Rear fog lights x 2

[dstev2000]

Couldn't decide whether to stick this thread in the Octavia II or Diag/VAG-COM section

Had a play with the new VAG-COM lead today and managed to get both rear fog lights enabled on 2 MY08 Octavias that were made around July 2007.

I recall some people having problems with this so I don't know if this will help or not but i'll post it anyway.

Usual rules apply: Do this at your own risk and make a note of ALL changes made with VAG-COM, only attempt to alter the coding if you are competent to do so

STEP 1: In VAG-COM open controller 09 cent. elect. and click coding 07.

STEP 2: Using the long coding helper set byte 3 bit 1 to OFF (unticked) (0 = 2 fog lights, 1 = 1 fog light) This is set as factory default to 1 (ticked).

Before changes:

After changes:

STEP 3: Set byte 4 bit 4 to ON (ticked) (Activation of both rear fog lights), this is set as factory default to 0 (unticked).

Before changes:

After changes:

STEP 4: Press the 'Transfer coding' button.

STEP 5: Do it!

Job done.

[Harry_vRS]

I've just done this mod myself. I don't ever use my fogs but I guess it would look better in the event I did.

For more hints and tips to do with VAGCOM and your octavia, I'd recommend visiting VRStu's site Octavia-vrs.com

[VRS195]

I requested the dealer check or amend about 20 VAG-COM related items at PDI.

One of the requests was they set up the rear fogs to both work (MY2008 - End of May Build).

I think this is a good idea for FOUR reasons:

1) They look better

2) The point of a fog light is to make you extra visible (or just visible!!) in dense fog so twice the output = twice the visibility.

3) ALL important signals/light should have redundancy - ie if one brake bulb goes you have another, if one headlamp goes you can still get home, if one turn signal goes you have one or two remaining (on same side). So why reversing lights and fog lights are not mandatarily duplicated I don't know.

4) When you drive abroad other drivers would not be confused by lamp on opposite (wrong) side.

I would certainly rather have two reversing lamps than run an unaware pedestrian over if a bulb had gone or bump an obstacle at night on the side without a reverse lamp. I would also rather not get rear ended or cause a motorway pile-up because my fog lamp was not seen/working.

[No Waiting]

Asked my dealer to do this yesterday when my MY2007 had it's second service.

They said it wasn't possible

Anyone in the West Midlands with VGACom? I'd love to take it back and say "There you go, 30seconds and X keyclicks"

[bertJ]

Asked my dealer to do this yesterday when my MY2007 had it's second service.

They said it wasn't possible

Anyone in the West Midlands with VGACom? I'd love to take it back and say "There you go, 30seconds and X keyclicks"

This is very interesting. I bought a new Elegance Estate in March 2007 and asked for both fogs to be actuated. Dealer had the car for 2 hours and said that it couldn't be done. I replaced the car at the end of September with a new L&K DSG Estate (because of left leg problems) and asked the dealer (same one) to actuate both fogs. This they did with no problem. So whether MY 2007 is different to MY 2008 I don't know. Exactly the same happened with the alarm 'bleep' - on the 2007 car they couldn't actuate it but on the 2008 car it was done during pdi.

[swing]

Either that, or in the meantime they learnt how to do it...

[VRStu]

I have found one car which I couldn't make them work on and oddly enough it was one that normally resides in Germany and therefore are required by law so would have been handy.

[sms]

stu did you have to untick one of the fogs on mine to make it work? cant remember what you actually did as i did have all the fog light boxes ticked??

[mr.nik]

3) ALL important signals/light should have redundancy - ie if one brake bulb goes you have another, if one headlamp goes you can still get home, if one turn signal goes you have one or two remaining (on same side). So why reversing lights and fog lights are not mandatarily duplicated I don't know.

4) When you drive abroad other drivers would not be confused by lamp on opposite (wrong) side.

.

I actually think this is illegal now, although I would have to dig around the vehicle lighting regs. to back that up.

The reason that only one is supposed to be lit is that hi-intensity lights on the back of cars are very easily confused with brake lights - especially if you are unfamilar with the design of the car you are following... As the eyes sensitise to the fog lights there is a risk that some drivers might 'miss' genuine brake lights. It's also rather unnerving if you are approaching traffic in fog and as they emerge from the fog you can't tell whether they have brake lights or fog lights on. You may be misled into braking when not necessary and this could cause further confusion behind you.

And yes, I know you will say 'what about the high level brake light' - but it is not ubiquitous and, as pointed out, it doesn't make sense to base the the rules around something that is a SPOF (single point of failure).

(And of course, although you point out most other lights are not SPOF, it is still a requirement in many countries to carry spare bulbs, because some lights (such as reverse) are not always replicated, and others (such as turn) are not necessarily visible from all angles.)

[VRS195]

But we are talking about a new Octy that has a third (high level) brake light and has quite distinct lighting zones within the rear lamp assemble - so illegal or not on a technical basis, it is not practically an increase in brake signalling risk by adding the other fog lamp.

[mimtarsden]

Thanks! Done mine according to this and they work perfectly now needed the extra 'un-tick' in byte 3

With regards to them being illegal I just read the following paragraph in "The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations"

12. Other requirements-

Where two rear fog lamps are fitted to a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1986 or to a trailer manufactured on or after 1st October 1985 they shall form a matched pair.

So I guess that means that its okay to have two.

[mr.nik]

But we are talking about a new Octy that has a third (high level) brake light and has quite distinct lighting zones within the rear lamp assemble - so illegal or not on a technical basis, it is not practically an increase in brake signalling risk by adding the other fog lamp.

You miss the point.

The car following you doesn't know that. As your car emerges out of the fog (as they approach you) and they see two 'normal' tail lights and two high intensity light, they may be led to believe you are braking. This is what the driver will see first - they may not even be able to read your numberplate/vehicle badge.

And even if they could, I would be so bold as to suggest they are unlikely to process those details first before deciding on their course of action.

For what it's worth, I share your view on the likelihood of the risk and (many) of the seemingly pointless or irrelevant vehicle laws/regs and indeed the wasted breath on many of the pointless debates that occur in the driving community at large (e.g. is it ok to block change up or not.) But that doesn't mean the lawyers or mr. plod agrees :-)

[cheezemonkhai]

Seems nuts, and nearly all of the cars I have drive have had 2.

The sensible approach would probably be to do something like on the 206 etc and have a single, central low level rear fog light.

[wmtaylor]

All vehicles manufactured after 1st September 1980 MUST be fitted with rear fog lights. If only one is fitted it must be positioned (in the UK) within the right hand half of the rear of the vehicle and no further left than the centre of the vehicle.

These lights must be positioned at least 100mm (approx 4 inches) away from the brake lights. They should only be used in the same manner as front fog lights, i.e. only during fog or falling snow - in other words they should not be used at any other time, when in fact it is illegal to do so.

[VRS195]

Surely, if at least one manufacturer produces and sells a "licenced" (certificate of conformity etc) car in the UK with two symmetrical fog lamps (L&Rside) then there is no harm (illegality) in enabling the Skoda redundancy.

Also, if the first reaction from a driver behind me approching close enough to see me, is to brake, that would be a good thing as they would reduce the closing speed to my bumper!!

If once they had seen me and matched speeds they decided to increase speed to close the gap that is up to them - but they would be doing it from the advantageous position of knowing I was there.

[mr.nik]

Also, if the first reaction from a driver behind me approching close enough to see me, is to brake, that would be a good thing as they would reduce the closing speed to my bumper!!

good for you - not necessarily good for the idiot behind them...

(perhaps you are crediting other drivers with the same intelligence and skill as yourself? )

nik

[Muppit!]

My Saab 95 has 2 rear fogs, as standard. Personally, I prefer to have the two and will be coding my Octy (when it eventually gets her) to show both.

How to get others to turn them off when better visibility returns would be a better topic.

[sms]

all cars ive had have had 2 fogs (apart from my mk1 astra) so it seemed strange only having one turned on on this car. with reference to fog lights i turn mine off when a car is following behind so they can see the brake lights come on when i apply them and not be dazzled by the fogs.

[cheezemonkhai]

Well having driven abroad I need both on, so thanks Stu

The 306 I had was the most odd one. Only drivers side fog light worked, so when I had a look over the wiring appeared to be there and there was only a plastic blank over where the bulb should be on the other side.

Sure enough, I popped it off, put a bulb in and it all worked .

[VRS195]

good for you - not necessarily good for the idiot behind them...

nik

I have more visible Fog lamps

Muppet A sees me and brakes thus not crashing into me.

Muppet B crashes into muppet A (having not seen either muppet A's fog light or brake lights and obviously driving too close to react and brake).

I get home alive.

Is it wrong for me to be, on balance, happy with that scenario?

The lamps are staying.

[mr.nik]

Muppet B crashes into muppet A (having not seen either muppet A's fog light or brake lights and obviously driving too close to react and brake).

I get home alive.

Is it wrong for me to be, on balance, happy with that scenario?

The lamps are staying.

sounds fair enough to me. might try and find someone with vagcom myself...

As I intimated before, car designs and road regulations are made based on the lowest common denominator - i.e. the collective of muppets; not the fewer number of intelligent drivers out there...

BTW - can I ask what/who did the remap on your car? I'd quite like the break the 200 barrier on my TD.

[VRS195]

SuperChips (at their Buckingham HQ)

http://www.jkm.org.uk/performance/Misc/Gallery/rollingroaddays/BRISKODA%2021%2007%2007/Briskoda%20Plots%2021%20July%202007/897.gif

[GAFF]

Using the long coding helper select byte 3 bit 1 to OFF (0 = 2 fog lights, 1 = 1 fog light) Set default to 1.

Then select byte 4 bit 4 to ON (enable both rear fog lights) Set default to 0.

Great attacments on this, just one small point (incase people just tick the boxes as the Attachments show), the first attachment shows the page in its DEFAULT SETTING (no adjustment made to enable fogs, so ya need to untick byte 3 bit 1), the 2nd Attachment shows the page in its EDITED SETTING (both fogs enabled).

I hope this makes sense.

Btw I wonder are dealers not able to do this as they edit 1 of the settings and not BOTH.

[GAFF]

I3) ALL important signals/light should have redundancy - ie if one brake bulb goes you have another, if one headlamp goes you can still get home, if one turn signal goes you have one or two remaining (on same side).

In the coding I seen something about another bulb illuminating if one goes, eg a fog on for a blow tail light if you get me. Dunno if its set up as default but it would be a cool thing to set up.

[dstev2000]

Some people had problems with this some time ago as they were only doing the second part and just enabling both fog lights.

I didn't notice the attachment confusion

I'll edit the attachments later when I hook the laptop up the car.