"Bert Hyman" <bert (AT) iphouse (DOT) com> wrote

It varies depending on the model. No VW came here with working rear fogs
but the retrofit process varies depending on what model it is.

On my late Mk2 GTI, the wiring is already in place at the fog switch on the
dash for the front fogs and the switch did have the 2nd position for the
rear fog but since the car didn't have one (and the North American Mk2
Golfs/GTIs have completely different taillamp clusters from the Euro
models), it did nothing. I used Euro spec clusters in back, spliced into
the existing wiring (which disappears behind the dash somewhere so I just
spliced rather than try to find where it terminated), ran it to the back
driver's side, connected it to the Euro cluster, popped in the right bulb,
done.

On my Eurovan, I popped in the european headlamp switch first. Then it was
pre-wired to the back of the car on the right side w/all the rear of the
rear lamp wiring. I just joined in there, ran it out and under the bumper
to the left side. Late Eurovans have the foglamp assemblies in the bumper
already but they're dummies with no socket or holes. I could have bought
the socket and pigtail and a new lamp assembly (supposedly available via US
VW dealers) but I just went and drilled out the assembly, bought a generic
socket, fitted it, connected it up, popped a bulb in, done.

For the rest of the VWs out there here's what I can tell you...a rear fog
has been required in Europe since 1981, so most VWs since then would have
had them on their European counterparts.

Mk1 Cabriolet and Rabbit convertible...external lamp under bumper...stock
tails were too small to support the addition of a rear fog.
Mk1 Scirocco...external lamp under bumper.
Mk2 Scirocco, Vanagon, Quantum (Passat/Santana elsewhere)...integrated into
taillamp. US clusters have the spot for it but have the layout
rearranged...you would have to set it back to the European layout and wire
it up. Not sure if the bulb holder board has the wiring tracks for it
though.
Mk2 Jetta - same as above (juggle the layout around but the spot is there)
but 99.9% sure the bulb holder does *not* have the current tracks for it.
Mk2 Golf/GTI - have to swap the entire cluster w/a Euro one and locate the
wiring (if any). On late production CEII cars (late 1989-1992) with front
fogs, it's in the same harness for the front foglamp switch. On non-foglamp
cars, probably not pre-wired at all and on pre-early-89 models, these didn't
come with front fogs at all from the factory so no hope at all there of
finding any pre-wiring.
Mk3 Jetta - I believe it's actually pre-wired to behind the left side
taillamp in the trunk lid, goes below the backup light, spot in cluster.
B3 and B4 Passat - similar location as Mk3 Jetta, suspect it might be
pre-wired too as in Mk3 Jetta.
Mk3 Golf/GTI - Nope. VW played around again w/Golf/GTI clusters on these
and the NA ones are NA specific. No prewiring. However you can get 'close
enough' with your existing clusters and bulb board by swapping a few things
around and by buying the right bulbs.
A3 Cabriolet - same as Mk3 Golf/GTI.
B5 Passat, Mk4 jetta, Mk4 golf - Clusters I believe handle them OK as can
the bulb holders. Just need to get the wiring back there and a switch.
B5.5 Passat - need new bulb trays and wiring (but clusters should work) and
switch. VW messed with this one big time on dual-vs.single filament bulbs,
etc. so that's why new bulb trays are needed.
Mk5 GTI, Rabbit, Jetta, Passat PQ34 (aka B6) - Euro clusters are waaay
different, need to swap
them, and also re-code the CAN-BUS control of the lamps and get a Euro
switch.
T4 Eurovan - late models are pre-wired to the back, need socket and bulb and
switch. early models I suspect are pre-wired as well in a similar manner,
so need socket, bulb, switch, but also need the lamp assembly and need to
cut hole in bumper cover corner for the lamp.

About the only consistency so far that i know of is that VW uses a gray wire
w/white stripe for the rear fog 12V power. Haven't found an exception to
that yet so if you see that wire, it might be part of what little bit is
pre-wired.

Good luck!

"Jonny" <spamyourself (AT) blackworm (DOT) net> wrote

The beams are usually very wide and very flat/horizontal that left-right aim
is of little significance (unless they're horribly off). Up-down is more
important. that said they should point straight ahead but slightly downward
(kinda like low beam headlamps). never should point higher than the
horizon.

Go find an empty parking lot with a lot of level ground and a wall. Point
car at wall, turn on front fogs. Now back up. As you back up the fog beams
should slowly get lower and lower. If they don't (or get higher) you are
pointing them level or upwards. That's an easy, although imprecise,
way...but it at least tells you if they're pointed too high. Doesn't quite
tell you if they're too low.

But there are instructions here (bottom of this page):
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

Isn't any. Front fogs are for you to see the road (so aim is important) but
rear fogs are for others to see you (aim not important (well, for the most
part)).

mail (AT) mail (DOT) jp (Oso) wrote in
news:iUc%g.28729$nM2.244532 (AT) wagner (DOT) videotron.net:

Thanks for the remaining info, but that's ->way to much work for me.

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN | bert (AT) iphouse (DOT) com

So, "to actually drive," you must have rear fog lights. And drivers in
the US are too lazy to drive.

Well, you convinced me!

If you have a VW with backup lights, it would be a simple mod to incorporate
a switch and a little wire to achieve the added capability of using those
lights also as rear-facing foglights.

No. To actually drive means to look behind you as much as you do forward. So
if anyone comes up behind you . You can move over out of the fast lane. . Or
if you're going to stop, you check before stopping in the middle of the
road. And causing a crash. In America, if anyone rear ends you, Its their
fault. Even if you dead stop in the freeway, to use your cell phone. So no
one cares, No one looks behind them. And noone drives..... Just oblivious
Americans looking straight ahead,cutting everyone off, saying I don't know
what happened. I was driving in the fast lane, ,very slow, using my cell
phone. I got rear ended. Its their fault..
"Brian Running" <brunning (AT) XXameritechXX (DOT) net> wrote

I think rear fogs are illegal also, because they aren't red. The cops cant
give tickets out for having a smidgen of white showing somewhere if rear
fogs are allowed. Nobody will use them anyways. My Honda Goldwing has a
socket in the headlight for a UK city driving (pilot) lamp. I couldn't
figure out what it was for years. Anything that's a money loser for
somebody, no matter how much better it is, isn't going to happen.
"Matt B." <noway (AT) hellno (DOT) com> wrote

Except that rear fog lights aren't white. A "rear fog light" is simply a
very bright red light that's normally built into the tailight. It simply
provides added visibility to the vehicles approaching from the rear in dense
fog situations. The light is located on only the driver's side in the US and
on both sides in Europe.

"Papa" <bikingis (AT) my (DOT) fun> wrote

Now, wait a second. You mean that rear fog lights are to allow the
driver of the car with rear fog lights to be able to see cars
approaching from behind? Huh?

No, that's obviously not true. Where do you get this stuff, anyway?

If only they had rear fog lights, they'd all be looking behind them? Huh?

You don't get out into the real world much, do you?

No, they're red.