What do the fog lamp warning lights mean?
Fog lights are exterior lights designed to allow you to see both the front and rear of your vehicle while driving in fog.
Driving in fog can be stressful. In conditions of limited visibility, it can be difficult to judge what is happening ahead. As you may know, using high beams in foggy conditions actually reduces your visibility due to light reflections from water particles.
To help drivers stay safe in bad weather, car manufacturers include fog lights in some car models. These headlights are positioned lower than your regular high beam headlights to prevent reflected light from hitting you. Fog also tends to float above the ground, so these fog lights will likely be able to illuminate further than your regular headlights.
What do the fog lamps mean?
Just like your regular headlights, there is an indicator light on the dash that tells you when the fog lights come on. Some cars have rear fog lights, in which case there are two bulbs on the dash, one for each direction. The headlight indicator is usually light green and points to the left, as is the headlight indicator. The rear indicator is usually yellow or orange and points to the right. These are only indicators that the switch is supplying power to the bulbs, so be sure to check the bulbs themselves from time to time. Some vehicles have a separate warning light to alert you to burnt out bulbs.
Is it safe to drive with fog lights on?
If it is foggy outside, then you should use fog lights to improve visibility. However, many drivers forget to turn them off after the weather clears up. Like any light bulb, fog lights have a limited lifespan and if left on for too long they will burn out quickly and the next time it's foggy your fog lights may not work.
When you start your car, check the dashboard before you hit the road to make sure the fog lights aren't turned on unnecessarily. This way you won't burn out the light ahead of time and you can use it the next time the weather isn't very good.
If your fog lights won't turn on, our certified technicians can help you diagnose any problems with them.
