Rear fog lights on rhd cars

[Eslier]

Whilst everyone knows that front headlamps need to be changed when importing a rhd car into France, many people overlook the rear fog lamp.

Many cars now are only fitted with one rear fog lamp which, on a rhd car, is usually on the right hand (driver's side) of the car. For driving in France this is on the wrong side and it needs to be changed to the left hand side.

In some cases it is a simple matter of moving the bulb across from one side to the other but on some cars the wiring loom does not accommodate this possibility. There will almost certainly be a socket for the bulb on the other side but you may find that new wiring has to be installed.

So, for all of you driving French registered rhd cars, now would be a good time to go and check your rear fog light before we get any foggy autumn weather.

[derf]

I agree that it is important to have a fog light on the correct side of the vehicle (also remember your trailers) and as you say a lot of cars have the fitting in the L/H rear lens and it would be a simple job to run a wire from the R/H fog lamp over to the L/H side, but any vehicle that has had a CT, would/should have been checked to see if the fog light was legal.

[Duckalaronze]

When we immatriculated our Nissan RHD pick-up, we asked at the Nissan garage about this, but they said it didn't matter. The pick-up then passed a CT with no problems. If it's illegal, nobody here seems to know that!

[Gizmo94Dept 79]

Totally agree that the fog light should be on the correct side, but this doesn't seem to be regulation here.  I checked this when I had my Mini CT'd and the guy said that a RHD fog lamp is perfectly OK.  I think in the UK a LHD fog light would fail the MOT.

[Dave&Olive]

[quote]Totally agree that the fog light should be on the correct side, but this doesn't seem to be regulation here. I checked this when I had my Mini CT'd and the guy said that a RHD fog lamp is perfectly O...[/quote]

 

hi

     lhd fog lamps will not fail a uk mot .and belive me lhd head lamps will not fail also ,the beam testers in the uk test dipped headlamps only , and this is to a cut off line on the rig not to the direction they dip.

           just for info

               dave

[derf]

I have to disagree with Dave on both counts

One red coloured rear fog lamp must be fitted to the centre or offside of vehicles first used from 1st April 1980. Additional rear fog lamps or rear fog lamps fitted to vehicles first used before this date are not testable.

Side lights and headlamps:

·                 are the correct type and colour

·                 Dip and aim.

Some headlights, e.g European 'E' beam, are tested on dip beam whereas others, e.g 7 inch round British American, are tested on main beam. If  they are lhd H/Lamps, to get a pass they have to be blanked off with tape so has not to dazzle oncoming vehicles.

 http://www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/MotArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=1001607

 

For the French Mot/CT requirement, see the site below: and it appears to be true, that no matter what condition or placement of the rear fog lamps, they will not fail the CT, the police may have other ideas.

 

http://www.utac-otc.com/fr/ctvl/contenu_ctrl_3.asp?fonction=4&point=437

[Brilec]

I own two Italian motorcycles, one 25 years old, the other 14 years. When I got them they both had RH dipping headlights. These were original fitments, and both bikes had been registered new in th UK. Both also came to me with a sheaf of old MOT certificates from many different testing stations. I have now modified both of them to be correct for the UK.

So whatever the regulations might say, it doesn't seem to matter in practice.

Brian.

[derf]

So whatever the regulations might say, it doesn't seem to matter in practice.

Motorcycle and car mot requirement, are entirely different.

[Mpprh]

Hi

I worked for Renault in UK in the early 80's.

Cars had rear fog lamp lenses on both sides, but only had a bulb on the left hand side.

Today, cars have individual wiring looms specific to each car : so it is not so easy to just move the bulb holder across.

Peter

 

 

[Dave&Olive]

hi

         all I can say is that my 8 years in tech and 5 years as an apprentice  and 20 years mot.ing test centre i was wrong.

           but why have I got a lhd car uk reg in france with lhd head lamps and an uk mot ,,,,,,,??????

            dave

[Ron Avery]

Assuming that you are a resident in France  Dave, then yes "why have you got a lhd car uk reg in france with lhd head lamps and an uk mot ,,,,,,,?????

 

[Brilec]

Motorcycle and car mot requirement, are entirely different.

 

 

So it doesn't matter where a bike headlight points? That's not what my MOT inspector told me.

[derf]

[quote]hi all I can say is that my 8 years in tech and 5 years as an apprentice and 20 years mot.ing test centre i was wrong. but why have I got a lhd car uk reg in france with lhd hea...[/quote]

Not for me to say Dave, but the reasons for MOT rejection on Headlights are listed here.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_160.htm

 

[derf]

[quote]Motorcycle and car mot requirement, are entirely different. So it doesn't matter where a bike headlight points? That's not what my MOT inspector told me.[/quote]

I can not comment on motor cycles, but you can find out what you need to know here.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/mcmanual_160.htm