I'm sure this has already been discussed but I can't seem to find the thread. I was wondering if it's possible and how to have the fog lights stay on when using the high beam.

I like how the fogs provide a wide viewing angle that the high beams don't. Thanks!

-Andy

 

you can't. read the manual.

 

I guess I wasn't clear, I know that it doesn't work that way.

The question I am asking is, is there a way to rewire or modify the lights so that I can use the high beam with the fogs?

-Andy

 

ass


i'm sure there is a way to have both on at the same time. i think it was need4spd who posted how to make the side markers blink a while back. maybe he might know.

 

Dean,

Yes, I looked at having them work with the parking lights on, and there is a way, but it is not as nice and tidy as the change for the second gen cars (just a switch of a wire at the fog switch).

The 3rd gen TL uses a computer control module to control many of the items, including the fog lights, so modification is not as easy, to do.

I no longer have the svc manual, but remember when looking at this, that you would have to tap off the connector in the engine comparment of the computure controler and wire a relay in to directly power the fog lights, completely bypassing the computer controler.

I am not sure of the deactivation circuit for the high beams, but would have to think that again it ties into the computer control module under the hood, which also controls the high beam activation, so it would require some work around. Of course, if you did the fog light activation by parking lights, it would take care of this issue.

If someone were to send me the drawings of the wiring for the fog light circuit from the svc manual I could figure this out, but it is a little harder now as I no longer have the TL.

 

Sorry to be a worthless poster not helping at all, but I have to ask....why would you want to do this?

 

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll have to wait until someone figures it out.

I want to do this because in my neighborhood, there are a lot curves and hills. When going down a hill, I use my highbeams becuase of the sharp curoff. I noticed that the fogs light up a wide angle very well which is nice when going around the curves. So I was thinking it would be nice to have the long distance of the high beam and the side viewing angle of the fogs.

-Andy

 

Fog lights have been shown to affect long distance depth perception - the reflected light causes your retina to contract, reducing your long distance acquity. I do not recommend this mod or for running the fogs at all unless really needed.

 

Roadrage,

Do you mean that the iris contracts, allowing less light into the eye and reducing your night vision due to the amount of reflected light? I would think that this is only in fog conditions where the light from the car lights (fog plus head lights) reflect the light back into your eyes, then your iris constricts, allowing even less light to hit your photoreceptors (rods and cones depending on how much light, with the rods giving you your perephrial vision).

The retina that you discribe are your rods and cones in the back of your eye, and if those contract you are in bigger trouble then loosing your long distance accuity.

For better vissual acquity, you want the right amount of light entering the eye.

Too much light entering the eye vs the surrondings and you get discomfort glare, graduating to disability glare (when someone high beams you and you can not see anything except a limited distance near the car, and no longer can see any objects at a distance). I think this is what you are trying to describe.

Fog lights can increase the amount of reflected light into your eye, reducing the field of vision, but would not create the disability glare you are describing, it takes a high powered focused source (sun, spot lights) to create that.

 

[QUOTE=need4spd]Dean,

Yes, I looked at having them work with the parking lights on, and there is a way, but it is not as nice and tidy as the change for the second gen cars (just a switch of a wire at the fog switch).

The 3rd gen TL uses a computer control module to control many of the items, including the fog lights, so modification is not as easy, to do.

I no longer have the svc manual, but remember when looking at this, that you would have to tap off the connector in the engine comparment of the computure controler and wire a relay in to directly power the fog lights, completely bypassing the computer controler.

QUOTE]

the most logical way (after consulting the shop manual and el trblshooting man.) to bypass the computer would be to run a jumper from the combo sw plug parking lite wire(under the steering column) to the foglamp relay (under the hood, next to the fuse box) so the fog lamps would turn on w/ the parking lamps. (i'm not sure how this would affect the indicator on the dash...)

it would probably be easier just to tap into the drivers's front parking lamp wire harness and run a wire back to the foglite relay. again, i'm not sure how this would affect the dash indicator)

do not confuse the foglamp relay w/ the 5-wire fan control relay located adjacent to it.


the foglamp relay wiring is:
BLU/YEL switched battery (this should be power going to the foglamps?)
BLU/RED fuse 10- under hood (one BLU/RED supplies B+ power for the relay?)
BLU/BLACK relay control (this is the wire that comes from or goes to the Relay Control Module, i suspect it may be looking to be closed to ground?)
BLU/RED fuse 10 - under hood (fuse 10 shows hot at all times...power to the relay?...makes sense since the headlamps/foglamps can be turned on w/out the ign sw...?)

i would start by testing the BLU/BLACK w/ the foglamps on. if it shows +12v, then pull this pin out of the connector and supply +12v from a park lamp. if it shows (-) [ground], than a switching relay would need to be developed to close to ground when the park lite came on???

need4spd, i should have access to my scanner over the next few days (hard drive failure here) and could forward some pages from the shop manual / electr manual if this would help...

-and for those that might ask why...because i can!!!
i've had the ability to run fog lamps w/ parking lamps for over 25 years...Acura is just keeping all 50 states happy by implementing this function.

btw, i've replaced the 51w foglamp bulbs (9006) w/ 80w bulbs. i have less than 100 miles of testing so be careful here...there could still be complications switching to higher wattage...


hth-
-miike

 

Yes, i meant iris of course. As I recall the source for this, it did not take a lot of light, because under the conditions the thread starter described, his iris will be fairly open, since it is night and there are apparently few other cars, so his iris would have ample opportunity to open. And since the fog lights conecentrate their light right in front of the nose of the car, a faiur amount of it is reflected, rain or dry - try it, I did.

I reported this as something I recall reading by Dave Solomon at www.motorminute.com He gets all the inside scoop on things automotive, did forensic investigation for Pinketons, and is a certfiedi master mechanic. If you are an oculist or sight professional and your conflicting opinion is based on superior knowledge, then by all means I defer to you, as this is not my area of expertise, I just have not known Dave to get things wrong.

The bottom line for me is that if the high beams are not illuminating well enough, you may be driving too fast for conditions, and I do not see how fog lights will help, other to illuminate what you are about to hit.

 

Roadrage, actually I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night - J/K

I have worked on human eye visibility in low ambient conditions and reviewed several published papers on similar conditions to what you explained.

However, ahkim's conditions do not require distance, but require additional lighting on the sides of the road, such as provided by fog lights, as he is traversing many curves, and the high beams are needed to defeat the sharp cut off of the low beams, but this does not give side lighting.

What ahkim really needs is the adaptive head lights that swivel 15 degrees or so, such as found on som Lexus, BMW, etc cars / suv's, then his lighting on curved roads would be taken care of instead of trying to use the fogs for something they are not.

ahkim, maybe you should purchase a different car for life in 'Tonka!

 

bet you wish you had a second gen now ....getting my fogs rewired hopefully tomorrow. just have a car electrician do it.

 

need4spd, thanks for pointing out that I'm looking for the side viewing angle. I've outgrown the days of out-driving my high beams in my neighborhood.

Anyways, I'll guess I'll just go buy a Lexus. Can I get $60,000 for my fully-loaded TL?

-Andy

 

O.K., Need4spd, I would PAY to have the fog lights on with the parking lights. I hope you can figure it out!!

 

Great site and YES I also have a second gen (2003) TL and will also use your ifo to have my fogs work with the hi beans. Thanks