What does a rear fog lamp do?

According to UK and European law a car must have at least one (working) rear fog light, to warn traffic of your presence when they are closing in on you from behind in poor conditions.

Some more modern cars are also equipped with front fog lights, either as standard or as an optional extra, which help you to see the road ahead more clearly in thick fog.

Both these fog lights are important safety features so should be regularly checked and properly maintained.

Mini

Mini is a British automotive marque that has been owned by the German multinational vehicle manufacturer BMW since 2000.

The Mini brand was originally introduced in 1969 when the vehicle model became a marque in its own right, breaking away from the Austin and Morris brands under the British Leyland umbrella.

How popular is Mini in the United Kingdom?

The Mini Hatch was the 7th best selling car of 2018 in the UK. Mini is a consistent favourite among buyers with a leaning for British cultural icons and retro styling.

There are around 750k Mini cars on the roads, showing that the brand is still as popular as ever due to their compact sizing, attractive styling and its reputation as a classy and classic small car.

Mini: a premium product of British motoring

With its unique and unmistakable styling, Mini is firmly placed as a premium product. Its ownership by BMW has added advantages in production, by being able to lean on the executive luxury German marque for many of the advanced technological systems and specialist industry knowledge used in their manufacture.

A piece of British culture and a Hollywood star

Enhancing its popularity as a household name, the original British Mini became a star of the silver screen when it appeared predominantly in the gold-heist movie ‘The Italian Job’ in 1969, starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward. With a remake hitting the screens in 2003, the new Mini was called on to star once again, and a selection of Mini hatch models continued the tradition by featuring in the film.

Mini: a new competitor to the most popular 3-door hatchbacks

Despite its small footprint, the Mini hatch is providing real competition to the Audi A1 and VW Polo due to its premium quality build. And with the weight of BMW behind them, it’s easy to see why.

How often should you replace a fog lamp bulb?

Unfortunately no light bulb will last the lifetime of your vehicle, which means at some point you’ll need to replace your fog light bulbs. There is no set mileage at which this should be done, as it depends on how often you use them and on the type of bulb. Just be sure to check them regularly.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

Legally a car must have at least one (working) rear fog light and more modern cars should also be equipped with front fog lights. Because these lights are important safety features they will be checked during an MOT. If they are found to be broken or faulty your car will most likely fail its MOT.

What causes a fog lamp bulb to break?

Fog lamp bulbs can break for a variety of reasons. For example, because of a blown fuse, if water has seeped into the light or over time they can simply wear out. The most important thing is that you replace the bulbs as soon as possible as it can be dangerous to drive without them.

What are the signs of a bad fog lamp bulb?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• If one or both of your fog lights has stopped working

• If your fog lights are dimmer than usual

• If you have noticed your fog lights flickering or dipping in and out

What happens during a fog lamp bulb replacement?

During the repair our certified mechanics will:

• Inspect the fog lights and test to see which ones need replacing

• They will then disconnect any power wires attached to the fog lights

• Unscrew or unclip the old fog light bulb that needs replacing

• Fit the new fog light bulbs, ensuring they’re the correct size and type for your car make and model

• They’ll reconnect the power wires and test that the new bulb is working

What is the average life of a fog lamp bulb?

There is no set lifespan of fog lamp bulbs, as it depends on how often you use them and on the type of bulb. Just be sure to check them regularly to ensure they're fully functional for when you need to use them.

Can you drive with a broken fog lamp bulb?

You cannot drive without functioning rear fog lamps. Legally a car must have at least one (working) rear fog light, to warn traffic of your presence when they are closing in on you from behind in poor conditions.

Some more modern cars are also equipped with front fog lights, either as standard or as an optional extra, which help you to see the road ahead more clearly in thick fog.