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Is that the rear fog light?


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May I ask if the lights I circled in the photo are the rear fog light? It will be switched with the other red light. it will be getting more bright when clicking brakes.

 

I am wondering if it is necessary to install a rear fog light in UK. And are they correct and legal. Thanks!

B296039B-BAAC-4E56-9D6E-D2B50E3662B1.jpeg

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Hello Jackie,

 

I don't have the same model year as you.

 

At least one rear fog light is a requirement in the UK.

If you need more information try the DVLA website under MOT.

 

As Japanese vehicles, (in Japan) are not required to have rear fog lights, if I had to guess, i would say these are brake lights and running lights combined.

Is the vehicle in the UK ?

If not, do you have an agent importing it for you  ?

Otherwise your UK dealer should fit rear fog lights (if these aren't) for you. You will need at least one for the MOT.

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Disconnect them from the brake/sidelight power feeds and connect both those wires to a switched live (via a foglight switch ) to act as fogs.

You already have aftermarket rear lamps that are bright enough without the additional bumper fitted ones.

 

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2 hours ago, Chris.ac said:

Disconnect them from the brake/sidelight power feeds and connect both those wires to a switched live (via a foglight switch ) to act as fogs.

You already have aftermarket rear lamps that are bright enough without the additional bumper fitted ones.

 

 

As ever, Chris the technical whiz, has the answer.

But not all of us have his ability!

Hopefully you understand his reply and can act upon it successfully.

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It is a requirement in the UK that there is at least one switched rear fog light, indeed if your Alphard hasn't a switched rear fog light it is illegal and should not pass an MOT Test. On my 2007 the lights as shown in the photograph are reflectors which are also a legal/MOT Test requirement. If these lights are converted into fogs as suggested you still need at least two reflectors. You may get away with the MOT Test because they are often overlooked, but you only need a bored police officer one night and.............

I have suggested on a previous post that reflectors could be fitted on rear mudflaps.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Starider,

 

I now have my Alphie back from the convertor.

 

I need to check again, but it would seem that the importer of my vehicle fitted rear fog lights (a legal MOT requirement) by replacing the reflectors (also a legal requirement)!

Doesn't say much for the MOT station that performed the initial MOT on the newly imported vehicle.

 

The good news is, I believe I have found a pair of reflective rear fog lights (or brake lights) specifically for the Alphard.

Only £20 so I need to spend some pennies.

 

Thank you so much for highlighting this requirement / anomaly.

I can, as you did, fit mudflaps and add some reflectors which I may do if my plan doesn't work out well.

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  • 3 months later...
On 11/10/2021 at 8:36 PM, starider said:

if your Alphard hasn't a switched rear fog light it is illegal and should not pass an MOT Test.

I had the same issue this week having collected my MZ G, I found out it hadn't a fog light, and wondered how it passed it's MOT...now the 'Dudley' Trader says he'll send me the Fog Light to fit!!😬

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Strange that if its same dudley trader as where I got mine from last November stuart spencer autos he converts them in to the rear brake light for it to pass mot .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, AlphaMZ said:

I had the same issue this week having collected my MZ G, I found out it hadn't a fog light, and wondered how it passed it's MOT...now the 'Dudley' Trader says he'll send me the Fog Light to fit!!😬

 

And the switch, and the wiring, and the instructions.

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1 hour ago, AlphaMZ said:

I had the same issue this week having collected my MZ G, I found out it hadn't a fog light, and wondered how it passed it's MOT...now the 'Dudley' Trader says he'll send me the Fog Light to fit!!😬

 

There is a VERY long thread on here on the subject of rear fog lights.

Indeed, I believe it is the longest thread on here !

Not an uncommon issue, and there are several ways to overcome it.

 

You will probably find, when you get to grips with it that the wiring is already there !

See Chris.ac threads, as he has done loads of work on this, including purchasing 'in bumper' versions with various functionality.

 

Good Luck.

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Sure is the longest thread!! It seems to go no and on. I'm trying to get my head round how wiring into the brake light produces an independant light which can still be seen when the brake light comes on. Unless of course the tester checks the rear lighting one circuit at a time.

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Just a post script, the rear fogs should only come on when headlights are on dipped beam and there must be a warning light which is easily seen by the driver on the dash.

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12 hours ago, starider said:

Sure is the longest thread!! It seems to go no and on. I'm trying to get my head round how wiring into the brake light produces an independant light which can still be seen when the brake light comes on. Unless of course the tester checks the rear lighting one circuit at a time.

no, i think its true of the 10 and 20 series, that the 'sidelights' or running lights illuminate in both the door panel lens and the chassis mounted lens, the brake only illuminates in the chassis mounted lens.

So what can be done, is to convert the door mounted lens to a dual filament, so it acts like a normal running light, and uses both filaments for the fog function. (usually the dual filaments are something like 5w for running lights and 21w when you hit the brakes or use as fog)

 

So in this case, you'd need to run an extension wire through the rubber boot to the door, and you can wire a relay in there too, so you only get a live feed to the 'fog' when the sidelight is illuminated

 

 

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On 4/1/2022 at 7:09 PM, Rojie said:

And the switch, and the wiring, and the instructions.

me hopes; at least 1hrs labour been paid in advance for me to get it fitted!

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image.png.5fbc17c6bb57aa453f1d13503cb7c3d0.png

 

 

image.png.9d4e52f4534bf204f988830e8fe07542.png

 

 

You can find all the connectors and pins and colours of wires and their locations in the car if you have the patience to translate some of the pages.

From the diagrams, it looks like there is a rear fog indicator on the dash clocks (check to see if you can see it by shining a torch on the clockface)

Edited by Chris.ac
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factory rear fog switch goes in 2nd switch slot (number 8 in diagram) so your original wiring and connectivity to the back of the car will be miles easier and 'oem' to use as it will be rated properly

image.png.cb96d6a954693750629abc6498f190b7.png

Edited by Chris.ac
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Rear fog is in the right hand side tail/brake light in the door.

The connector to this has a 4 wire connector. (connector V18)

 

image.png.9576c4f48b1ae22d4157b84bbd797fc4.png

 

image.png.02ded78d8f3dac42562855430f037840.png

 

 

Edited by Chris.ac
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi, not wanting to add much more to this topic,but I was looking through a box of "bits" today and came across a lamp which I purchased several years ago, to fit on our farm trailer and never did. It's described as a LED Marker lamp with bracket and I wish I had found it before I fitted the pair of lights as fog lghts, because it/they can be flush fitted or with the bracket supplied. I think I will buy another and flush mount them on the rear bumper. You can view these lamps on the usual market site, there are several sellers.I'm not sure what the wattage is but looks certainly bright enough. I'll mount them with double sided tape and assess the brightness,if they are not bright enough they can go on the farm trailer.

They are GWAZA 15103 Marker lamps[ the15101 are white and the 15102 are amber].

 

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