Hey.

On my GTI VR6 you could have turned on the fog lights in the lights by themselves by buying a EURO LIGHTSWITCH. Is there something like this for our Mercedes w123 ?

Thanks

Kamil

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Audi TT

In my '84 300D, you need to pull the light switch as you turn it to the right, and instead of the sidelights being activated, the Fog lights are activated.

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Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.

Turn on your parking lights and then pull out on the light switch.

Edit: My car is a Euro version. Actually a German guy told me it is probably an African car as it has a manual transmission and an oil cooler. He said if it was delivered in Europe it would have no oil cooler.

One of the things Mercedes did not keep consistant in their cars. Must be some Federal/State/German law that does not follow logic. but then again in Oklahoma you cannot have your fog lights on IF it is not Foggy. Whos definition of foggy , I don't know. Sons freind got a ticket for this.

In the W123 (USA) the only time the fog lights can be on is when the low beams are on. Period. Turn the low beams on with the switch. 2 clicks to the right and then pull the knob out one detent. If you put on your high beams the fog lights go out. The second detent out is for the rear fog light. A German/European requirement.

On the W126 SDL you CAN have the low beams on AND the fog lights. don't know why they did it this way. But again, turn on the high beams and the fog lights go out.

I do understand that the "parking light only/fog lights on" setup is different based on the country of delivery.

So it may be possible to wire the car for it.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

On my 230CE which is a Euro spec car, the fog lights can be turned on with only the parking lights on or low beams or even with the high beams. Nice!

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

On my US spec SDL it is one click to the right and pull out. Then only your parking and fog lights should be on.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I know that on the w126 models pre 1986 models you can not turn on the fog lights without the headlights, but you can on the post 1985 models. They have different headlight rotary switches. I tried to switch the one in my 1985 300sd with one from a 420 sel one time but had no such luck. It looked like the wiring was set up differently.

Take a look at this page.

I did this mod a year or so ago, and have been very happy. I've also got "white" fog lights, so I could actually substitute my headlights with them if need be (from a legal standpoint, at least).

Mine's like Mr. Hatterasguy, pull one click out with parking lights or low beams, fog lamps are on.

Second pull out doesn't seem to do anything, though. On W210 the secone pull out lights the REAR fog light, actually a bright red lamp like a single stop lamp.

My Audi used to light up front and rear at the same time, for increased visiblity from either direction.

Guess you have to play with each car, or read the dreaded Owner's Manual.

Best Regards,
Jim

AFAIK all of Africa is RHD.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

One thing that continues to perplex me is how so many people including state motor vehicle registrars, and I guess too, Oklahoma, do not understand what the purpous of "fog lamps" are for!

Fog lamps, not fog lights, are for the purpous of being seen, not for seeing!

The color yellow was chosen by european standards (namely GB) for fog condition because it was highly visible by motorist warning of oncoming traffic!

If the state of Oklahoma, and other states also who recognize similar, not all do, issue tickets for fog lamps on when not foggy, are either real stupid, or ignorant to the fact! During daylight hours, and when either fog, rain, or snow conditions prevail, you should turn on your fogs so as to be more easily seen by both pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic.

Don't overlook the fact that in Oklahoma there is no such thing as a vehicle inspection. About anything goes. Tires bald, windshield wipers missing the rubber, cracked windshield, and mosquito fogging oil burning heaps are to be found at anytime on the road. (I actually hate the mosquito foggers the worse as my wife has asthma and they can even choke me up.) So any of the above conditions will be overlooked but do NOT be so foolish to drive around with fog lamps turned on as you would be breaking the law.

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JD

I really like the fog lights on these cars I find them to be a nice safty feature. I use mine when ever it is cloudy or darker out for some reason. Also since my dot headlights are horrible I use them at night with the headlights.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Lets add to this post.

In the Haynes manual they show quite abit of different electrical schematics based on the country of origin of the car. And if you look at the different schematics you can determine that some deliveries allow parking lights and fog lights. I have not analyzed the detail of the schematics to determine whether it is the switch or the wire harness that allows this. so if you want to allow fog lights with parking lights. Review the schematics and figure it out.

I did love the 300SDL's ability to have just the parking lights and the fog lights.

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

The mechanical part of the switch on most of these precludes turning on the fog lights by themselves. The only way I can see that you would be able to operate the fog lights independent of the parking/headlights, would be to install a bypass switch specifically for the purpose.

On my '82 300D, that would mean connecting a single-pole switch connecting the NSE and 58N terminals on the back of the light switch. A gray/yellow/green wire goes to terminal NSE and two gray/green wires go to terminal 58N. (I wouldn't bring in a new hot wire specifically for the purpose unless you isolated the fog lamp circuitry from the rest of the lighting circuits.) It might also prove beneficial to wire in an LED that would let you know when you had the fog lights on.

Cheers,
Wes