Rear fog rocker switch 'tell tale' - MOT Fail

[1664]

My van was build in 1984 and is a German LHD import which also has no wiring or relay at the back of the fuse box for a fog light. When did fog lights become a required fixture in Germany? Does anybody know?

Patrick

I don't see how it matters - they don't enforce vehicle standards retrospectively in any country do they? As long as a vehicle conforms to the regulations that applied at the time of it construction that's all it has to do. If you applied seat belts, emissions, crumple zones etc to older vehicles no one could run an old mini, E type, moggie minor etc etc.

[CycloneMike]

To be registered and used in the UK it has to comply with the Road Vehicle Lighting Regs.
These state that if the vehicle was first used after 1st April 1980 then it is required to be fitted with at least one rear fog lamp on the offside or the centre of the vehicle.
The Tell Tale has to be a "A light showing that a device has been switched on". So a piece of tape on the switch will not suffice.
It doesn't matter where it was first used.
I don't know when they became a requirment in Germany.

ETA info about tell tale requirements.

[1664]

So the german regs didn't require it when ours did then? How come this is only just coming to light now, people have been importing vehicles for donkey's years surely?

[CycloneMike]

I don't think it's anything new. Just look at the number of imports with naff looking fog lamps hanging under the back bumper.

[Mickyfin]

My caravelle don't have a fog light switch, or the wiring in the back light cluster. Passed the Finnish alternative to the UK mot. Guess its not needed here.

[CovKid]

I have to say, even if it were not a requirement, I'd still want an indicator. Have you ever sat behind someone on a clear night with them left on?

[1664]

I have to say, even if it were not a requirement, I'd still want an indicator. Have you ever sat behind someone on a clear night with them left on?

Yes and this is precisely the reason they should operate so that the relay drops out when the ignition is turned off rather than rely on some muppet remembering that they're on and what the hell that light on the dash that they've never seen before is for................

[lloydy]

[quote="Scammellman "buy a RHD lamp box?

"


I use a much cheaper option. I bolt on a separate lamp [costs £5 in my local acessory shop] on the right hand side, then I solder a wire to the pos terminal in the bulb holder and run it to the lamp. Has worked every time for me.

Ive just bought a RHD lamp box to get rid of the diy lamp hanging from under my bumper. Only cost £5 for the unit, so no more expensive than the poo lamp

[jaybeeonline]

After removing the underslung ugly fog light, I decided as my rear lamp assembly did not have the necessary gubbins for the factory fog connection that I would wire to the reversing light connector and fit a red bulb.

Much ado later, I ended up juggling the wiring to the offside cluster, fitted a nice new red LED bulb and voila It works!!!!






J.

[hicksy]

I have had this as a item on the fail list before. The garage it was in at the time sorted it so I cannot offer any advice, sorry

[silverbullet]

I'm in the process of removing the naff fog lamps from both the SA's. I found that if you get yourself a "dead" backplate with the fog lamp contact, it's possible to prise up the relevant track (talking Hellas here btw) and retrofit the spring contact to your other tail unit and voila! twin fog lamps

The wiring is already in the loom for both lamps, you just need the contact in the lamp