2016 Rear Fog Light

[Salvo Jimmy]

I quizzed my dealer parts guy about a rear fog light for my 2016 SR5 4WD. He could provide no help.

Has anyone figured out a kit/add on for one???

I've search about every way I can think of, like UK and Japan models, and come up with nothing.

 

[weeeee]

There's no T4R in the UK or Japan (they get the Prado). The 4Runner is exclusive to North America and some South American countries.

There's no rear fog light option, so if you want to add this you may need to research an aftermarket option or keep your taillights on. Try a flush mounted Rigid SRM.

 

[4funrunner]

I've seen nothing that I would suggest. I have a 15' LE

 

[Sig_Fan_55]

You could create one on your own with some wire a switch and a diode if you wanted one of the tails to stay at full brightness.

 

[wiley81db]

i like that idea sig

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

There's no T4R in the UK or Japan (they get the Prado). The 4Runner is exclusive to North America and some South American countries.

There's no rear fog light option, so if you want to add this you may need to research an aftermarket option or keep your taillights on. Try a flush mounted Rigid SRM.

Thanks.

Sort of what I thought but felt is was worth asking. BTW taillights just don't cut it. The rear fog light I had when I lived in the UK was at least as bright as a brake light, maybe even a little brighter.

And so far reviews of aftermarket stuff I've come up with basically fall in the "cheap crap" category.

 

[Jhalko]

Thanks.

Sort of what I thought but felt is was worth asking. BTW taillights just don't cut it. The rear fog light I had when I lived in the UK was at least as bright as a brake light, maybe even a little brighter.

And so far reviews of aftermarket stuff I've come up with basically fall in the "cheap crap" category.

Multiple folks have put rigid lights in their rear bumpers, can get different color and covers...there was also someone that had a LE/SR5 rear bumper and did this:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/204372-2012-sr5-rear-bumper-question.html

 

[Angelo]

OP, you've probably seen this but here's a killer version of the bumper light mod... you're wanting something more top- or side-mounted?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ht-mod-%96-sr5-factory-bumper-rigid-sr-q.html

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

Thanks or the inputs.

I'm now exploring something simple that can be fitted into the hitch receiver, plugged into the trailer light receptacle, wired to the tail lights, that will be red and at least as bright as a brake light. That way I can also move it to the rear of my rear mounted cooler/fishin' rod rack and back to the receiver as needed.

 

[delloro]

What purpose does a red rear fog light serve? Is it just a brighter taillight that can he seen further in foggy conditions?

Thanks or the inputs.

I'm now exploring something simple that can be fitted into the hitch receiver, plugged into the trailer light receptacle, wired to the tail lights, that will be red and at least as bright as a brake light. That way I can also move it to the rear of my rear mounted cooler/fishin' rod rack and back to the receiver as needed.

 

[e60ral]

yeah

 

[cyclist]

Many Audi's have factory rear fog lights. Essentially its 2 brake light bulbs at full brightness. Then when you apply the brakes, you get 4 bulbs of full brightness. I'm sure many other Euro Cars have these, but I'm not familiar.

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

I lived in the UK and both my USA vehicles, a GMC and a Honda, had to be modified by adding the red rear fog light. It is at least as bright as a brake light, maybe a little brighter. It does not operate with the brake lights but is on continuously when turned on.

In reduced visibility, be it fog, rain, snow, smoke, smog, etc it is way more visible than a tail light, so you are seen from the rear at much greater distance than just a tail light.

It surprises me that with all the safety mods the USA has required that this mod, which is probably about the cost of a high mount brake light, has not be required.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

If you are talking about the euro spec type of rear fog, I'd say skip it or get 2. All of the test cars I used to drive had it, and drivers got pulled over all the time because the cops thought they had a tail light out. Big PITA trying to explain what it was...

 

[RysiuM]

In reduced visibility, be it fog, rain, snow, smoke, smog, etc it is way more visible than a tail light, so you are seen from the rear at much greater distance than just a tail light.

Hey bro, I'm with you :boink: Went through the same pain with my 2012 SR5 that is going to Poland. I ended up with designing and making my own rear fog light . You may check the thread I started some time ago: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/204372-2012-sr5-rear-bumper-question.html

The other option I considered was cutting the rear bumper cover and install ready made "reverse-backup" lights (someone did this to his white pearl truck), but put red LED bulb instead of white.

Yes, it is Euro requirement. I got some questions from this forum: "WTF is rear fog light ". BTW single legal fog light here looks weird, really like a broken tail light.

I'm not sure if in UK is the same as in Poland:
The rear fog must have the same brightness as a brake light but must be at least 10cm away from tail and brake lights. so using dual intensity tail light bulb does not work.

The other requirement is that it has to be no higher than 100cm above the ground and no lower than 20cm. Because T4R sits high above the ground the 20cm minimum is not a problem, but using tail lamp housing for rear fog will not fit into 100cm limit (tail lamp in T4R is higher than 100cm above the ground).

The last thing is that if single rear fog lamp is used, it must be on the left side (oh, in UK you drive on that side, so maybe it is the right side). It can not be in center. That simple eliminates the option to put the rear fog lamp in the hitch receiver.

So here is my rear fog light (In US I plugged it into trailer plug so they work as stop and blinkers, which is legal here).

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

When I lived in the UK, (mid 90s) there was no requirement for front fog lights but the required rear fog light had to be wired such that it could only come on if the dim headlights were on. Both USA vehicles had them mounted on the right side. And BTW when I returned to the USA I never had any problems with LEO or state (VA) inspections.

I have since seen some info that while no state requires the rear fog light, if you do have only one as an option some states require it to be on the left side. So I guess I have to figure out a left mount and maybe just do a 2nd one on my rear cooler/rod rack.

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

OK here is where I stand on rear fog light.

About 99% of my driving is in NC and VA. So I researched light laws in both states. NC makes no mention of a rear fog light but just basically says any add on light must be operable to pass inspection and of course there are color requirements for front/rear. VA does list a rear fog under add ons, but only says it must be red and meet SAE standards. Neither state has any requirement as to location or when it could or could not be on.

So an add on at the hitch receiver, secured by a hitch pin, that plugs into the 4 pin trailer light connector seems to be the cheapest and also legal in both states. If I go out of those states I can research the law or just unplug and remove it. And if I want to avoid any hassle at inspection, I can remove it at that time as well.

On a couple other places, not this site, I’ve seen where folks have used a Bully CR-007A, the A being the one with a tail and brake light function. They have replaced the 1157 incandescent with a LED 1157. Specifically a JDM Astar Super Bright 5730 Chipset 1157 2057 2357 7528 LED bulbs w/projector, brilliant red. The claim is the tail light function of this LED bulb is about the same brightness as the brake light function of the incandescent. Thus with the tail lights on this light supposedly would be as bright as a brake light.

Are there any thoughts on this LED bulb or another LED bulb that might be even better?

 

[RysiuM]

Specifically a JDM Astar Super Bright 5730 Chipset 1157 2057 2357 7528 LED bulbs w/projector, brilliant red. The claim is the tail light function of this LED bulb is about the same brightness as the brake light function of the incandescent. Thus with the tail lights on this light supposedly would be as bright as a brake light.

Are there any thoughts on this LED bulb or another LED bulb that might be even better?

I have JDM Astar 1157 in my 95 Tacoma as a stop/tail bulb (actually I have all bulbs JDM Astat in my tail lamp)

While they are indeed very bright, visually the same as incandescent bulbs, but they have a small flaw in the design. They have a small current leak (reported not only by me, but by other buyers) from stop light circuit to tail light circuit. What it means, when I step on brakes the tail light circuit is powered through brake lights creating all kind of strange things: dash lights came up, front markers come up, the door open warning chime sounds.

95 Tacoma is very simple comparing to 5th gen 4R - it doesn't have Body ECU, so back-feed power did not do anything bad to the truck. I don't know how Body ECU in 4R would behave if it is powered from the receiving end - it may be even possible to fry something.

Now my JDM Astar bulbs are the older version (AX-2835 Chipsets), you may have better luck with new 5730 Chipsets version. I fixed my problem by adding a diode in taillight wire because JDM Astar did not take the ownership of the problem.

BTW, my coworker who was tailgating my 4R on the way to the office this morning asked me about my "aftermarket brake lights", they were so bright and very visible (it was a day time). So I guess they will pass easy as rear fog lights. And even if we had car inspection in California, they would easy pass as working brake lights too.

I saw somewhere here on the forum a guy added LED backup light in his rear bumper cover. This might work for you if you use red LEDs instead of white. They looked very decent with OEM look (not standing out screaming "I am aftermarket" :yo.

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

And these might even be a better LED bulb choice as supposedly even brighter.

JDM ASTAR Extremely Bright PX Chipsets 1157 2057 2357 7528 LED Bulbs ,Brilliant Red

JDM ASTAR Extremely Bright Max 50W High Power 1157 2057 2357 7528 LED Bulbs ,Brilliant Red (supposedly the brightest) but long putting it about 1/4 inch from lens

BTW I've read that red LED behind a red lens is actually brighter than white behind red. Can anyone confirm?

 

[RysiuM]

JDM ASTAR Extremely Bright Max 50W High Power 1157 2057 2357 7528 LED Bulbs ,Brilliant Red (supposedly the brightest) but long putting it about 1/4 inch from lens

I haven't tried them, but some bloke measured them to be 2.7W. 50W my arse. All together with stupid Amazon reviews from some ignorants "oh my god, they are so bright" :fish:

BTW I've read that red LED behind a red lens is actually brighter than white behind red. Can anyone confirm?

This is true if you compare apple to apple (same power). White LED has very little light output in the red light wave length, most of the output will be blocked by red lenses so the efficiency will go to drain.

Red LED has most of the output in the wave length equivalent to standard red lenses (of course there is red and red), so the efficiency is very high. I can confirm that. I tried (visual comparison) between two JDM 1157 tail lamps tunred on at the same time in my 95 Tacoma. Right was without the lenses at all, the left one was behind red lenses. There was no visible difference in brightness (I tried that during the day and at night). I guess "dimples" in lenses focus some light compensating for the lost light absorbed by lenses.

Of course the ideal would be red LED behind clear lenses - that is the major benefit of using color led.

Now on the final note, you do not need "blinding bright" stop or marker light. There is not reason to blind the guy behind you. OK, if you really want to do that, you will be better off by buying high power laser:naughty: