Fog Lights at Easy Life Markets
Fog lights are low-mounted lamps that help you see the road edge, and help others see you, in fog, heavy rain, snow and dust. Easy Life Markets sells parts for fitting and running fog lights in this category, which is set up for lamps, bulbs, switches, relays and wiring, inside our car lighting section of the auto parts store.
Our current range is one part: a fog lamp wiring harness with a relay, inline fuse holder, rocker switch with a fog lamp symbol, two sealed lamp plugs and ring terminals for the battery and ground. It is the part you need to add fog lights to a vehicle that never had them, or to rewire a pair that was badly connected. We will add more fog light parts over time. This guide covers the types, the specifications to check, how to wire and aim them and when to use them. The current price and availability are shown on the product page.
What Fog Lights Do
In fog, the light from your main headlights bounces off the water droplets in the air and back into your eyes. That glare makes it harder to see. Front fog lights are mounted low, usually in the lower bumper, and throw a wide, flat beam with a sharp top edge. The light stays under the fog and lights up the road surface and the verge close to the car.
Rear fog lamps do a different job. They are bright red lamps at the back of the vehicle that make you easier to see from behind in poor visibility. Many cars have one or two. They are much brighter than normal tail lights, which is why they should be switched off when visibility improves, so you do not dazzle the driver behind.
The automotive lighting article on Wikipedia includes a section on front and rear fog lamps and their history.
Types of Fog Lights
Factory-fit front fog lights
Many cars are built with front fog lamps in the bumper, or with blanking plates where they would go. Replacement lamps are usually specific to the vehicle and the side. If your car has blanks, the bumper is often already shaped for the lamps, and you need the lamps, brackets, a switch and a wiring harness to complete the job.
Universal front fog lamps
Universal fog lamps come in round, rectangular and other shapes with their own mounting brackets. They suit vehicles without factory fittings, older cars, pickups and 4x4s. They are bolted to the bumper, a bull bar or a bracket and wired through a relay harness.
Rear fog lights
Rear fog lamps are usually part of the rear lamp cluster or a separate lamp in the rear bumper. Aftermarket rear fog lamps are also available for trailers and older vehicles. They use a red lens and a high-wattage bulb or LED.
Halogen, LED and HID fog lamps
Halogen fog lamps are the most common factory type. Common halogen fog bulb codes include H1, H3, H8, H11, 880, 881 and 9006 (HB4), and the right code depends on the lamp. LED fog lights use less current and often last longer, but the lamp or bulb must still give a correct beam with a sharp cut-off. HID fog lamps exist but are less common.
Selective yellow and white fog lamps
Fog lights come in white and in selective yellow, a pale amber colour. Some drivers prefer yellow because it can feel less harsh on the eyes in fog and rain. Rules about fog light colour vary between places, so check your local road rules before you choose.
Fog Lights Compared with Other Lamps
| Lamp | Main purpose | Beam | Mounting | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front fog lamps | See the road edge in fog and heavy rain | Wide, flat, sharp top cut-off | Low, in or on the front bumper | Poor visibility only |
| Rear fog lights | Be seen from behind | Bright red, no beam pattern | Rear cluster or bumper | Poor visibility only |
| Dipped headlights | Normal night driving | Shaped to avoid dazzling others | Front, at headlight height | At night and in low light |
| Driving or spot lights | Long-range light on empty roads | Narrow and long | Front, often on a bar | Where allowed, with main beam |
| Daytime running lights | Be seen in daylight | No beam pattern | Front | Daytime |
Specifications to Check
Before you buy fog lamps or fog light parts, check these details.
- Lamp size and shape. For factory lamps, match the vehicle model, year and side. For universal lamps, measure the space where they will sit.
- Bulb code. Check the code on the old bulb or in the owner's manual. A fog lamp built for H11 will not take an H8 without changes.
- Voltage. Most cars run 12V. Trucks and heavy vehicles may use 24V. Parts must suit your system.
- Wattage and current. Add up the watts of both lamps and divide by the voltage to find the current. The relay, fuse and wire must handle it.
- Connector type. The harness plugs must match the lamps or bulbs, or you will need adapters. Our harness has two sealed lamp plugs, shown in the product photos.
- Harness length. Measure the distance from the battery to each lamp and to the switch position.
- Switch type. Decide where the switch will sit on the dashboard and whether you want a rocker switch, as in our harness, or a factory-style switch.
- Water resistance. Fog lights sit low and take a lot of spray. Look for sealed housings and sealed connectors.
How to Choose Fog Lamps for Your Vehicle
Start with what your vehicle already has. If the bumper has factory fog lamp openings or blanking plates, the neatest result usually comes from lamps made for that model, fitted in the original positions. Match the model, year and side, and check whether the bumper uses separate brackets.
If there are no factory positions, universal lamps give you more choice. Measure the space on the bumper or bar, and check there is room behind the lamp for the connector and bulb access. Round lamps suit many older cars and off-road vehicles. Slim rectangular lamps often suit modern bumpers better.
Think about how you drive. If you mostly need help in fog and heavy rain, a lamp with a wide, flat beam and a sharp cut-off is the right choice. If you want long-range light on empty, unlit roads, you are looking for driving lamps or a light bar instead, and those follow different rules. For the wiring, plan on a relay harness from the start, and make sure the switch position and cable lengths suit your vehicle. Basic hand tools, a crimping tool and a test light are useful, and our tools and equipment section has workshop tools for car jobs.
Wiring Fog Lights the Right Way
Fog lamps draw more current than a dashboard switch should carry on its own. A proper installation uses a relay. The switch carries only a small current to the relay coil. The relay closes and passes battery power to the lamps through a fused feed. This keeps the switch cool, gives the lamps full voltage and protects the wiring if anything shorts.
A fog lamp wiring harness contains all of that in one loom. Our fog lamp wiring harness has the relay with a mounting tab, the inline blade fuse holder, the rocker switch, the two lamp plugs and ring terminals for the battery and ground. Building the same circuit from loose wire, crimp terminals and a relay socket takes longer and leaves more room for mistakes.
Basic fitting steps
- Disconnect the battery negative terminal.
- Mount the fog lights securely on the bumper or brackets.
- Mount the relay in a dry place in the engine bay, away from heat.
- Route the lamp leads to each lamp, keeping clear of hot, moving and sharp parts.
- Pass the switch lead into the cabin through a grommet, and fit the switch where you can reach it easily.
- Connect the ground to clean, bare metal.
- Connect the fused feed to the battery positive, then reconnect the battery and test.
- Aim the lamps before driving on the road.
Follow the instructions with your harness, as wire colours and switch connections vary. If you want the fog lamps to work only with the side lights or dipped beam on, as many local rules require, the switch feed may need to come from that circuit. An auto electrician can set this up. For other looms, see our wiring harnesses category and the wider electrical section.
Aiming Fog Lights
Badly aimed fog lights dazzle other drivers and light up the fog instead of the road. Park on level ground facing a wall a few metres away, with normal tyre pressures and a normal load. The top edge of each beam should sit below the height of the lamp centres, so the light falls on the road. Adjust both lamps to the same height and check that the beams spread out to the sides. Your vehicle's manual, or the lamp maker's instructions, may give exact figures.
When to Use Fog Lights
- Use them when visibility is seriously reduced by fog, heavy rain, snow or dust.
- Switch them off when visibility improves. Rear fog lamps in particular can dazzle the driver behind and hide your brake lights.
- Do not use front fog lights as a substitute for dipped headlights.
- Check your local road rules. Many places set rules on when fog lamps may be used and how they must be wired.
Fixing Common Fog Light Problems
When fog lamps stop working, the fault is often in the wiring rather than the lamp. Work through these checks in order.
Neither lamp works
Start with the fuse. Then listen for the relay clicking when you press the switch. If the relay clicks but the lamps stay dark, check the fused feed from the battery and the connections at the relay. If the relay does not click, check the switch, its feed and the relay coil ground. On factory systems, the lamps may only work with the side lights or dipped beam on, so test with those switched on.
One lamp works and the other does not
Swap the bulbs between the two lamps. If the fault moves with the bulb, the bulb has failed. If it stays on the same side, check that lamp's connector for corrosion and its ground wire for a loose or rusty joint.
The lamps are dim or flicker
Dim or flickering lamps usually point to a poor ground, a corroded connector or a long, thin feed wire. Clean the ground point back to bare metal and check every joint. A weak battery or charging fault can also make lamps dim at idle.
The fuse keeps blowing
A fuse that blows again straight away means a short to ground. Look for a wire that has rubbed through on a sharp edge or melted near the exhaust. Never fit a bigger fuse to stop it blowing. Find and fix the short.
Water inside the lamp
Low-mounted lamps take a lot of spray. If water collects inside, check the lens for cracks and the rear seal or bulb cover. Standing water often blows bulbs and corrodes the reflector, so a lamp that keeps filling should be resealed or replaced.
Care and Maintenance
- Clean the lenses regularly. Low-mounted lamps collect road dirt quickly.
- Check for cracks and stone chips. A cracked lens lets water in and can blow the bulb.
- Look for condensation. Standing water inside the lamp means a seal has failed.
- Inspect the connectors for corrosion, especially after winter.
- Replace bulbs in pairs so both lamps give the same light.
- Check the aim after any bumper repair or suspension work.
Common Mistakes
- Wiring without a relay. The switch overheats and the lamps run dim.
- Using a fuse that is too large. The fuse should protect the wire, not just the lamps.
- Poor grounds. A painted or rusty ground point gives dim or flickering lamps.
- Fitting LED bulbs into lamps not designed for them. The beam can scatter and dazzle others.
- Aiming too high. Fog lights must sit low and point down.
- Leaving rear fogs on. They are for poor visibility only.
Related Parts
If you are adding a light bar or spotlights as well, our LED light bar wiring harness kit has a 40A relay, 30A fuse and switch. If you have fitted LED bulbs and now get a bulb-out warning, the H7 LED load resistor is made for that problem. For indicators, see our turn signals category, which includes a Chevrolet GMC turn signal switch. Extra lamps also put more load on the battery, so it is worth checking it with the BST100 car battery tester. For jump starters and chargers, see batteries, and for other add-ons, browse our automotive accessories.
Who Fog Lights Suit
Fog lamps suit drivers who often travel in fog, heavy rain, snow or dusty conditions, owners of pickups and 4x4s who drive on unlit roads, and anyone whose car has blanked fog lamp positions. Our fog lamp wiring harness suits DIY owners and mechanics fitting a new pair, or replacing old, unsafe wiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fog light parts do you sell?
The category covers lamps, bulbs, switches, relays and wiring. Right now we sell a complete fog lamp wiring harness with relay, fuse holder and switch. We will add more parts over time.
Can I add fog lights to a car that never had them?
Yes, in most cases. You need the lamps, brackets, a relay harness and a switch. Check that the result meets your local road rules.
Do fog lamps need a relay?
Yes. Fog lights draw more current than a dashboard switch should carry. A relay lets the switch control the lamps while the relay carries the load through a fuse.
Are yellow fog lamps better than white ones?
Some drivers find selective yellow easier on the eyes in fog and rain. Both colours work, but local rules on colour vary, so check before you buy.
When should I turn my fog lights on?
Only when visibility is seriously reduced. Turn them off again when it improves, so you do not dazzle other drivers.
Can I fit the harness myself?
Many owners do. You need basic tools and care with routing, fusing and grounding. If you are not comfortable with vehicle electrics, ask an auto electrician.
What if the part is not right for my vehicle?
Read our return and refund policy. Shipping information is on our shipping policy page, and more answers are on our FAQ page.
Buy Fog Light Parts at Easy Life Markets
Well-fitted fog lamps make bad-weather driving easier and safer. Choose lamps that fit, wire them through a relay and fuse, aim them low and use them only when you need them. Browse our fog lights range above. If you need help, send your vehicle details through our contact page.