Rear fog light help

[greenday-rulz21 6]

'99 E36 323 coupe

Checking the lights the other day and found out that left rear fog isn't working.

Ok, so I checked the bulb. Looked fine. Put it into the right light and it worked. Put the right hand one in the left hand light and it didn't work. Switched the holders over and same result.

Both bulbs and holders worked in the right rear light.

So I'm assuming theres something wrong with the light assembly? Someone said that the E36 might only have a right rear fog light, but i doubt that.

Does anyone know what the problem might be?

Appreciate any replies,

Cheers

[Braeden320 0]

Just went out and checked both my e36's out.

Both only the RHS Rear fog works.

Must be standard.

[hotwire 352]

Car is probably only wired for R/H rear fog (right hand drive car) - marks the outside (centre) position of the car on the road. Conversely left hook cars have a fog light on left side.

This was common practice in the earlier cars & still is in some new (VW beetle for one) -most late cars have one each side

[greenday-rulz21 6]

Cheers guys, appreciate it.

[hotwire 352]

Cheers guys, appreciate it.

You could if you wanted (& could be bothered) wire the left hand one up to have both working - I did this on the Audi Quattro we used to own - easily done:-

[Yuen 16]

Hmm... odd. My E36 had rear fogs on both sides. I thought maybe it has something to do with your car being a UK import, but I'm guessing Braeden's cars are Japanese as well?

I'd trace the wiring to the pins and follow the tracks on the light and figure it out... not like it's a big deal though - we rarely need to use them in Auckland.

[Braeden320 0]

Hmm... odd. My E36 had rear fogs on both sides. I thought maybe it has something to do with your car being a UK import, but I'm guessing Braeden's cars are Japanese as well?

I'd trace the wiring to the pins and follow the tracks on the light and figure it out... not like it's a big deal though - we rarely need to use them in Auckland.

Yup both are Jappas, never used the rear foglights in either of them from memory

[greenday-rulz21 6]

Hmm... odd. My E36 had rear fogs on both sides. I thought maybe it has something to do with your car being a UK import, but I'm guessing Braeden's cars are Japanese as well?

I'd trace the wiring to the pins and follow the tracks on the light and figure it out... not like it's a big deal though - we rarely need to use them in Auckland.

Yea, I originally thought that it might have had something to do with it being ex-UK. But apparently not.

I might try what Hotwire suggested and wire it up. Thanks btw.

I know its not a big deal But I quite often drive down to Tauranga and it can get quite dangerous over the Kaimais because of the Fog. Will see

[Foohey 0]

mines a jappa, and only the right works

[jochen 4]

Many countries have regulations that require only 1 x foglight, on the drivers side of the vehicle.

Here is Switzerland we have these regulations

The reason is that it allows following drivers to distiguish between brake lights (2 or 3) and foglights (1, on driver's side)

So E46s here in Switzerland only activate the drivers side foglamp, even if both and fitted and wired. (due to the Swiss-market coding of the light control module)

[Apex 693]

Was following one the other day and both were going… so I gave him some high beam. Wanker. Sorry pet hate.

They do come in handy when being tailgated though.

[Yuen 16]

That's my pet hate too. I think half the people who have them on don't know what that little button on the dash does, and 'the more lights the better'

Jochen brings up a good point. Perhaps the regulations came in after my E36 was produced. Mine was an 1992 model so earlier than any of the others mentioned in here. I just remembered that a friend of mine who also had a 1992 E36 also had both rear fogs.

[Mark 178]

I don't have rear fogs... but I've still got the button on the dash.... perhaps I should wire it up to some sort of James bond gadget like an oil slick or smoke cloud!

[Apex 693]

I don't have rear fogs... but I've still got the button on the dash.... perhaps I should wire it up to some sort of James bond gadget like an oil slick or smoke cloud!

Ha, my E30 has those features as factory!