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Fog lamps with cornering function

7K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  CitadinSF 
#1 ·
Those of you with the lighting package.
What does that mean "cornering function"?

Are they saying if I turn left the left fog lamp will light up? Or maybe the amber side light on the door lights up until I complete the turn? :shrug:

If I'm right, can you actually tell a difference at night outside the city and if you don't have tinted windows?
 
#6 ·
Are you talki9ng about a 451 or the newer 453 ?
OEM = 453

"Cornering lights are (usually) low wide angled beam fog lights that illuminate as you take bends. These just illuminate on the side that you are steering towards to light up kerbs, potholes, white lines and pedestrians. Generally they work when you are at a stand still and between 2 set speeds and only illuminate the lower lights when the steering wheel is rotated passed a certain angle." per our friend Kane @ Evilution.

BUT, here is a 451 solution that Kane has suggested.

SmartKits.net: Luci Svolta ForTwo 451

Note:
This add on isn't just cornering lights. In the same unit you also get:

"Daytime running lights that come on with the ignition and go off when the headlights come on.
This and having them dim is the only legal way to have DRLs function. If they come on with a switch
and not the ignition and don't turn off or dim when the headlights come on, they aren't road legal.

Coming home and leaving home lights that come on when you lock or unlock the car using the key fob. They stay on for 30 seconds to illuminate your way to or from the car and gently fade out."
 
#8 ·
When the signal is on and your headlamps are on, both fog lamps turn on when your speed is less than 25 MPH
In addition, when you turn the wheel far enough at low speed (likely less than 25 MPH), the fog lamp for that side turns on. It may look like you have a fog light out at first, but it's a useful feature. Interestingly it will still do this when your high beams are on.



It definitely makes a large difference to the visibility on the side. When I turn into the garage (downhill), right when I start turning, the fog lamp lights it up. It also lights up the sidewalk at night when I am turning.
 
#9 ·
While that is an interesting function, why not just leave your fog lights on at night? I do that with each car I have that has fog lights. Makes side road visibility much better, especially on the dark, narrow roads prevalent in our area. Improves safety too.
 
#15 ·
I’ve been using fog lights for decades when traveling on narrow, dark roads with lots of wildlife. Never had a problem of not looking far enough down the road because of fog light use. I’ve always been a fanatic about nighttime illumination with my cars. Never installed illegal wattage headlight bulbs but have always sought out bulbs with excellent “down the road” illumination as well as good peripheral illumination.
 
#17 ·
I am glad someone mentioned this. It's not a conscious thing. Sub-consciously it happens. To everyone. Young and old. There was an article I am having trouble finding in 2014 from the IIHS or NHSTA (can't remember) that started testing lights on vehicles. It's our brain simply NOTICING in our peripheral that the light on the ground right in front of the car is nice and bright.
Think of a horse with blinders on. What the horse doesn't see won't hurt him/scare him. Same with us humans. The more light we "turn off" in front of the vehicle the better we will focus and see down the road ahead.
 
#18 ·
I feel like this is now the reason why the fogs on a 453 act the way they do. Which is odd. With my 2009 Brabus, I could have the fogs and high beams on at the same time. No idea why, but was nice if you wanted to have a "Wall-of-Light" feeling as you were going down the road. Now, with the 453, Every time i turn the highs on, the fogs turn off. Turn the low beams back on, fogs are still off. So every time i use the high beams, even just to flash mine at someone who has theirs on, the fogs turn off permanently. Main reason i barely ever use the fogs in my 453.
 
#21 ·
Also a feature that comes along with the "corning function" is that both fog lights will turn on when reversing to help illuminate the front corners of your car if you're backing into a spot or driveway, etc. In my personal experience, I do prefer to drive with the fog lights on, but there's no way to keep them permanently on. So in cases where I forget to turn them on, it's nice to have the additional automation when turning or signaling a lane change. You definitely notice them turning off when you're turning onto the freeway for example and cross that ~25mph speed.
 
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