Rear Fog Light

[DMK/Happy]

Going for test,checking lights.are there 1 or 2 rear fog light on the W203 C220 CDI S Coupe?

 

[Ron240]

Presumably you are asking because only one side is lighting up on your car, and somebody will be able to answer your question based on specific knowledge of the model.
I can tell you meantime that where only one is fitted it will be on the offside.

 

[Blobcat]

Going for test,checking lights.are there 1 or 2 rear fog light on the W203 C220 CDI S Coupe?

Mercedes in their infinite wisdom only fit one fog light to the rear.

I think think they believe that one rear fog light shows it’s a “fog light“ and not a brake light. Although it could be a motorbike braking or a car with a brake light out… I guess they didn’t think of those options…

 

[mioba]

Alot of manufacturers do this to be fair.

 

[Ron240]

This thread has just made me go out to my car and check....and I only have 1 rear fog light.
There are some manufacturers that fit 2 rear fog lights but they are probably in the minority. Ford used to commonly fit 2 although I'm not sure if they currently do.
I remember my 2002 Volvo S40 only had 1 but the other side was fully wired up but without a bulb in the holder. It also had a piece of plastic blocking the lens preventing a bulb being fitted. I cut off the plastic and fitted a bulb so that I had 2 rear fog lights, but cant remember if I ever actually used them.
I just liked the idea of the symmetrical look.

 

[EmilysDad]

Alot of manufacturers do this to be fair.

A lot only do so where space at the rear is at a premium and have the reverse light opposite. Most of the Merc are plenty big enough for two lights & often actually have space for 2 rear fogs but chose to only use one of them. There are plenty of other manufactures that fit two rear fogs where there is space for them ie BMW

 

[mioba]

BMW dont count on this forum at all....

 

[Ron240]

A lot only do so where space at the rear is at a premium and have the reverse light opposite. Most of the Merc are plenty big enough for two lights & often actually have space for 2 rear fogs but chose to only use one of them.

Both my rear lenses look the same where the fog light is and I have 2 reversing lights.
There is only a legal requirement to have one rear fog light which will be on the offside so I wouldn't be surprised if the other side on my car is wired up for a fog light just like my Volvo was, and can suit both right and left hand drive vehicles.

 

[EmilysDad]

Both my rear lenses look the same where the fog light is and I have 2 reversing lights.
There is only a legal requirement to have one rear fog light which will be on the offside so I wouldn't be surprised if the other side on my car is wired up for a fog light just like my Volvo was, and can suit both right and left hand drive vehicles.

I have 2 reverse lights too .... I said where space is at a premium such as many of the small runabout cars Fiestas Corsas etc. I also expect that your car has wiring to the nearside lamp but you'll need STAR to tell the car to use it INSTEAD of the right hand rear fog. On my R Class that used filament bulbs, if a stop/tail lamp failed, the car would use BOTH rear fogs as stop/tail instead (it used electrickery to enable it to use single filament bulbs as stop/tail.)

 

[V6Matty]

The wiring is there but the car can only activate one or the other depending on if it’s right or left hand drive, some have run a cable from the working side to power the other side but it’s a faff and really doesn’t make much difference in safety for when fog lamps are needed

 

[EmilysDad]

It does amuse/bemuse me that I can alter the dipped beam of my ML from 'RHD' to 'LHD' with a few button presses of the dash cluster, but, the rear fog would have to be swapped over via STAR ....

 

[DMK/Happy]

Checked the advice out.1 rear fog lamp drivers side is correct,all lights working .Thanks

 

[Craiglxviii]

Mercedes in their infinite wisdom only fit one fog light to the rear.

I think think they believe that one rear fog light shows it’s a “fog light“ and not a brake light. Although it could be a motorbike braking or a car with a brake light out… I guess they didn’t think of those options…


1 x rear high intensity fog & 1 x reversing lamp are cost reduction measures. Lighting regs only specify illuminance & visibility, not number of lamps for those functions. So why go to the expense of fitting two of each when only one is mandatory?

 

[EmilysDad]

So why go to the expense of fitting two of each when only one is mandatory?


But they fit & wire up 2 anyway ....

and two look better

 

[Craiglxviii]

So why go to the expense of fitting two of each when only one is mandatory?


But they fit & wire up 2 anyway ....

and two look better

Because dependent on the market positioning of the vehicle, there may be a styling judgement that two are needed (as, you say, they do look better).

 

[skorro]

It does amuse/bemuse me that I can alter the dipped beam of my ML from 'RHD' to 'LHD' with a few button presses of the dash cluster, but, the rear fog would have to be swapped over via STAR ....

Hi EmilysDad,

I'm curious to know about changing which side the rear fog light illuminates via STAR?
I have a UK spec 2017 C Class RHD that I'm in the process of 'matriculating' in Portugal and this very issue of the rear fog light came up when I took my car for inspection. To pass the test, the fog light needs to illuminate on the left side (or both).
Is this a fairly simple thing that can be done via STAR?

It bemuses me too, that I can switch my dipped beam via the instrument cluster, but this has no effect on the rear fog light
I wonder why MB missed that one?
If you have any info on changing the rear fog light via STAR, I'd be very glad to hear it!
Thanks

 

[mattkh]

....... To pass the test, the fog light needs to illuminate on the left side (or both).

Have you taken the car for the test yet.?

 

[V6Matty]

Hi EmilysDad,
I'm curious to know about changing which side the rear fog light illuminates via STAR?
I have a UK spec 2017 C Class RHD that I'm in the process of 'matriculating' in Portugal and this very issue of the rear fog light came up when I took my car for inspection. To pass the test, the fog light needs to illuminate on the left side (or both).
Is this a fairly simple thing that can be done via STAR?

It bemuses me too, that I can switch my dipped beam via the instrument cluster, but this has no effect on the rear fog light
I wonder why MB missed that one?
If you have any info on changing the rear fog light via STAR, I'd be very glad to hear it!
Thanks

You have to tell the car via STAR it’s a left hand drive car rather than right hand drive

 

[mattkh]

You have to tell the car via STAR it’s a left hand drive car rather than right hand drive

But the car is a right hand drive..??

 

[V6Matty]

But the car is a right hand drive..??

Yep, but telling it it’s a LHD car switches things over, it’s a little bit like telling an SL500 it’s now and SL350 after doing a coil over conversation from ABC, the car essentially thinks it never had ABC in the first place