Is it illegal to have more than 2 fog lights?

[Dan E.]

I have a 97 XLT Explorer, it has those 2 rectangular factory fog lights. I bought some oval circular type fog lights. I want to put them on but I remeber in drivers ed last year that you can only have 2 fog lights.

 

[mattadams]

good grief I sure hope it's not illegal, and i hope the ticket doesn't increase with the number of lights you buy! Seriously though, I don' think it's illegal. Soem states have weird laws though so you may want to check with your DMV. I think of all the people that would've gotten pulled over for it at sometime, I'd be at the top of the list .

 

[Dan E.]

Originally posted by mattadams
good grief I sure hope it's not illegal, and i hope the ticket doesn't increase with the number of lights you buy! Seriously though, I don' think it's illegal. Soem states have weird laws though so you may want to check with your DMV. I think of all the people that would've gotten pulled over for it at sometime, I'd be at the top of the list .

Well I live on the planet Utah. Anyways i looked at your webpage and had some second thoughts if they were illegal

 

[mattadams]

I asked a cop one time... he said he didn't know of any law in Colorada about lights, but said to be on the safe side to keep them covered up whenever possible.

 

[Alec]

It's illegal in TX to have more than 2 sets of lights on at any one time. You can have 50 lights installed, but only 4 on at a time.

 

[00XLT]

What Alec said is the same up here in Washington, headlights and 1 set of fogs on at one time is the limit

 

[FlyAU]

It's the same in Georgia, I believe.

As for Alabama, we're so backwards there are no laws regarding lights to my knowledge...

 

[drmoore71]

i live in tx, and i do run headlights and two sets of driving lights at night, or on road trips. i had heard that w could only have two sets on at once, but i just have kept my fingers crossed and have never had a problem with the law. also, i do have them aimed properly, so there isn't a problem with them blinding anyone. the law may give some slack if they are not a nuisance, just my two cents.

 

[Commtech]

In Va

I had two sets of lights on my old P/U. I went in for an inspection and the guy wanted to reject it. We went throught the inspection manual and it read that you could have a total of 3 pairs of lights. If you had a vehicle with separate low/high beams you could only have 1 pair of fog/driving lights uncovered, if you had a vehicle with the combined high/low beams you could have 2 pair of fog/driving lights uncovered. BUT they had to be located at a different height than the headlights. You could have as many covered as you wanted. Also the exposed lights had to function only when low beams are on.
They get picky around these parts :0


Mark

 

[Tekeman]

So is there a way to wire the lights that they are on with the high beams. I mean if you're able to be driving with the highs on, a la nobody else on the road, there is no problem with keeping the fogs on. Also, how about having the fogs on with just the parking lights. (What I'd really
like.) Direct to the battery?....I guess. Someone at a dealership or garage(i.e. idiot) said its illegal for inspection to have fogs on without headlight. There are tons of vehicles that run this way from the factory let alone the aftermarket applications. Just a couple of cents.

 

[NoBoundaries]

Here's Maryland's laws

Here is a link to Maryland laws: http://www.mayhem.com/~jacob/law.html

The way I understand it is that you can only have 2 fog lights, 2 driving lights, and 1 auxilary light at the most. Even then I am still not 100% sure.

Is this right? I think it is.

 

[mattadams]

Well... my Explorer isn't due for emissions/safety checks for another year so I'll let you know what Colorado law is then .

 

[NoBoundaries]

Hey Matt, if they tell you that you have to get rid of some, thumbs down on the lights!!

 

[mattadams]

LOL like they could tell me that! I'd say "OK" go home, take em off, come back, pass, go back, put em back on .

 

[Commtech]

I had a friend who wired up his lights direct to the switch on his Bronco.... fried his wiring up under the dash. He used wiring and toggles that were not heavy enought o take the current. If you wire the lights up use the relays that come with them, you can run the switch wire to something that is powered when you have the ignition on if you want to have them on without the headlights (make sure its something that is fused correctly). Also in Va you can have as many "dummy lights" mounted as you want, they just can't ahve any wiring going to them and no bulbs in the housings (this would be easier than removing the setup every time you get an inspection).

Mark

 

[Mr. Daylighter]

Some of those laws are ridiculous. I always have my fog lights on at night, and one of these days will wire the fogs to come on with the parking lights. Sometimes I will use my two 100 watt long range lights to drive around while using my headlights and fogs at the same time. They are pretty bright but I aim them down and they act as a fog light. I will be adding some fog lights soon, finally. Want a set of lights that I can legally use I like the six lights on look. Lately I have been using all my lights more often, since my girlfreind lives out in the country so I get to drive on some dark county roads. This is really fun, I just love to meet somebody on these roads with 16 lights just shinin. Don't worry, I turn them off way before they get to me, but from a mile, they must be thinkin some crazy thoughts.

 

[Okrazie1]

More about Virginia

I just installed the PIAA 40's on my Sport, so I read the rules concerning the operation of auxillary lights. My understanding of it is that the operation of the lights must be controlled by the "taillight" circuit. This means that the parking lights or headlights must be on in order to turn on the fog lights. If you have a four headlight system, the fog lights must switch off when the high beams are activated. Since we have a two headlight system on the Explorers, this is not a concern. Guess I'll find out for certain when I take it in to get it inspected in March

 

[Commtech]

""More about Virginia
I just installed the PIAA 40's on my Sport, so I read the rules concerning the operation of auxillary lights. My understanding of it is that the operation of the lights must be controlled by the "taillight" circuit. This means that the parking lights or headlights must be on in order to turn on the fog lights. If you have a four headlight system, the fog lights must switch off when the high beams are activated. Since we have a two headlight system on the Explorers, this is not a concern. Guess I'll find out for certain when I take it in to get it inspected in March ""
__________________


You cannot legally run the aux lights when running your high beams in Va, with a 4 headlight system or a 2 headlight system. That is why you should use (and the instructions in the manuals tell you) the low beam wiring for your relay (to stay legal). It will only allow the lights to work when Low Beams are in operation.
Maximum light configuration would be:

____________
| OO OO | for 4 headlight
|____o__o____|

or:

____________
| O O | for 2 headlight
|___oo__oo___|

At least this is what it was about 6 yrs ago

Mark

 

[Commtech]

Didn't come out too well on the drawing, I'll try again


4 headlight system:
_____________
|OO.......OO|
|___o___o___|


2 headlight system:
_____________
|O.........O|
|__oo___oo__|

Hope this is better

Mark

 

[Okrazie1]

Even more on Virginia!

The following is straight from the Virginia State Police:

19VAC30-70-160. Auxiliary lamps: backup; cornering; driving; fog; spot and warning:


"(1) Fog lamps are general illumination lamps as covered in subsection D of this section. They must burn through the tail light circuit even if on a separate switch. If installed on a vehicle with a four-headlamp system, or a vehicle equipped with driving lamps, they must be wired into the low beam circuit. "



This section of the code was heavily revised in 1996.