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I installed new led bulbs for my fog lights a little while ago and hadn't had a chance to drive it at night until recently. Should the fog lights have that type of pattern? I've seen others online and they appear to be even with the ground all the way across. Is there an adjustment I can make to even the spread?
I have a parts car with the front cover off. I'll snap a pic when I get home so you can see how the lights can be adjusted. If my memory is correct, there are adjustment screws.
I have a parts car with the front cover off. I'll snap a pic when I get home so you can see how the lights can be adjusted. If my memory is correct, there are adjustment screws.
I appreciate that Wraith. I know they can be adjusted up and down but I didn't see any adjustments for side to side.
What brand of bulbs did you buy? Unless you purchased a name brand that mounts the LEDs to match a reflector, you'll get an odd result. eBay bulbs, etc. are never going to look good.
What brand of bulbs did you buy? Unless you purchased a name brand that mounts the LEDs to match a reflector, you'll get an odd result. eBay bulbs, etc. are never going to look good.
I bought LED's from Amazon that were direct replacement for the factory incandescent bulbs. I noticed that the center reflector, (the piece that covers the tip of the bulb, I don't know what it's called), may be causing the issue. Is it possible to take those out from the inside?
I bought LED's from Amazon that were direct replacement for the factory incandescent bulbs. I noticed that the center reflector, (the piece that covers the tip of the bulb, I don't know what it's called), may be causing the issue. Is it possible to take those out from the inside?
Unfortunately, you will never get the proper fog light pattern using the stock housings no matter what bulb you use. The reflector and lens aren't designed to create the correct pattern. Even GM in their documentation lists them as "toy" or "decorative" fog lights... designed strictly for looks which is why they come with such low powered bulbs. If you want people to see fog lights on the front of your car then just about any bulb will do, although wssix99 is correct that better bulbs will get somewhat better results. If you want real fog lights with a proper horizontal cutoff then you can get LED replacement lamps which will bolt right in to the stock locations. Then you can run lots of lumens without blinding other drivers.
The Auxito bulbs you posted should give a good pattern in good housings. However, as Whitebird00 said, the stock housings don't produce a good fog pattern to start with.
Another issue is that the filament in an 880 bulb is horizontal and that drop in LED (and almost any other) has the LED aligned vertical. That will also not use the reflector as well which can lead to an altered pattern.
As with any drop-in LED for headlights or fog lights, make sure the bulb sits with the shaft oriented up/down (like an I shape) so that the LEDs shine left/right to properly fill the housing and best use the reflector.
The Auxito bulbs you posted should give a good pattern in good housings. However, as Whitebird00 said, the stock housings don't produce a good fog pattern to start with.
Another issue is that the filament in an 880 bulb is horizontal and that drop in LED (and almost any other) has the LED aligned vertical. That will also not use the reflector as well which can lead to an altered pattern.
As with any drop-in LED for headlights or fog lights, make sure the bulb sits with the shaft oriented up/down (like an I shape) so that the LEDs shine left/right to properly fill the housing and best use the reflector.
I appreciate the advice guys,
So on that note is it possible to remove the Metal piece that sits above the bulb, (I can provide a photo if needed). could that be affecting the pattern as well? if I wanted to get new lights the problem I have is that one of the bolts on the passenger side fog light is stripped and I cannot get it out... if anyone's had that issue before I'd love to hear how I can get that out.
I doubt pulling out that metal piece would help. Might make the pattern more conical instead. A fog light pattern should be a low wide flat beam.
Well that's a bummer, I don't suppose anyone's tried to do that that could give me any definitive results dot dot?
If that's the case, with the stripped bolt issue I have what would be your recommendations be given that there's not a lot of room to work down there without taking the bumper off..
Even GM in their documentation lists them as "toy" or "decorative" fog lights...
I found them functional in actual fog... for a short distance. In the event I was to hit a deer or a moose in the fog, I would have clearly seen the look on its face before it went through my windshield. lol
Originally Posted by CrimsonT/A
I appreciate the advice guys,
So on that note is it possible to remove the Metal piece that sits above the bulb, (I can provide a photo if needed). could that be affecting the pattern as well?
I don't think there is any way you are going to get the bulbs you purchased to look correct in the stock reflectors. One thing you can do in order to illustrate the issue is to turn the lights on at night and unscrew the bulbs. Watch the pattern as the bulb turns and you'll see how the two directional LED's play with the reflector.
IMO - Your best bet for a LED replacement would be something with many LED elements that wrap the bulb and throw light in all directions like the original filament:
I thought about this briefly for my car and just purchased a bunch of cheap conventional bulbs and just swapped them whenever they burned out. That also allowed me to better get the desired temperature on the color, which also helped.
I found them functional in actual fog... for a short distance. In the event I was to hit a deer or a moose in the fog, I would have clearly seen the look on its face before it went through my windshield. lol
I don't think there is any way you are going to get the bulbs you purchased to look correct in the stock reflectors. One thing you can do in order to illustrate the issue is to turn the lights on at night and unscrew the bulbs. Watch the pattern as the bulb turns and you'll see how the two directional LED's play with the reflector.
IMO - Your best bet for a LED replacement would be something with many LED elements that wrap the bulb and throw light in all directions like the original filament:
I thought about this briefly for my car and just purchased a bunch of cheap conventional bulbs and just swapped them whenever they burned out. That also allowed me to better get the desired temperature on the color, which also helped.
I appreciate the info! Has anybody tried bulbs like that in their stock housing and if you did how was the light pattern?
I just found this while searching the differences between blade and 360 leds. I havent been able to put a ton of research into this today but a few sites I've read seem to think the blade style is better.
wssix99 & CrimsonT/A, those units with the LEDs all over are crap for headlights and fog lights. That style/design is only good for turn signals and maybe reverse lights.
CrimsonT/A, those units with the LEDs all over are crap for headlights and fog lights. That style/design is only good for turn signals and maybe reverse lights.
If that’s the case, what would be causing the beam pattern gap like it is with the blade LED bulb if even a 360° bulb like the factory incandescents would do the same?
Can you post pics of beam pattern and the bulb mounted in the reflector?
Not every reflector works with every bulb. There are specific tolerances. Also, like I mentioned above, the original filament in a 880 bulb is horizontal and the LEDs in that unit you bought are vertical (like most other bulbs). That will contribute to an altered pattern.
Can you post pics of beam pattern and the bulb mounted in the reflector?
Not every reflector works with every bulb. There are specific tolerances. Also, like I mentioned above, the original filament in a 880 bulb is horizontal and the LEDs in that unit you bought are vertical (like most other bulbs). That will contribute to an altered pattern.
The bean pattern I have in the opening thread, here’s a picture of the bulb in the housing. Really hard to see the bulb with that center “focal point“? Whatever that’s called.
Usually these bulbs can be rotated to improve positioning. Try that. It probably came when an allen key to loosen a screw to allow adjustment. i can't really see the bulb in that housing. The shaft needs to be straight up/down like the letter I with the LEDs facing left right.
The V shaped dead spot in front of the car is the normal beam for this housing. The two other darker spots at the edges are not normal.
Here is a pic of my High Beam with LED. Its an older one with an end cap and shrouding at top edge (which makes it look thicker than it is), but the orientation is what I wanted to show.
08-14-2024, 12:34 PM
Fog Light Pattern 
