No, this is not the annual gripe about people driving about with their fog lights on illegally.  This is about the way that you switch the fog lights on.

 

This last week or so we've had a lot of rain locally, with lots of standing water and some seriously huge puddles.  On a few occasions I have been driving along with a reasonably clear view in front, but the view to the rear was seriously compromised by the spray being thrown up from my wheels.  It might have been useful to have had my rear fog light on to help drivers behind see me, however in order to do that I would have had to have my front fogs on as well, which wasn't warranted by the visibility conditions ahead.

 

Anyone else think the design of the light switch is a bit short-sighted in this regard?  I suppose that a cloud of spray should be a fairly obvious indication that there is a vehicle ahead of you, but then again in grey, mizzling conditions that cloud might all to easily merge in to the general murk, especially at night (when the risk of dazzling people with the front fogs is also all the greater).

I totally agree

 

I have a brain and I can work out what lighting is required and when. Well done for raising it

 

I'm guessing certain software doesn't work if the rears are on and not the fronts 

Our Volvo doesn't have front fogs or the option for them; maybe fog to the front is not a Scandinavian thing  However agree that the type of switch employed by VAG does limit the drivers choice when it comes to lighting.

 

Back to the V40, then my main gripe lighting wise is there's nothing on the dash to confirm the lights are on, which in auto particularly, I find frustrating in daylight inclement weather, although selecting rear fog puts them on by default.

 

 

TP

You might be able to 'fix' this by reversing the wires on the rear of the light switch.

 

Grab a multimeter and you should be able to figure out which pins control the front and rear fogs and go from there. Assuming there is nothing clever going on it might give you rear fogs on the first click and the front/rear on the second.

 

It's also assuming the yeti switch is similar to the 10pin switch in the O2.

 

edit:

Pins 5 and 7 might be front and rear fogs - at least based on euro switch retrofits in the US

Edited 10 November, 201510 yr by langers2k

You might be able to 'fix' this by reversing the wires on the rear of the light switch.

You may also introduce problems with the Can-Bus.

You may also introduce problems with the Can-Bus.

 

I don't think that will be the case, If my memory serves me correctly...

 

I'm fairly sure the Yeti and O2 share CECM's and that the light switch is not connected via canbus. Instead it's a bunch of wires (one per function) to the CECM which will the decide which lights should be turned on.

 

At worse case, I would expect an error code for 'Implausible signal' stored for the light switch but even that's probably unlikely as these CECM's can be used without front fogs fitted so all likely states would be normal.

 

I'll double check over the wiring diagrams tonight and if I have time attempt it on my O2.

I am not sure but is it not also the case, to get the fogs on the headlights go off during the switches rotation. Must check mine  :think:

 

Yes they do   , Auto then side lights then manual heads then pull/twice.

Edited 10 November, 201510 yr by DonjSZ5

I got this alteration done on my old Octavia (way before can bus days) the dashboard needed to come out for another reason and Skoda agreed to do it at no additional charge as long as I signed a disclaimer to the effect that any problems incurred thereafter were my responsibility. I think it much more logical to have the rear fogs available before front fogs if not separately switchable.That is because I would never use front fogs unless seriously needed in which case rears are needed as well. Just my logic.

What if you are the first car in a line of traffic and you need to use your front fog lights.

That means the car behind you has to be dazzled by your rear fog light.

But I can also see why you think differently.

Solution? Two separate switches (and even more to be forgotten to turn off when it's not foggy).

You might be able to 'fix' this by reversing the wires on the rear of the light switch.

 

Grab a multimeter and you should be able to figure out which pins control the front and rear fogs and go from there. Assuming there is nothing clever going on it might give you rear fogs on the first click and the front/rear on the second.

 

It's also assuming the yeti switch is similar to the 10pin switch in the O2.

 

edit:

Pins 5 and 7 might be front and rear fogs - at least based on euro switch retrofits in the US

 

I would be very cautious of doing anything like this because of the CanBus system!

Modern cars do not have the simple circuits they used to and "playing" with them can lead to very expensive damage.

 

And legally rear fog lights cannot be used when there is just spray being thrown up. That is not fog which is what is stated in the legislation.

I am not sure but is it not also the case, to get the fogs on the headlights go off during the switches rotation. Must check mine  :think:

 

Yes they do   , Auto then side lights then manual heads then pull/twice.

 

My headlights don't go off when the fogs are on.

I would be very cautious of doing anything like this because of the CanBus system!

Modern cars do not have the simple circuits they used to and "playing" with them can lead to very expensive damage.

 

Canbus is a communication protocol between modules in the car and has nothing to do with this.

 

Attached is the wiring diagram for the yeti light switch. It's the more or less the same for 5L6 and 5L7 based yeti's and the O2, the only difference being the colour of the wires used.

 

The grey box in the middle represents the light switch, inside it contains 6 switches and a few LED's. The part we are interested in is the two switches just above E18 and E7 which feed pins 5 and 7 of the connector. It really is as simple as two switches, one each for the front and rear fogs...

 

So that's the theory, I'll see how easy it is to switch the two pins over some other time.

 

You might be able to 'fix' this by reversing the wires on the rear of the light switch.

 

I did exactly that on my 1st Superb.

I did exactly that on my 1st Superb.

 

That'll save me going out in the rain Any error codes in the CECM about the light switch or did it not care?

Nope it didn’t care, performed perfectly as you would expect if it had come out the factory that way.

 

The wires come out easily enough if you have the right tool (or know how they are located)

My headlights don't go off when the fogs are on.

Of course they don't. We ALL know you have the perfect Yeti.

Edited 10 November, 201510 yr by DonjSZ5

We are all guided by automation because most people don't give a stuff about driving and have to be protected from themselves.

Enjoy your freedom whilst you still can......you could even try to park yourself just to see if you still CAN.

In the interest of keeping calm and friendly.... I think there's a bit of misinterpretation going on in here in some of the posts.

 

If the head lights are switched on in 'Auto' mode, neither the front or rear fogs can be illuminated.

 

The lights switch must be rotated clockwise to the headlights 'on' position to be able to select front or rear fogs. In doing this, the lights switch passes through the 'sidelights' position and if this is done slowly, the headlights will momentarily switch off, before coming back on when in the headlights 'on' position. Rotate the switch quickly and the headlights don't seem to go off when passing through the sidelights position.

 

Personally, if you can't have two individual switches for front and rear fogs then I prefer current set up as it prevents blinding innocent folk behind. I have probably only had rear fogs on less than 10 times 36 years of driving - and then only in really heavy fog conditions.

 

TP - My only complaint with the FL Yeti is the removal of the (pre FL) headlights 'on' alert in the instrument cluster.

 

I don't leave the light on 'auto' during the daylight hours as I hate following or facing cars that have lights going on and off as they pass under a tree or a bridge or some other bit of shade (I do like having had Allams switch on the tail lights to be on with the front DRLs - safe and seen when passing under said tree or  bridge!). In addition, the sensing system measures ambient light, not visibility so it may well not activate the lights in mist/fog when the ambient light is still high but the viz rubbish. I think this is the reason many 'modern' cars drive around in mist/fog with no lights on. 

 

I do use the 'auto' position at night so you get full functionality of the adaptive headlight system. But then all you get, if I remember correctly, is the 'Auto' and '<>' sidelight symbols illuminated on the headlight switch - not the headlight 'on' symbol at the switch (that's only when you're at the headlights 'on' position).

 

Many, many, many months ago I sent the Skoda customer care people an email asking if the removal of the instrument cluster lights 'on' warning light had been removed as an EU directive or what (the light is still there, it just doesn't illuminate). Suffice to say, I have yet to receive a reply....

 

Perhaps if the Volvo doesn't have it, it is some bizarre EU directive not to clearly inform the driver of the headlights status.

No, this is not the annual gripe about people driving about with their fog lights on illegally.  This is about the way that you switch the fog lights on.

 

This last week or so we've had a lot of rain locally, with lots of standing water and some seriously huge puddles.  On a few occasions I have been driving along with a reasonably clear view in front, but the view to the rear was seriously compromised by the spray being thrown up from my wheels.  It might have been useful to have had my rear fog light on to help drivers behind see me, however in order to do that I would have had to have my front fogs on as well, which wasn't warranted by the visibility conditions ahead.

 

Anyone else think the design of the light switch is a bit short-sighted in this regard?  I suppose that a cloud of spray should be a fairly obvious indication that there is a vehicle ahead of you, but then again in grey, mizzling conditions that cloud might all to easily merge in to the general murk, especially at night (when the risk of dazzling people with the front fogs is also all the greater).

 

From the conditions you describe, rear fog lights are probably the worst thing you could have on. The glare caused by the lights through the rain would be blinding for the people behind and would seriously reduce them noticing your brake lights. IF it was that bad it warranted fogs on (ie people behind couldnt see your car unless really close behind) then you would need your front fogs on as well. Or am I missing something?

I do use the 'auto' position at night so you get full functionality of the adaptive headlight system. But then all you get, if I remember correctly, is the 'Auto' and '<>' sidelight symbols illuminated on the headlight switch - not the headlight 'on' symbol at the switch (that's only when you're at the headlights 'on' position).

 

When in the auto position those lights only being on when the headlights are on are enough to tell me the headlights are on and can be seen easily.

When in the auto position those lights only being on when the headlights are on are enough to tell me the headlights are on and can be seen easily.

 

That is true, they do indicate that.

 

But that indication that the lights are 'on' is not exactly in the line of sight - being behind my hand on the steering wheel. Some people complain that the satnav is too low (not me). As far as I am concerned, system function/indication lights should be more in the line of site than down near my right knee!

 

Pre FL, a quick glance at the instrument cluster would confirm the lights are 'on' and I have yet to find out why this function was deleted on the FL Yeti. Having driven many miles in both pre FL and FL Yetis, I know which is easier to see!

The satnav will be popping up soon.

From the conditions you describe, rear fog lights are probably the worst thing you could have on. The glare caused by the lights through the rain would be blinding for the people behind and would seriously reduce them noticing your brake lights. IF it was that bad it warranted fogs on (ie people behind couldnt see your car unless really close behind) then you would need your front fogs on as well. Or am I missing something?

 

I missed that bit, I agree... NEVER use them in the rain!

 

Front got lights are not there to enable YOU to be seen... headlights are more than capable of that, they are there so you can see better, I can literally count on 1 hand the amount of times I have NEEDED front fog lights on... and I do 100K+ miles per year and have done for the last 30 years.

 

Rear fog lights are however there to let other road users see you, so therefore IMO need to go on 1st... but only in very thick fog.

Edited 11 November, 201510 yr by Gizmo68

My parents sure could have done with front fogs about 60 years ago when particulate emissions from coal and wood fires caused fogs that we couldn't imagine now........we literally crawled in the gutter and had to find it again after avoiding the odd parked car.

It's the one time when a man with a red flag proceeding would actually been of some use.....as long as we didn't lose track of him at walking pace.

In my 52 years of driving I can't remember using fogs in earnest but I still imagine a situation of being on a motorway in fog when I might be very thankful for having them.

In the interest of keeping calm and friendly.... I think there's a bit of misinterpretation going on in here in some of the posts.

 

If the head lights are switched on in 'Auto' mode, neither the front or rear fogs can be illuminated.

 

The lights switch must be rotated clockwise to the headlights 'on' position to be able to select front or rear fogs. In doing this, the lights switch passes through the 'sidelights' position and if this is done slowly, the headlights will momentarily switch off, before coming back on when in the headlights 'on' position. Rotate the switch quickly and the headlights don't seem to go off when passing through the sidelights position.

 

Precisely as I said in my post, fast or slow the headlights switch OFF.

 

My light switch has remained on Auto since new (July 2014) and I have not yet had cause to use the fogs. I (we) find it intelligent enough to set the lights to whatever the surroundings require.

 

As for the fogs, if I were asked I would prefer separate switches as in my 1998 technology Audi.

 

Let's also not forget that the vehicle behind may also have its rear fogs on and not be bothered with the guy behind him/her.