Why do I need to hold the Fog Light switch to keep them on?

[gkamer]

When I start my Spyder the low beams are like the default setting. To increase my visibility/presence I can turn on the high beams. But if I want to use the fog lights I have to manually hold down the fog light switch. If I release pressure on the switch the fog lights go out. Is that they way they are designed to work? It is going to get pretty tiring if I have to continually hold down the switch in order for the lights to function......

[K80Shooter]

Did you try the fog lights when on low beam headlights?

[FrogmanDave]

Most vehicles are designed to turn off the fog lights when the high beams are turned on. Every vehicle I have ever owned anyway. I am assuming your 2018 is the same.

[Bfromla]

BRP kit fogs had plug & play with rocker switch. Do not have to hold switch just flip, works hi/low - engine has to be running. 2013 anyway

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I think federal regulations prohibit having fog lights on when high beams are on. Most all of us ignore that requirement when we add fog lights, but the factory is not allowed to do that.

[Peter Aawen]

When I start my Spyder the low beams are like the default setting. To increase my visibility/presence I can turn on the high beams. But if I want to use the fog lights, I have to manually hold down the fog light switch. If I release pressure on the switch the fog lights go out. Is that the way they are designed to work? It is going to get pretty tiring if I have to continually hold down the switch in order for the lights to function......

Certainly here in Oz, but also from my experience over there in the US, I'm pretty sure that switch is meant to be a 'toggle switch' - click on, fogs go on; click off, fogs go off - with no need to keep it held down at any time in order to keep the fog lights on! But as others have mentioned above, you aren't meant to run both your fog lights and your Hi-beam lights at the same time, so switching from Lo-beam plus fogs will (should!) automatically turn the fog lights OFF!

So if you're having to hold down that switch ALL THE TIME just to keep your fog lights on when you only have Lo-beam on, then I'd guess that there's something wrong with the switch, the fog light relay, &/or the wiring for your fogs, and whichever one of those it is needs replacing/fixing!!

But if you are trying to run your fog lights AND Hi-beam at the same time, see above - it's not meant to happen, at least not on AU Spec Spyders!!

Here in Oz, getting sprung with both fogs & Hi-beam on at the same time may cost you a fair bit in fines, possibly even a Defect Notice that might mean you aren't legally allowed to drive the defected vehicle on the public roads until the 'fault' is rectified and you can no longer even select Hi-beam with fogs at all...

Good Luck!

Ps: Running both your Fog lights AND your Hi-beam lights is a bit pointless for anything but the 'extra light' you may get in good (but dark! ) conditions, and of course if you run both at the same time, they can cause a lot of glare and potential loss of visibility for other/oncoming Road users too!! Fog lights are meant to be aimed low & under the fog, so that there's not too much light aimed up into the fog or light reflection off a wet road bounced up into the fog, where it hits all the suspended water, causing diffraction and a loss of visibility due to the glare/white-out that diffraction produces - just putting your Hi-beam lights only on in a real fog (not just a light mist) will cause a similar white-out effect.... and sometimes even your Lo-beam lights will do that too, making it almost impossible to see very far ahead &/or drive safely!! Hence the point of having fog lights in the first place - they are meant to be mounted low on the vehicle and aimed lower than your Lo-beam lights so that they provide light in close but UNDER the layer of fog, so you can still see to drive, albeit slower than you would normally due to the shortened/lesser visibility - but at least you won't be blinded by the glare/white-out that shining bright light into fog will bring about!

[safecracker]

On my 2011 RTS the fog lights stayed on whether the high beams or low beams are on. If you have to hold down the button, I would say you have a bad button. Bruce

[gkamer]

OK guys, thanks for all the input. I just realized I had a forehead slap moment and was confusing the flash high beam button on the handlebar with the fog light button above the glove box. I'm back on track now.......

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

OK guys, thanks for all the input. I just realized I had a forehead slap moment and was confusing the flash high beam button on the handlebar with the fog light button above the glove box. I'm back on track now.......

And the benefit of all that is you've just proved you are human!

[Peter Aawen]

OK guys, thanks for all the input. I just realized I had a forehead slap moment and was confusing the flash high beam button on the handlebar with the fog light button above the glove box. I'm back on track now.......

And the benefit of all that is you've just proved you are human!

Yep, we've all done something like that!

And anyone who claims they haven't ever done something similar at some stage in their life is either only fooling themselves, or they hafta be verrryyyy young!

Just Sayin' Well, that, and of course....


Ryde More, Worry Less!

[safecracker]

Glad you found the issue...

[Mikey]

On my 2011 RTS the fog lights stayed on whether the high beams or low beams are on. If you have to hold down the button, I would say you have a bad button. Bruce

Bruce, I think our old irons set up different than the 2018, that bike may be set up to turn the fogs off with the high beams on! Mine works the same as yours, and I love it that way when I am riding at night on the back roads it lights up the world.
P.S, I should read all the way to the end of a post before I start typing!!

[DGoebel]

Greg, you just asking the question got me up outta my lazyboy, into the garage, started my Spyder and checked (for the first time) how each stage of lighting did work and actually got me to do a full light check that .... I've never done in the year I've owned the "new to me" '18 RTL I have now. Key on - running lights only front and rear, ignition on headlights on, fog light switch on Fogs on (whether high or low headlight shutter selected. Now that's got me wondering whether I could upgrade the '18's in headlight fixture marker led's with something like the Denali DM lights Thanks for the inspiration.....
Spyder front lights w Running lights highlighted.jpg

[Bfromla]

Kinda expected more volunteers to SLAP

[gkamer]

Greg, you just asking the question got me up outta my lazyboy, into the garage, started my Spyder and checked (for the first time) how each stage of lighting did work and actually got me to do a full light check that .... I've never done in the year I've owned the "new to me" '18 RTL I have now. Key on - running lights only front and rear, ignition on headlights on, fog light switch on Fogs on (whether high or low headlight shutter selected. Now that's got me wondering whether I could upgrade the '18's in headlight fixture marker led's with something like the Denali DM lights Thanks for the inspiration.....
Spyder front lights w Running lights highlighted.jpg

Glad to be of help.....