headlights and park lights turned on. After turning the wipers off for a few min it goes back to Drl's.


That's interesting, could be since I use the intermittent wipers 95% of the time I never noticed this, will have to test this out tomorrow. I wonder though if it was just one of those days where it got dark enough to trigger the automatic headlights to engage. 

My real issue is with the automatic headlight system on most cars, people don't realize they are driving around with no tail lights in the rain/fog. That's why I love my fog lights, the parking/tail lights remain lit no matter how much light the automatic headlight system sees that minute. Hate that time of day the auto lighting keeps switching on and off as I drive through a dark valley or up on a well lit ridge.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Sure don't want to drive an 88 Supra, fog lamps are on the dash using a holding relay, just a push button. Once the ignition is switch off have to switch them on again after restarting. As is the cruise control, a switch right next to the fog lamp switch, have to hit that switch each time you start the vehicle.

Vast majority of vehicles I have owned, head lamp switch was on the dash, and wouldn't go ding ding ding when I opened the door, had to remember to turn off the head lamps or go back to a vehicle with a dead battery.

Stay far away from 30's cars, three unidentified levers on the steering wheel, one for the head lamps, another for the throttle, and a third for the spark advance. Had to make sure all three were in the off position when leaving the vehicle. If you tried to hand crank these cars with the spark advance and throttle advanced, would break your arm when trying to start it.

Cruze is somewhat a PITA when its light with fog, just the DRL's are on, so have to manually switch on the head lamps so your tails are on.

Have to know your vehicle, and it doesn't kill me to hit that fog lamp switch when fog lamps are required.

Ha, take flying lessons, coming in for a landing, landing lights on, proper trim, mixture at rich, carb heat definitely has to be switch on, throttle must be operated to keep the engine cleared, while talking to the control tower for proper instructions, and watch out for those cross winds, and other aircraft. 

Did have some vehicles with automatic safety belts, ha, don't forget to put these on.

For many years could start any vehicle while in gear, idiots were running over their own kids and blamed the manufacturers. So in consequence a bunch of more problem crap had to be added that gives even more problems, so you engine won't crank at all.


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

Seems like most functions any more on cars have to be turned back on after each re-start. Its not that hard to turn them on, but I agree it is slightly annoying to have to do it each time you start the car. I don't think there would be an easy way to re-wire your fogs to stay on as the BCM is looking for a signal from the switch after each start up cycle to turn the fogs back on. I am not sure it is as simple as jumping your fog light switch, but it may work?

The problem with DRLs is drivers often forget to turn on the regular headlights when dark as they already have headlights "on", but no tail lights. I have never been able to understand why tail lights do not get turned on with DRLs? It seems like a simple thing to do and a major improvement in safety. Also DRLs should be at the very least a dimmer headlamp not the little yellow corner markers. So many drive around in poor visibility with DRLs only (or nothing) and you can't see them, they don't have the sense to switch on their regular headlamps. That is why all these "features" are law now.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

TDCruze said:


> The problem with DRLs is drivers often forget to turn on the regular headlights when dark as they already have headlights "on", but no tail lights. I have never been able to understand why tail lights do not get turned on with DRLs? It seems like a simple thing to do and a major improvement in safety. Also DRLs should be at the very least a dimmer headlamp not the little yellow corner markers. So many drive around in poor visibility with DRLs only (or nothing) and you can't see them, they don't have the sense to switch on their regular headlamps. That is why all these "features" are law now.


I notice with my cruze the DRL being the dimmed headlight bulb people can't see my turn signal blinking from the front when turning during the day. I wonder if this is why GM made the 2015 cruze have the separate DRL LED strip?

The reason I know people can't see my turn signal from the front, 99% of the time if I'm turning left onto a side road if a car is sitting there ready to pull out, I flip on my signal early so they will go but they do not get out of my way. Have even had a few of these people flip me the bird.


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## au201 (May 18, 2013)

spacedout said:


> That's interesting, could be since I use the intermittent wipers 95% of the time I never noticed this, will have to test this out tomorrow. I wonder though if it was just one of those days where it got dark enough to trigger the automatic headlights to engage.
> 
> My real issue is with the automatic headlight system on most cars, people don't realize they are driving around with no tail lights in the rain/fog. That's why I love my fog lights, the parking/tail lights remain lit no matter how much light the automatic headlight system sees that minute. Hate that time of day the auto lighting keeps switching on and off as I drive through a dark valley or up on a well lit ridge.


As long as your lights are on auto, the exterior lights will come on after (i believe) 7 swipes of the windshield wipers. So if you're on the lowest intermittent setting this could take a while. This is also why I try not to turn my wipers off when it's barely misting - I just use the slowest int. setting. Test it next time, leave your lights on auto and turn the wipers on and let them pass 7 times and see if they come on. They should.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

au201 said:


> As long as your lights are on auto, the exterior lights will come on after (i believe) 7 swipes of the windshield wipers. So if you're on the lowest intermittent setting this could take a while. This is also why I try not to turn my wipers off when it's barely misting - I just use the slowest int. setting. Test it next time, leave your lights on auto and turn the wipers on and let them pass 7 times and see if they come on. They should.


 I'll have to try it 7 times, I tested it this morning and it did not come on though I probably didn't do it that many times.


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## au201 (May 18, 2013)

spacedout said:


> I'll have to try it 7 times, I tested it this morning and it did not come on though I probably didn't do it that many times.


I'll check mine later today - I think it's seven. Make sure you have the wipers on and leave them on, because this resets every time you turn them off (to just use the mist swipe every once in a while or something...).


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

spacedout said:


> I notice with my cruze the DRL being the dimmed headlight bulb people can't see my turn signal blinking from the front when turning during the day. I wonder if this is why GM made the 2015 cruze have the separate DRL LED strip?
> 
> The reason I know people can't see my turn signal from the front, 99% of the time if I'm turning left onto a side road if a car is sitting there ready to pull out, I flip on my signal early so they will go but they do not get out of my way. Have even had a few of these people flip me the bird.


That is the one thing that Dodge has done right, their headlamp/DRL will turn off temporarily while the turn signal is on so it is easy to spot.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Automatically switch on my fogs whenever the head lamps are on. Could have tapped into the dims for each side, head lamps pull 5 amps, fog lamp another 3 amps. So would have had to increase the wire gauge to each dim, increased the size of the fuse, and hopefully find a larger capacity relay.

But this would be considered in a court of law, a major modification. Don't know about your background, mine was defending my company in a court of law against huge liability claims. And if I would have made such modifications to my Cruze, would also assume the liability. Ha, would love to find a vehicle that was modified, saved my company millions, and the major cause for a claim dismissal. 

So just left it stock. All depends on your background. Also, not dealing with logical people in a court of law. And wondered why I did all my new car testing in the daytime. Maybe because all of my dealers have bankers hours.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

au201 said:


> I'll check mine later today - I think it's seven. Make sure you have the wipers on and leave them on, because this resets every time you turn them off (to just use the mist swipe every once in a while or something...).


Tested it today, you are correct, 7 times the wipers pass and then the automatic headlights will switch from daytime to headlights/tails. This also works with intermittent wipers. Learn something new every day!


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## BradHerr (Sep 29, 2013)

TDCruze said:


> That is the one thing that Dodge has done right, their headlamp/DRL will turn off temporarily while the turn signal is on so it is easy to spot.


This a requirement from the NHSTA for all manufacturers. There is a minimum distance the turn signal must be from the DRL or the DRL must shut off when the turn signal comes on. I remember performing a recall on GMC Envoys in the early 2000's to replace the bcm with a new one that shut off the DRLs when the turn signal came on. That's where I learned of the law. 


-Brad


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

BradHerr said:


> This a requirement from the NHSTA for all manufacturers. There is a minimum distance the turn signal must be from the DRL or the DRL must shut off when the turn signal comes on.


Which begs the question of why the Cruze doesn't.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

ChevyGuy said:


> Which begs the question of why the Cruze doesn't.


Not enough people crashed yet?


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## BradHerr (Sep 29, 2013)

ChevyGuy said:


> Which begs the question of why the Cruze doesn't.


It is a little more complicated than the distance. If the turn signal is more than 100 mm away no dimming is required. If it is between 60-100 mm no dimming is required if the light uses a reflector and meets a certain brightness ratio. Not sure about the dimensions on the cruze. Here is a link to the law. 
http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/TP-108-13.pdf 
Paragraph 12.1.1.10 explains the spacing to other lamps. 
There is a lot of things the manufacturers have to consider when designing a headlight. I would have never thought there was that much to it. 


-Brad


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

ChevyGuy said:


> Which begs the question of why the Cruze doesn't.


After seeing how many people can't see my front turn signal during the day, I suspect this is why the 2015 cruze has a LED strip as the daytime running light. I don't know all the complex rules involved but no way the turn signal being in the same housing as the headlight just up/back 3-6 inches is going to be very visible.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

spacedout said:


> I suspect this is why the 2015 cruze has a LED strip as the daytime running light.


Not to mention that headlight DRLs are sooooo 90s. Anything that's cool has LED DRLs.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

All I know about DRL's is when you have a problem, can be a nightmare. Use to be all relay logic, not tied into the BCM. Typically the brights are wired in series, but then switched with cheap point contact relays to parallel along with the dimmer switch.

Cruze relies on the BCM, a microcontroller dependent on firmware stored in flashram. Pray this thing doesn't crash will driving on a dark tree lined curvy road.

Not quite like a simple self cleaning slide switch that switches on the lights.


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## dirt dauber (Dec 24, 2014)

here in florida,it's a state law that raining during the day when windshield wipers are in use headlites must be on.
safety issue

also my 2012 cruze when dark enough,my headlites/taillites automaticially turn on from drl setting


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

> also my 2012 cruze when dark enough,my headlites/taillites automaticially turn on from drl setting


Can really develop bad habits when you climb into a vehicle where you have to turn them on, and also off.


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## jpcotter (Sep 19, 2021)

spacedout said:


> I wish GM would program the car so when the wipers are on the fog lights are on. If the car doesn't have fog lights, the parking/tails should be on with wipers(parking/tails are already always on with fogs). Shocking how many people I see(or can't see soon enough) because they are driving around without any lighting in inclement weather.


 I know the feeling. Just the other night, it was around 4pm and pitch black outside & I saw at least 2 cars with ZERO lights on. The only way I saw the cars was when it was under a street light.


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