TOW BAR - REAR FOG LIGHTS

Might be worth putting this up tonight - in case anyone reads it
( I think its an important note and worth remembering.)

Over the weekend the weather was extreme - heavy rain and most drivers on Motorway were using their rear fog lights to help visibility - a must in heavy spray/rain.

When I got home I thought I would see how effective the rear fog lights were ?

1. Engine running
2. in neutral
3. dip beam on
4. front fogs on
5. REAR FOGS lights - WERE OFF !!!! ( even with the switch on and lit up on the dash )

I then thought - a fuse had blown - tried again and again

Mystery ............

Then on Tuesday I thought I would take the LR FF Swan neck tow bar off - and store in the rear Tow Bar bin storage area.

11pm that night - had a thought ...... went to the car tried the rear fog lights and they were ON ?

so - Im I right in thinking, when the LR Swan neck tow bar is in its hole for towing the rear fog lights DO NOT WORK? - is there a switch inside the tow bar bracket ?
No point in asking my LR dealer - when we bought the cars it took them 25 minutes trying to get the tow bar off - in the end it was a simple case of turning the pivot lever and PULLING THE LOCK at the same time. I remember one of the cars went into the workshop and she only had 40 miles on her clock - she must have thought cannibalization time.


In a nut shell:
I see so many FFRR's driving around with the Swan neck still in - surely if they wanted to use their Rear Fog lights on the motorway in an emergency - they would not work ?

The vehicle in question: FFRR 12 year AB special edition - if that make any difference.

Is this right or are the Rear Gog lights playing up

I've don't a quick search but cant find any posts on this

Thank you in advance for any replies


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There's not electrical contact in the swan neck fitting.

The fog lamp cut out just works by detecting there is a trailer connected to the lighting socket. I would guess the socket got water in it, especially if it's a 7pin. By the time you took the swan neck out the socket had dried out

There's no electrics in the armature - so shouldn't make any difference whether the swan neck was in place or not.

The lights should only cut out if the trailer electrics are plugged in.

The names a give away they are called fog lights not rain lights

voodoo!!!!!!!! ... - .- -.




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Dear Zirconblue & Alistair

Thank you for coming back - really appreciated

I know the car was dry - she was in the barn.

It's a mystery to me - I will have to run tests with swan neck on and off in the next 2 weeks when I am back

Thank you once again both



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7 pin electrics are rubbish water gets in they corrode and cause all sorts of problems.

I'd be interested to hear any conclusions. Incidentally the moving parts on the Westphalia towbar seem to seize quite easily and leaving it in place all the time to collect salt/moisture/mud etc should make that worse.

My front foglights are not working just now even though the light symbol appears on the clocks, perhaps the cause is similar - I'm having the dealer investigate when the car is in for something else later this month and will try to remember to say what they find if it seems relevant. Only Range Rovers since 1988

possibly the parking sensors are picking up the swan neck and dis-engaging the fogs, or its voodoo... ... - .- -.




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HGv driver wrote:

The names a give away they are called fog lights not rain lights

Quote:

"Rule 226
You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves"

Quote:

Rule 236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.

Quote:

My front foglights are not working just now even though the light symbol appears on the clocks, perhaps the cause is similar - I'm having the dealer investigate when the car is in for something else later this month and will try to remember to say what they find if it seems relevant.

Quote:

possibly the parking sensors are picking up the swan neck and dis-engaging the fogs

Driving in adverse weather conditions (226 to 237)
1. Overview (226)
2. Wet weather (227)
3. Icy and snowy weather (228 to 231)
4. Windy weather (232 to 233)
5. Fog (234 to 236)
6. Hot weather (237)

________________________________________
1. Overview (226)
226
You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236). Law RVLR regs 25 & 27

236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.
Law RVLR regs 25 & 27

http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk

Fog lights (in my opinion) cause more harm than good.

In over 30 years of driving, I have only genuinely needed to use rear fog lights 2 or 3 times. If you can see more than 100 meters. Turn them OFF

If visibility is that bad, Slow down! They are not to be used as an excuse to maintain your current speed.

Sorry, not a dig at the OP. Just that I see a lot of inconsiderate drivers wrongly using fog lights.
Same when they leave their foot on the brake after you have stopped behind them (at a junction for example). I digress.

Zirconblue - GOOD FOR YOU... that's made me smile - well done

Quote:

Snow, spray and fog can all reduce visibility to 100 metres or less, I would think you'd have known that given your user name

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and yes he should know !

and if any ones thinking - I know a thing or too about viability - and yes it was below 100 meters - hence the rear fogs were on most cars !

one last thing:
Pin socket was dry - park sensors work ok - front fog lights work ok

its only when the swank neck was fitted - no trailer on

Yes I will re-post when I get the chance to test it all out, again in the dry.
IAM SURE THE SWAN NECK STOPS THEM COMING ON WHEN INSERTED - almost positive.

Thank you to all that's answered



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Quote:

Fog lights (in my opinion) cause more harm than good.

In over 30 years of driving, I have only genuinely needed to use rear fog lights 2 or 3 times. If you can see more than 100 meters. Turn them OFF Exclamation Evil or Very Mad

If visibility is that bad, Slow down! They are not to be used as an excuse to maintain your current speed.

Sorry, not a dig at the OP. Just that I see a lot of inconsiderate drivers wrongly using fog lights.
Same when they leave their foot on the brake after you have stopped behind them (at a junction for example). I digress.

That's what i posted above.

When i was driving professionally ( i suppose i did a few million miles in 10 years)i had cause to use them more than twice, for spray, snow or fog. But it does depend on where you live, if you live in a low lying area with lots of water about or on the coast then severe fog is much more common, less so elsewhere. In most cases bad spray on a motorway is a more common cause of poor (100m) viz than actual fog.

You don't really need them in the dark, i agree they're not an excuse to continue doing 70mph, and tbh if it's that bad and there is an opportunity i'll pull off the road for 10 min and see if it clears. I disagree that fog lights do more harm than good, because it's the drivers to blame not the lights.

For days after a foggy spell you see as many muppets driving around with their fog lamps still on as you do muppets driving with no lights at all when it's foggy.

Matrix signs warning of 'FOG' illustrate the mentality of the motoring public though, may as well have signs warning of "RAIN" or "DARKNESS" too. All are fairly obvious weather conditions which don't need a sign.....

Quote:

IAM SURE THE SWAN NECK STOPS THEM COMING ON WHEN INSERTED - almost positive.