You might not need to turn on the fog lights every time you drive at night. But when you have to go through a thick fog bank, gray curtain of rain, or heavy snowfall, you’ll feel thankful to have these powerful vehicle lights.
Fog lights provide much-needed illumination when road visibility drops to short distances. They let you see what’s right in front of you and show your vehicle’s location to pedestrians and other drivers going the other way. Since they’re indispensable to your safety while driving in low-visibility conditions, you want fog lights that shine bright without blinding other people and run reliably.
Recommended Fog Lights By Light Source
Your choice of fog lights mainly depends on their light source. The light bulb produces all-important illumination and accounts for a significant portion of the fog light’s initial cost. You want a fog light that produces enough light for your needs without exceeding your budget.
Halogen Fog Lights
Fog lights that use halogen light bulbs are the most common type available. They improve on other incandescent-type lights by adding inert halogen gas inside the bulb, making the tungsten filament last longer.
Despite their age, halogen fog lights remain a popular choice for use on vehicles. They deliver sufficient illumination for most low-visibility conditions at an affordable cost. Furthermore, their large stockpiles ensure that you can usually find the exact same fog light or a similar, compatible product when you need a replacement.
Our Top Picks For Halogen Fog Lights
- Replacement ARBT107504 Front Fog Light
- ReplaceXL 19-5265-00Q Front, Passenger Side Fog Light
- JC Whitney 330-2016PXAS Front, Driver and Passenger Side Fog Lights
- Spyder 5021250 Front, Driver and Passenger Side Projector Series Fog Light
- Kool Vue 3342009RAS Front Fog Lights
HID/Xenon Fog Lights
High-intensity discharge (HID) light bulbs work by producing an electric arc between two electrodes in a bulb filled with xenon gas. When the current passes through xenon, it excites the gas, causing the latter to emit heat and light. Its use of xenon leads to this type’s other name: xenon light bulbs.
Whether you call them HID fog lights or xenon fog lights, these products deliver high-end performance, albeit at a significant cost. HID/xenon fog lights are very bright and often feature stylish aesthetics. However, they run hot, usually cost a lot, and use up considerable power.
Our Top Picks For HID/Xenon Fog Lights
- Replacement KIT-080117-148 2-Piece Kit Driver Side Headlight with Fog Light
- Replacement KIT-110118-54 3-Piece Kit Passenger Side Headlight with Fog Light and Turn Signal Light
- Replacement KIT-80615-22 4-Piece Kit Driver and Passenger Side Headlights with Fog Lights
LED Fog Lights
A light-emitting diode (LED) generates light by running an electric current through the semiconductor material that makes up the diode. The electrons in the current recombine with electron holes in the diode, producing light with little heat.
LED fog lights are popular choices for drivers who want to enhance their vehicle’s low-visibility lighting. They shine brighter than halogen fog lights, consume less power than HID fog lights, run cooler, and last longer than the other two types. They are also affordable options in terms of price tags and operating costs.
However, LED lights might not be considered street-legal in your city or state. Check the laws in your area to see if you can use LED fog lights on your vehicle without getting pulled over and issued a ticket.
Our Top Picks For LED Fog Lights
- Replacement RC10750016 LED Fog Light
- ReplaceXL REPF107908Q LED Fog Light
- Morimoto LF90 Front LED Fog Lights
- Spyder 5015556 Front LED Fog Lights
- KC Hilites 497 Front Fog Lights
Recommended Fog Lights By Location
Fog lights aren’t exclusive to your vehicle’s front. Some fog lights are found on the back. The rear fog lights perform the same role in a different direction.
While you might not think you need rear fog lights, there are certain scenarios where you might benefit from having them on your car. It’s better to have an option than to have nothing to fall back on.
It’s also important to remember that each side of the vehicle has a fog light. If one of them fails, the illumination on that side gets affected.
Front Fog Lights
When you think of fog lights, you usually think of the front-mounted ones. They cast their light beams ahead of your vehicle, and while they cannot penetrate fog, they can illuminate the swathe of road in front of you.
Our Top Picks For Front Fog Lights
- Replacement SET-ARBT107503 Front Halogen Fog Lights
- JC Whitney STYTY1215FL1 Front Fog Lights
- JC Whitney STYNS0004FL2 Front Fog Lights
Rear Fog Lights
Rear fog lights differ from their front-mounted counterparts in several ways. The obvious distinction is their location–they’re found at the vehicle’s rear. Next, rear fog lights are red and shine brightly. Their main role is to reveal your vehicle’s position to other drivers in low-visibility conditions.
Our Top Picks For Rear Fog Lights
- Crown 57010717AC Rear Fog Light
- GenuineXL 63-24-7-255-922 Genuine Mini Back Up / Fog Light Assembly
- Crown SET-CR57010716AC-R Rear, Driver and Passenger Side Fog Light
- Olsa 63-24-7-255-925 Rear, Driver or Passenger Side Fog Light
If you’re not satisfied with the factory-issue fog lights on your vehicle, consider replacing them as soon as possible. There are many options at your fingertips, assuring you of finding a product with the right combination of performance, cost, and location to meet your unique needs.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.