fog lamps ????

[bro frank]

78 300d w123. noticed when i pull the light switch toward me fog lamps come on with first click. what is supposed to happen with second click.

also noticed that if i turn my hi beams on the fog lamps go off. normal? why?

[kalpol]

First click is front fog lamps, second click is rear fog lamp with which your car may not be equipped.

The fogs go off on high beams because they're pretty useless then, since the high beams will overpower them.

[Mike D]

Fog lamps are not used in conjunction with "high beams". If you ever use high beams in fog you notice the light is reflected back at you.

I dunno about the second click. Maybe for "driving" lamps as opposed to the fog lamps?

I had a '69 220D which had both the round above the bumper fog lamps and smaller rectangular driving lamps below the bumper. Never paid attention as to what turned the driving lamps on as I was just parting out the car.

[JimFreeh]

Hello,

The W123s and others of the same vintage will not light the fog lights unless the headlights are on low beam.

Once you get into the 90 and above, the fogs work independent of the headlight switch. Seems to be an antiquated US reg that disables the fog function.

The second pull position lights the rear fog. The rear fog is a single brake light intensity bulb that is on the driver's side. There is a light in the headlight switch that will come on when the rear fog light is illuminated.

Again, the rear fog is only operable on later USA spec cars, possibly MY90 and newer.

My 90 560 and 95 E320 have rear fogs, my earlier cars do not unless they are grey market cars. Then they function as the do the late model cars.

Jim F.

[Motorhead]

I changed the fog light wiring on my '77 240 to have fog lights on either high or low beam. It ADDS to the high beams because they have good low light spread. I did this before I put Euro lights in. Works well with the euros also.
The second position is for a rear fog light. The 123 US models don't have the separate wire for this light. To make the indicator light work on the headlight switch, You have to make up a small ground wire for the terminal on the switch. There IS an extra socket on the 123 tail lamp for the rear fog bulb. You just need a donor light socket electrical.

[bro frank]

soo i turn this ligth switch to the left 1 click and one side of the car lights up. 2 clicks to the left and the opposite side of the car lights up.

what is that all about.???????

[Mike D]

Parking lamps.

[kalpol]

Originally Posted by bro frank

soo i turn this ligth switch to the left 1 click and one side of the car lights up. 2 clicks to the left and the opposite side of the car lights up.

what is that all about.???????

They're the parking lights ...

oops someone beat me to it.

Well, when you park on the street, turn on the lamps on the side in the street. If your battery is in good condition, you can leave them on all night without running it down. I use them occasionally, makes me feel better when my car is parked someplace odd.

[almater1]

I had a radiator neck failure on a two lane road up a mountain road... needless to say I had to have towed and wasn't sure when it would happen, I left my parking light on left side only and felt a lot better leaving it. Didn't have to worry about my hazards killing battery next day.