Hey guys, I just bought my fully loaded 2008 XLS (Sun&Sound, Lux, and Nav) about a 2 weeks ago and love it. Dark blue w/ Beige Leather Interior.. but here's my question... I was wondering if I should be concerned about the light stalk/switch that I have in my car. I do not have the designated fog light switch, but I have fog lights that are factory installed. Therefore, I can not manually turn on/off the fog lights when I want to... At this time, they seem to come on when it's somewhat dark in the morning, and the light switch is in the "Off" position... When the parking lights are switched on, the DL driving lights and parking lights seem to come on and fogs switch off... and when the headlights are switched on, both the DL driving lights and the Xenons are on, but the fogs remain off. Tonight, I went out and verified the fog light operation, and all three settings (off, parking, and on) does not even turn on the fogs. Is my car basing on function on the photo sensor on the dash? Or can this be a mistake from the factory? Like I said, I have seen it on, but generally it seems in the morning time. Any help is appreciated, and I have scoured the whole entire internet for an answer, and have gotten nothing.

 

I have no confirmation on this in regards to the 2008 XLS but i do know the answer when it comes to the 07' XLS which my understanding is its the same lighting system. Cause I spent weeks wondering the same thing and finally talked to the service shop at my dealer about the issue.

If you have a factory Lux & Nav system then your fog lights are automatically enabled and disabled based on environmental conditions as detected by the car. In the event that your car detects environmental conditions that would normally produce fog then the fog lights will come on. If you look at the environmental status for when they are on verse when they are off you will start to see the pattern. This would explain why you are seeing the on often in the morning but if you go out at some random time and check them they may never come on for you. Now if they actually come on when its foggy I really dont have a clue since I have never bothered to pull over when it was foggy and see if they where on or not, and i never really been paying enough attention when it was foggy to say 100% for sure if they where on or not.

I did ask about getting a manual override installed but they said since it wasn't a Warranty approved modification they of course wouldn't be able to do it for me but that it was possible. I thought about doing it but can't say I really care enough about knowing 100% for sure my fog lights are on to spend the energy to add a manual override.

 

The service guy you talked to has a very fertile imagination. If you have the HIDs, than the lights that are located in the holes under the bumper are DRL (Day time Running light). They will be on when you're headlights are off, and turn off when when you turn the headlight on.

 

Gotta love the BS you get from Service people to shut you up. So the question then is why the crap doesnt my XLS come with Fog Lights when the cheaper version does.

 

without the high discharge autoleveling headlamps the xls has there is a need for more lighting.

 

Ya they say that with HID, there is no need for "fog lights".... BS. WE WANT THEM ON!!!!! I just wish we could figure out how our Daytime (foglight) Running Lights could stay on ALL the time. With or without the HID's being on...

 

Im with TD on this one. I dont care if Mits thinks I have a need for fog lights or not there clearly able to be there. Maybe theres away to hardwire the "day time running lights". I think its important to note this isnt a plane or a boat what exactly do I need running lights on my car for. Cause someone might not see me. When was the last time you noticed a car during the day because it had running lights that you wouldnt have seen otherwise.

 

Anything that makes a car more visible has a positive safety impact. Appartly all countries that have imposed DRLs, have seen reduction in accidents where due to one driver not seeing the other car.
The current design is based on what other countries have imposed as law in order to improve safety, MMC has just decided not to change the design for the US.
You can disagree with it but it's the way it is.

 

I replace the OEM halogen headlamps by OEM HID with levelling system, so I have fog lights function and DRL's are killer ; now, which I want to do is to control of independent way the fog lights, but I am in the process to verify if it is or no possible. . .

 

Yea I agree, you should be able to control your fog lights, I mean BMW, Acura, Cadillac, Mazda's are able to have their fogs on with their HID's I hope somebody finds a way to fix that.