You're only supposed to use fog lights when they're needed. Otherwise it just causes glare for other drivers.

You especially shouldn't use rear fog lights unless there is heavy fog. They're extra bright and can temporarily blind people.

http://dastern.torque.net/Rearfogs/Rearfogs.html

 

Yes, I'm aware and I agree that they can be distracting. But nevertheless, most cars do remember that they were switched on when the vehicle is shut down.

 

I noticed this too on our F56...Just today actually, the rear fogs have bulbs and wired just no button up front. I will do some more research to see if this can be turned on.

 

I wonder if they're wired for some other purpose, like the alarm, or so the car can be spotted on a lot.

 

My brother-in-law was behind me on the highway north of Pittsburgh last month when we ran into fog so I turned on both the front and back fog lights. He said the rear lights work well, he noticed them right away.

 

You CAN be ticketed for having your rear fog light on when not needed (ie: not raining or not foggy) in the state of California.

 

Having only owned European cars (MINIs, VWs, Audis, BMWs, Land Rovers and Saabs), none of them allowed the fogs (front or rear) to remain on after the vehicle was shut off and restarted. Maybe that is an Asian/Korean or American thing?

 

Has anyone been able to dig up a p/n for the rear fog light switch?
I've done some searching through RealOEM without any luck.

Thanks

 

I have zero problems using them with tailgaters. Works like a charm!

 

Rear fog lights can only operate when the other lights are on and they are helpful with fog, heavy rain and snow.

 

The rear fogs are controlled from the main light switch cluster. There's two buttons to the left of the main switch; one for the front fogs the other for the rear. I believe they're variants of the main light switch. Try looking there for different P/N's

 

Ahh, of course, I didn't think to look for it as part of the main headlight switch.
Yep, there it is:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...83&hg=61&fg=35

For my car with the Front fogs, LED headlights, and Rain sensor, I would need switch p/n 61319301806 to add the Rear Fog functionality.

A quick Bing search turns up a Turner Motorsport listing:
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-19...-bmw-part.aspx
They want $123 for the switch.
Hmmm, not sure I want it that badly yet.

 

I'll think you'll find that just the switch won't do the whole job either. You'd still have to take it to the dealer to activate the function, and of course that's more $$$'s. Ah the joys of CANBUS.

 

What I can tell you about my rear fog lights is my wife was driving behind me one night and I flipped them on and she said it was REALLY bright.

Where I find them useful aside from using them in the heavy downpours we have in FL is if someone is tailing me, I flip them on and its so bright that it makes the tailgater back off. No idea if its legal to use them when it isn't raining or in fog.

 

I realize that this thread is a bit old, but thought I'd relate my experience. Having coded the rear fog light activation (or rather, watched someone do it for me) I thought I would be able to follow this BMW mod: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531296

Alas, MINI unlike BMW replaced the non-working button with a dummy button, so no luck. It might be possible to try replacing the button alone, but it would take more surgery with the lighting control switch assembly, which is just beyond me. But if anyone is more adventurous than I am, please let me know how it went.

 

What I'm researching now is how to get this useless light to flash when the brakes are applied, a la F1. I've seen this done on other platforms (the F86, for example).

 

ECS Tuning has the switch/part # 61319301806 for a couple bucks less.

I am not so sure you'd have to have a dealer program this feature though. Does not seem like it would programmable as the switch should take care of this feature. Replace the switch and it should send power to the rear fog lights when the button is pressed, no?

I have not checked mine yet to see if bulbs/wiring is present.

 

I have had front foglights on most cars I have owned in the past 20 years. Used when foggy ( or not ) they don't change a hard to see foggy night into a clear view drive, but I have them and use them.

Now while I have never been rear ended when driving on a foggy night, I have been passed by some jackass going way to fast for conditions. The rear fog light is a rear-marker light that is bright for foggy nights. In cars without a rear fog light you can get a very similar ( and maybe better ) effect by tapping on your brakes when you see a car approach from the rear, especially if they seem like they are coming up at a fast pace.

Nice feature, not needed where I drive. Would take if offered at no additional charge, wouldn't buy if it added much to the cost.

Paul

 

Thanks, yes I noticed that. I'll have to mull it over. It does need to be programmed however-- it's an item in the coding for the car.

 

Really. That sucks. I don't understand why it has to be activated. Not that I am doubting you, just don't grasp the logic.

 

The Logic is Mini can get you ($$$$) coming and going. As I understand it, just about all the switches in the car are "soft" switches. They send a closure signal to the CPU which then passes that on to whatever relay is controlling the function. In computereze this is:

Switch Pressed?
N: Do Nothing
Y: Did they pay for this feature?
N: Do Nothing
Y: Figure out what feature and turn it on

 

I've never dismantled the dashboard but I note from the RealOEM parts diagrams that individual switches are not listed as parts, just a whole heating-controls-with-switch-bank unit (item1 ), whether auto or manual.



It may be that every switch bank has six switches and all you have to do is buy the extra operating lever (item 5). Then again, maybe you have to buy a whole new unit to get the extra switch....

 

In the R56 (represented by the diagram you posted), all of the hardware is present to operate the rear fog, with the exception of the toggle switch. The part# for that switch is 64113452459, which you can buy from ECS Tuning for about $9 plus shipping here.

All you need to do is pop off the switch cover (part #4 in the diagram) and insert the toggle switch. The switch just clicks in -- no tools required. After that, you need to code the IHKS module to change NEBEL_SCHLUSSLEUCHTE from non-activ to activ to tell the computer that it's okay to turn on the rear fog with that switch. (To be complete, you should change the VO to include the rear fog option by adding $5AA to the VO in the CAS and FRM modules so that the settings save should the car ever need to be reset.)

As far as the F56, which I believe is what the OP was referencing, I imagine it could work similarly if the bulbs and wiring are already in place, provided that you can add the required button on the dash.

 

In the words of that great American thinker: "Doh!"

 

Yes, that's what I was attempting do via the BMW mod. However, there is no second button, and unlike a toggle, no way to add one. You'll note if you take a look at the F56 part that there are eight different variations. I believe that there are also differences in the actual electronics. So, unlike the R56 (or BMW E9), it requires swapping out the entire switch assembly.