Dodge Fog Lights

Your Dodge fog light should be taken care of in order to avoid having it end up busted or inoperable. While you're not legally bound to replace fog lights when they're damaged because they're an auxiliary means of lighting compared to your headlights or taillights, it's still in your best interests to have them fixed. It's because it's your best lighting-based defense on a foggy day or night.

Clean your lights thoroughly inside and out

Just like when it comes to upholding headlight or taillight maintenance, it's important that you at least wipe your lights once every week. Also, make sure your plate number is visible as you go about your cleanup duties by cleaning it as well. Even with fully working lights, the buildup of grime and dirt can decrease vehicle visibility and light beam intensity.

Usually, car liquid soap, a foam applicator, a microfiber cloth, and lots of elbow grease are enough to keep both your fog lights and your car spic-and-span. For stained, hazy, and yellowing lenses, you might need to mask off the area you'll be cleaning to avoid paint finish scratches then sandpaper the lens with 1,000-grit sandpaper.

Carry out regular lighting checks by yourself

Do a lighting check. Check if your fog lights are aligned (the same way you'd check alignment for your headlights) to make sure they're facing forward and at the street in a balanced manner. Fix alignment if the left or right fog light is facing anywhere else other than the dead center; this will create a blind spot as you traverse streets on foggy nights.

Your lights should be checked at least once a month. In particular, you should check the bulb, fuse, and wiring to see if there's anything wrong with them. This is particularly true if your fog lights are starting to dim, flicker, or go out altogether. Those three parts of your fog light assembly are usually where all your lighting problems originate.

Have a certified mechanic check out your lights for you

Err on the side of caution and have your mechanic double-check your lights for damage or issues. Don't just ask for a second opinion other than your own when you notice something wrong with your fog lights. Your certified automotive technician can do things like taking out the fog light cover and lens and replace the bulb for you or help you fix headlight alignment.

Fog light inspection should be included with your regular headlight and taillight inspection for good measure. Your mechanic will know whether or not your light is about to go out. He's also there to recommend parts when something really does require replacement or repair.

If there's no fog don't turn your fog lights on

In order to lengthen the lifespan of your fog lights, only use them when you need them. They're called "fog" lights, after all. On that note, aside from proper light maintenance, you should also avoid substituting your fog lights for your headlights when driving at night since this light is a lot brighter than your standard-issue headlamps.

Thus, its glare might end up dazzling other road users (which could lead to an accident). Turning your fog lights on at all times will assuredly wear them out sooner than if you only utilize them during the foggiest of days or nights. Your main light should also be on so that you don't only rely on your fog lights for better driving visibility. It's only common sense.