would it b feasible to make the OEM fogs on my 05 mercedes ML DRLs?

i was wondering if i could use the fog lights on my 2005 mercedes ML DRL's?
if they would be acceptable need to figure a way to have them come on with the ignition

so first is this something reasonable to do and if so, any ideas how to get them to come on with ignition, or at least turn on with out having all the headlights on as they are now

thanks

ken garchow said:

i was wondering if i could use the fog lights on my 2005 mercedes ML DRL's?

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Yes, you were wondering that. However, fog lamps do not make good DRLs, and never were permitted as DRLs in the USA. In Canada, they are permitted as DRLs but that will soon not be the case as fog lamps do not make good DRLs.

If you want to add DRLs to your vehicle, the DRL-1 module would be the way to go.

The rest of the time, use your fog lamps only when conditions require them (which is a combination of darkness and heavy fog or torrential rain) and only at low (20-25mph at the maximum) speeds.

thanks for the input

Why don't fogs make good DRLs? I thought of this same idea for my 2001 impala.......

LeoTheLion89 said:

Why don't fogs make good DRLs? I thought of this same idea for my 2001 impala.......

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Some of it is that what makes a good fog lamp a good fog lamp makes it less visible to other drivers. A fog lamp is solely to assist the driver using them to find road edges at low speeds. The very same light pattern that works for that tends to make the lamps not quite as visible to other drivers in a wide variety of driving conditions. Front turn signals make much better DRLs because their purpose *IS* to be seen.

Alaric Darconville said:

Some of it is that what makes a good fog lamp a good fog lamp makes it less visible to other drivers. A fog lamp is solely to assist the driver using them to find road edges at low speeds. The very same light pattern that works for that tends to make the lamps not quite as visible to other drivers in a wide variety of driving conditions. Front turn signals make much better DRLs because their purpose *IS* to be seen.

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You can always aim thr fogs higher if using the housing for DRL can't you?

LeoTheLion89 said:

You can always aim thr fogs higher if using the housing for DRL can't you?

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No, because you'll increase the glare too greatly for them to perform a DRL function properly, and then you'll make them less useful as fog lamps- they'll create excessive backscatter for you, the driver, and blind oncoming drivers.

Vehicle lighting is an incredible science. What we see and accept as "common sense" lighting features took years of careful study and design. For example, the flash rate of turn signals is carefully specified (although there is a broad range of duty cycles and flash rates); it seems like it's "common sense" that turn signals don't flash at either 120Hz or 15Hz, and the on/off ratio is also controlled such that it unambiguously conveys a message: "This driver is about to turn". On the other hand, what would seem to me and -Virgil- to be "common sense", that rear turn signals should always be yellow, is not something regulators in the USA agree with, permitting red rear turn signals. So, really, "common sense" is really something that doesn't permeate vehicle lighting.

Alaric Darconville said:

No, because you'll increase the glare too greatly for them to perform a DRL function properly, and then you'll make them less useful as fog lamps- they'll create excessive backscatter for you, the driver, and blind oncoming drivers.

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I would use them as DRLs only hence retire them for foglight use, but i see your point.