Topic: Cornering lamps

[vdk]

Okay. What's up with those? I see them on new(er) German cars. When turning with the signal on, one front fog light would light up and stay on until the turn is completed.

My question is, do they help? I don't think they do.

[rrocket]

Okay. What's up with those? I see them on new(er) German cars. When turning with the signal on, one front fog light would light up and stay on until the turn is completed.

My question is, do they help? I don't think they do.

Luxury car item. And yes, they light up the area you're turning to.  Though Lincolns and Caddies have had them since the beginning of time.

[CatsEye68]

A '70's Buick I owned had them. So did a recent Olds Intrigue. In both cases they were separate light assemblies on the side of the front fender, not the foglights. I really liked them, especially on dark roads. 

[rrocket]

A '70's Buick I owned had them. So did a recent Olds Intrigue. In both cases they were separate light assemblies on the side of the front fender, not the foglights. I really liked them, especially on dark roads. 

Indded.  The older cars were a separate light.  Yea..they work for sure.  In rural areas, they light up the ditches/culverts brilliantly...

[tpl]

I thought that on those old big Caddies that those lights were the land based equivalent of the nautical flag

D (delta)    "Keep clear of me; I am maneuvering with difficulty."

[overtakeyouintheleftlane]

I had a 2003 Buick Century as a rental once and the cornering lights come on when you have your headlights on and you signal. Very useful, it lights up the direction you're about to turn into.

[tenpenny]

One thing that drives me crazy are the Chryslers where the headlight turns off when the signal light is on. 

[Great_Big_Abyss]

One thing that drives me crazy are the Chryslers where the headlight turns off when the signal light is on. 

I'm sure that was never intended.  Just shorts within the electrical system, I'm sure.

[5 Wheel Drive]

One thing that drives me crazy are the Chryslers where the headlight turns off when the signal light is on. 

I noticed that too.  It drives me nuts.  It's on every Chysler too, I don't get it.  So you have no light on the direction you're turning.  Brilliant!     

I remember when the Miata first came out in '89, there was a similar issue.  Both running lights (not the headlights) would blink off when the turn signals went off.  Mazda issued a tsb, I think it was just a relay they replaced.  I don't know why Chrysler can't do the same thing.

[mrthompson]

Chrysler Wink n' Blink.  

[sirAQUAMAN64]

One thing that drives me crazy are the Chryslers where the headlight turns off when the signal light is on. 

I noticed that too.  It drives me nuts.  It's on every Chysler too, I don't get it.  So you have no light on the direction you're turning.  Brilliant!     

I remember when the Miata first came out in '89, there was a similar issue.  Both running lights (not the headlights) would blink off when the turn signals went off.  Mazda issued a tsb, I think it was just a relay they replaced.  I don't know why Chrysler can't do the same thing.

That's only when the DRLs are on, and it's so oncoming vehicles can see you're signaling since the signal light bulb is so close to the headlight/DRL bulb in the cluster. I think it very smart.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I had the corning lamp enabled on my Golf. Think some of the newer Golf/GTI VI 3 and 5 doors have this feature selectable in the MFI, but I didn't and had a friend enable it via the VAG-COM along with some other items.

For me, regardless of whether the signal light is on or off, with the steering wheel turned 90+ degrees (and in neutral or forward gears) the fog light on that side fades on and off. I think on the 3 and 5drs they are activated with the signal, but not 100%.

Living in the country, I find it very useful. Also, with high beams on the fog lights normally turn off automatically but even with high beams on when cornering the fog will turn on.

It won't light up street numbers on houses like an old Buick, Cadillac, or Lincoln would, but for the most part does the trick and I like the feature.

[erich]

I have this on my '00 SAAB, the fog light comes on with the blinker (actually it is a separate bulb in the same housing).
I drive to work out of town before sunrise, I find it very useful. Rural roads on dark mornings are also a good place to use SAAB's "Night panel" feature.

[tenpenny]

One thing that drives me crazy are the Chryslers where the headlight turns off when the signal light is on. 

I noticed that too.  It drives me nuts.  It's on every Chysler too, I don't get it.  So you have no light on the direction you're turning.  Brilliant!     

I remember when the Miata first came out in '89, there was a similar issue.  Both running lights (not the headlights) would blink off when the turn signals went off.  Mazda issued a tsb, I think it was just a relay they replaced.  I don't know why Chrysler can't do the same thing.

That's only when the DRLs are on, and it's so oncoming vehicles can see you're signaling since the signal light bulb is so close to the headlight/DRL bulb in the cluster. I think it very smart.

I know it's a 'desing feature', and I think it's ridiculous. 

[ktm525]

I have this on my '00 SAAB, the fog light comes on with the blinker (actually it is a separate bulb in the same housing).
I drive to work out of town before sunrise, I find it very useful. Rural roads on dark mornings are also a good place to use SAAB's "Night panel" feature.

My Pontiac G8 has a night panel feature. I haven't seen one for years. Aussies must do a lot of dark rural driving.

The LR3 doesn't have cornering lamps per se but it does swivel the headlights ala Tucker to point in direction of the turn.

[random006]

Ah, cornering lights.  One of the neatest little extra feature that my friend's Olds Alero had.  Since then, I bemoan the lack of them on other cars.  I get the impression reading the other posts on this thread that quite a few GM cars had them.  Kudos to GM for this one.

One of my bigger pet peeves when it comes to cars is lighting.  As in not enough of it where it counts.  I think all cars should have cornering lights.  It's a small thing and solves a lot of problems when turning onto a badly marked / lit road.  Ditches, potholes or other obstacles are suddenly visible, allowing the driver time to react.

[mmret]

Its one of those wonderful things that's both good and (virtually) free.

[rrocket]

I have this on my '00 SAAB, the fog light comes on with the blinker (actually it is a separate bulb in the same housing).
I drive to work out of town before sunrise, I find it very useful. Rural roads on dark mornings are also a good place to use SAAB's "Night panel" feature.

My Pontiac G8 has a night panel feature. I haven't seen one for years. Aussies must do a lot of dark rural driving.

The LR3 doesn't have cornering lamps per se but it does swivel the headlights ala Tucker to point in direction of the turn.

What do you mean by "night panel"?

[ktm525]

I have this on my '00 SAAB, the fog light comes on with the blinker (actually it is a separate bulb in the same housing).
I drive to work out of town before sunrise, I find it very useful. Rural roads on dark mornings are also a good place to use SAAB's "Night panel" feature.

My Pontiac G8 has a night panel feature. I haven't seen one for years. Aussies must do a lot of dark rural driving.

The LR3 doesn't have cornering lamps per se but it does swivel the headlights ala Tucker to point in direction of the turn.

What do you mean by "night panel"?

In addition to the traditional rheostat I can switch off all interior lights except for the speedo which is lit very dim. Perfect for dark rural driving.

[rrocket]

I have this on my '00 SAAB, the fog light comes on with the blinker (actually it is a separate bulb in the same housing).
I drive to work out of town before sunrise, I find it very useful. Rural roads on dark mornings are also a good place to use SAAB's "Night panel" feature.

My Pontiac G8 has a night panel feature. I haven't seen one for years. Aussies must do a lot of dark rural driving.

The LR3 doesn't have cornering lamps per se but it does swivel the headlights ala Tucker to point in direction of the turn.

What do you mean by "night panel"?

In addition to the traditional rheostat I can switch off all interior lights except for the speedo which is lit very dim. Perfect for dark rural driving.

Oh I see.  My Lexus has auto dimming of the gauges.  The dash varies in brightness automatically based on exterior light brightness.