There are still many ways to use lights while driving. Many car owners only know about low beam and high beam, but don't know much about fog lights, so they always confuse them. Improper use not only affects the safety of others, but is also detrimental to yourself. So how to use car fog lights and how to maintain them? Let’s learn together!
What are car fog lights
Car fog lights are generally installed on the front and rear of the car to illuminate the road and provide safety warnings when driving in rainy and foggy weather. The visibility of the driver and surrounding traffic participants is improved, making it easier for surrounding traffic participants to spot each other.
Front fog lights
The front fog lamp is set on the front bumper, slightly lower than the headlight. The front fog lamp is generally yellow, because the yellow light has strong penetrating power, which can improve the visibility of the driver and surrounding traffic participants, making it easier for oncoming vehicles to and pedestrians spotted each other at a distance.
Front fog light graphic style: three slashes on the left, crossed by a curved line, and a semi-oval on the right.
Rear fog lamps
Rear fog light refers to a red signal light with greater luminous intensity than the tail light that is installed at the rear of the vehicle in order to make it easier for other road traffic participants behind the vehicle to detect it in low visibility environments such as fog, snow, rain or dust.
The logo of the rear fog light is slightly different from that of the front fog light. The light line of the front fog light logo is downward, while the rear fog light is parallel. It is usually located on the instrument console in the car.
Rear fog light graphic style: on the left is a semi-elliptical graphic, on the right are three horizontal lines, crossed by a curved line.
Fog light switch design
Because the fog light switch is generally divided into three gears, the 0 gear is off, the first gear controls the front fog lamp, and the second gear controls the rear fog lamp. The front fog lights work when the first gear is turned on, and the front and rear fog lights work together when the second gear is turned on.
When to use car fog lights
In harsh weather conditions such as fog, snow and heavy rain, or when driving in a smoke-filled environment, front fog lights must be used to illuminate the road ahead and ensure driving safety. In foggy weather, front and rear fog lights are usually used together.
When driving without fog in the city at night, do not use fog lights. The front fog lights do not have sunshades, which will make the vehicle lights dazzling and affect driving safety. Some drivers not only use the front fog lights, but also turn on the rear fog lights at the same time. Because the power of the rear fog light bulbs is relatively large, it will create dazzling light for the drivers behind, which can easily cause eye fatigue and affect driving safety.
Fog lamp replacement and maintenance
Whether it is a front fog light or a rear fog light, as long as it does not light up, it means that the bulb has burned out and must be replaced. But if it is not completely broken, but the brightness is reduced and the light is red and dim, you must not take it lightly, because this may be a precursor to failure, and the reduced lighting capability is also a major hidden danger for safe driving.
Reasons for low brightness of fog lights
1. The most common thing is that there is dirt accumulated on the diffused glass or reflector of the lamp. At this time, all you need to do is to use flannel or lens paper to clean the dirt.
2. Another reason is that the battery's charging capacity decreases and the power is insufficient, resulting in insufficient brightness. In this case, the battery needs to be replaced with a new one.
3. There is another possibility that the circuit is aging or the wire is too thin, causing the resistance to increase and affecting the power supply. This situation not only affects the work of the light bulb, but may even cause the circuit to overheat and cause a fire.
Proper maintenance can play a big role in safe driving. Understanding fog lights not only ensures your own safety, but also protects other traffic participants.
