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Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 5:45 am
by KuroNekko
I was looking carefully at the tail light of my car and noticed that the US spec Kizashi has a dummy housing just under the back up light in the red lens. I think this is a housing for a rear fog light which are found only on European cars in the US. Have any other Americans here ever noticed an Audi, Mercedes, or Jaguar that had bright red lights on the rear that were not brake lights? I am certain they are rear fog lights that come on when you turn on the front fog lights. I once drove a friend's Audi A4 and confirmed this for myself. These rear fogs lights are not found on American and Japanese cars given that Europeans seem to have more foggy conditions.
So my question is: do the Euro-spec Kizashi's have actual bulbs that work as rear fog lights?
I heard that some non-US Kizashi's have available factory HID and headlight sprayers. These are also not found in the US versions regardless of trim level.
Re: Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:05 pm
by klement
Here in Slovakia I got factory HIDs and also front and rear fog lights.
The fog lights are actually almost unnecessary. It has to be REALLY bad weather to justify the use. Many European cars have rear fog lights and people seem to be totally out of mind using them when the lightest rain starts. At night, driving on highway with 1/3 of people having fogs on is a real pain.
I use them maybe once or twice per year when driving in heavy snow/fog through the middle of nowhere.
Re: Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:49 pm
by KuroNekko
Yeah, rear fog lights don't seem too necessary. Also, most of the time, one of the rear fogs lights I see on European cars is blown out anyways. It kind of looks weird, like one brake light out. Anyways, interesting how car manufacturers spec out cars for different markets.
I saw your post in which you said,
"Hmm, here(Slovakia) the kizashi's comparable offer is the the local "Sport" version, which is the same as yours SLS AWD, WITHOUT the in-dash navigation and WITHOUT the rockford-fosgate sound system. Otherwise its 1:1. The price tag for that is 29750 EURO which is roughly 38700$."
I was shocked to see that it's the equivalent of $38,700. Suzuki couldn't sell a car for that much in the USA. I bought my car very lightly used for a little over 1/3 of that price and it's a 2WD manual GTS with the RF stereo system.
That being said, you seem to have Euro-luxury features like HID, rear fog lights, and probably the headlight washers which are all not even available in the US.
Re: Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:23 am
by ~tc~
Most cars only have the rear fog light on the left side.
Re: Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:02 am
by KuroNekko
I've seen many with two lit up. For example an Audi A6, Jaguar XJ6/XJ8, and a Land Rover Discovery.
I am sure many US owners of these cars don't even know about these rear fog lights.
I recall that in the Audi A4 I drove that had them, you had to pull on a two-stage headlight knob to turn them on. First pull was for front fog lights and the second, longer pull was for both front and rear fog lights. On this car, only one rear lit up, but the tail light cluster looked identical on both sides. I assumed the bulb was out, but I am not sure.
Sorry, I am a total geek, but I'm the kind of guy who likes to know exactly what every button in a car does.
Re: Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:17 am
by klement
The head light washers are required by law when you have HIDs installed. So is the beam auto-leveling system. This is to avoid blinding other drivers by light going in unplanned directions. This comes standard whenever HIDs are standard. And that is also the reason why retrofitting HIDs is legally nearly impossible (or, very expensive, since you need to replace the whole light assembly and fit washers).
Generally, the cars in the EU are much more expensive than in the US.
And yes, most cars only have the left rear fog light. Its probably because of cutting costs. On the cheapest cars, you have a rear fog light on the left and white reverse light on the right in the same slot. It's pretty common.
Re: Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:54 am
by whatisit
maybe one of the european members can chime in, but as i recall, the rear fog light is supposed to be lit on the same side as where the driver sits. So on left hand drive country's,(like germany) its on the left- and Right hand side drive country's (like UK) is on the right.
Re: Factory rear fog lights on European spec Kizashi?
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 10:02 am
by Wonson92
My first car, a Kia Cerato (aus spec) Had rear fog lights on both side, simple button on/off. They were extremely bright, I want them back for the tailgaters:(