We got factory installed driving lights on the fiancee's R56 non-S coupe. However, as I'm sure you all know, they can only be turned on when the high beams are on in the car.

Is there a mod, or does anyone know a way, to disable that feature and to allow them to be used at any time? Would be nice to have control over turning them on/off at any time.

 

Yes, there is a way. I'm not electrically inclined myself....my huzz and his best friend did the wiring for me. I'll find out the details from them tonight for you...but basically, they installed a "flip switch" for me right beside the parcel shelf and I can turn my driving lights on/off completely seperate from the rest of my lights.

 

where are the driving lights? Does ever cooper have them or is it only for the non-s?

 

I believe they mean OEM "dealer installed" driving lights like the ones in my Sig. which legally can only be used with Hi beams.

 

In most places, use of driving lights independent of the high beams is illegal. If that is the case, andy you must go through safety inspections, your car will fail, if not correctly wired. That aside, there is a reason the driving lights are supposed to work in conjunction with the high beams: They blind oncoming drivers and, in fog reflect the light back into your eyes,and, therefore, should never be used where it would not be proper and safe to use high beams.

 

Ah, I see. Those look great. It is indeed a bit dissapointing you can only use them with the high beams.

 

I don't get why it would be disappointing. They are supposed to do what they high beams do, only more of it.

 

I just figured they were a supplement to the low beams, that's all. But I compeltely agree with you, I just didn't know their true purpose.

 

I'll second LynnEl. They are basically super-high-beams. They'll be really really bright to oncoming traffic!

 

cool, dreman. It's refreshing to see people willing to learn.

 

On other cars, some driving lights are wired to only work with the low beams. My Acura Integra is that way. However, I really hate it when oncoming cars are running driving lights. They are hard on the eyes when driving in the country. I doubt they really help the driver using them. They just make the close area brighter and don't extend the range he can see. I suspect people run them mainly to show off.

 

They probably aren't true driving lights if they are wired to work with the low beams.

 

Fog lights are for low beams, driving lights are for high beams Whenever someone is coming towards me with their blinding driving lights on I wish the front of my MINI was equipped with super high-tech bright-lite seeking missiles so I could wipe them out with one flick of a toggle switch

 

Yes, there is. Unfortunately, doing that would make them essentially useless for actual driving, as you would need to turn off two sets of lights if you also had your high beams on. As you're fumbling for the second switch, you're blinding other drivers and endangering them, if not yourself.

Under what circumstances would you want to use only the driving lights?


Driving lights - super bright, scattered light used in conjunction with high beams. For use on unpopulated roads.
Fog lights - low, wide beam used in conjunction with low beams. For use in fog, or when you want to look cool.

 

Rant on/

There's been an epidemic of people wanting to "look cool" by running their fog lites all the time, I wish it would fade away again............they are annoying at best, distracting at worst and can be a real problem when on a tall highboy truck riding your rear bumper.

Fog lights are for fog, or rain, or snow, or other low visibility situations, period. They don't make you look cool when you run them in daylight, it makes you look ignorant.

Rant off/

That said, on my Lexus, the fog lites are activated by a second switch, and if you turn them on and forget to turn them off, they come on anytime the low beams are on, and there is no warning light to remind you they're on. So, you have to pay attention. I have found one or two occasions where mine were on when I didn't need them, and my face was certanly red.......

I'd like to see MFR's go back to yellow lenses for fog lites, that way it'll be more noticeable if you leave them on, and actually I found the yelllow lite better in bad visibility situations.

 

What both of them said

 

Rant on/

There's sure seems to be an epidemic of people wanting to dictate how I operate and enjoy my own car. I wish it would fade away. They are annoying at best... Whether it utilizing the cup holders designed into the interior of my car, running a radar detector, using the Hi-Fi stereo that some others poo-poo, or using my fogs whenever the heck I want. It's MY car. As long as it's not illegal (and I DO know how and when to dim high beams and driving lights), get over it.

Rant off/

On the overcast, gray Washington weather days I use my fog lights in conjunction with my parking lights instead of using the full-time Daytime Running Lights feature. Why? Because a pair of $10 H8 fog light bulbs are a lot easier on the pocket book than replacing a Xenon light setup. Powering up the xenons every time you start the car takes it's toll.

Oh, and I think it LOOKS COOL!!!

 

You don't live in a vacuum. What we are talking about is behavior that has an adverse effect on other drivers. You have the right to do what you want, unless it hurts someone else.

Washington may be different, but that is illegal in California. If you drive with lights on in California, you have to have your headlights on. The belief behind the law is that parking lights only give other drivers a false sense of the distance to your car. Whether that is true or not may depend on the configuration of lights on the car.

And others think it looks like some fool trying to show off.

 

Re-read the "I know how to dim my lights" comment. If someone wants the ability to use any and EVERY accessory light on thier car all at once (multiple driving lights + high beams + fogs + 4 way flashers for all I care)... as long as it doesn't effect anyone else and they have the common sence to use them when appropriate, all power to 'em (pun intended ).

There are a TON of MINIs out there with non-factory driving and accessory lights that don't operate within DOT specs (2 driving lights with high beams ONLY, 2 fogs with parking or low beams ONLY - how many 3 and 4 light rails are out there?).

One persons asks a question about how to modify their lights to work how they want and everyone gets all preachy. People should lighten up (get it ). If I knew the magic wire to cut to allow me the freedom to turn my driving lights on whenever the heck I wanted, I'd tell 'em, versus jumping thier s**t. Way to make the newcomers feel wanted.

It is.

Show off? By making somthing look different and drawing attention to your car? Like by lowering? Or tinting windows? Or adding racing stripes? Or big 18" wheels? Or suspension parts that are unnecessary for 95% of the time behind the wheel? Or a louder JCW exhaust? Lets face it, by this line of thinking, anything done to set yourself apart from the crowd is just "showing off" and we are all guilty in some way.

Anyway, If I really cared what others thought on the road, or on NAM... I might not be driving an R56... or a MINI at all, for that matter.

 

I just reread the thread to see if I missed something. Did I see anyone jumping anyone's sh*t? No. The only person in here emitting tude is you

 

Really?

Gosh, my bad...

 

msh, I agree with your sentiments. If any of your comment was referring to me, however, I will add that using driving lights not in conjunction with high beams IS illegal every place I lived. In the case of driving lights, they ARE a danger to other drivers and, therefore it is their business. As to fogs, go ahead and run them when you want. The reason that they are wired not to work with high beams is for your safety. If conditions are such that fogs are required or helpful, high beams would be dangerous, due to glare back. But, if you want the option to use fogs without headlights, that is your concern.

 

msh

I think maybe the reason ppl are jumping on your comments is simply because in many states, the things concerning what your talking about are against state laws (not DOT). If you sell private party and get the car inspected or have annual inspections, the car will not pass (at least here they won't pass).

Do people break those laws?
Do you want to advocate breaking state laws?
Will you get "caught' for a "fix-it ticket"?

BTW, JCW exhaust is "quieter" than stock

 

If you consider that jumping on someone's sh*t, you obviously have never seen anyone's get their sh*t jumped on.
But please continue your attempts at humor & by all means continue mocking many who post in the thread

 

My son always knew where to get an "illegally" modified Bronco inspected, whether it was big lamps on a light bar or exhaust modifications. Of course, he ran the risk of getting a ticket if caught. It's generally just a phase we males go through, though some never grow out of it!