I don't know if I'll be able to explain this correctly or not but here goes.

On some newer cars I've seen with factory fitted DRLs, ie the strip of LED type, the DRL seems to go OFF or dim when the corresponding sides indicator is on. Left hand indicator on left hand DRL off. Makes sense to me, you can see the indicator clearly.

However on some cars with round 'spot light' type of lights fitted into the lower front bumper these lights seem to come ON when the indicator is on. Now to me that doesn't make sense as it makes it more difficult to see the indicator

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick.........................again? :D

I believe those spot lights are 'cornering lamps' or something like that. Their purpose is to light up corners or junctions that you are about to turn into, so the left one comes on when steering left and the right one when steering right. The fact they seem to come on with the indicators is simply because people indicate when turning corners! (well, some people). They generally fade out a few seconds after straightening up.

Ah that would make sense ;)

Just had a quick Google and apparently they should only come on when the indicator is applied, the steering wheel turned past a certain point AND at under 20 mph.

That's it, I can sleep soundly tonight :)

Cheers.

the 'spot lights' as you have referred to are actually called fog light.

I find the 'corning lights' really annoying, they seem to be the only times a fog light manages to blind the stuff out of me, still not sure how these are classed as legal...

haha agreed, the first few times I saw them I remember thinking 'why has that idiot got his fog lights on in the middle of the day and why is only one working'. It wasn't unitl I started seeing it more often, realising it was generally on new higher end cars and that they faded off shortly after roundabouts that I twigged they weren't fog lights.

Are they actually the fog light bulbs or a separate one in the same housing? If they are fog lights, how are they legal as you say!

Cornering lights should be seperate and distinct from fog lights.

I believe you can buy aftermarket systems that run off sensors to the steering rack which could be wired to the fog circuit, but as to the legality in the UK, I haven't come across any like this myself so can't really be definitive.

Drl directly beside headlights or indicator is required to dim or turn off whenever indicator is on. If drl lights are 285mm (iirc) away from the headlights they are not required to dim or switch off when signaling there is also minimum required height from the ground to the lower end of the drl

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The cornering lights on my Focus , are built into the main lights , they also don't need the indicators to come on for them to work , so they must work on the steering angle on the Focus. As a driver i find them very useful.

my punto had cornEr turning lights they came on with indicators and when i turn the wheel more than about quarter only when the headlamps where on tho, people used to flash me all the time

it was the fog light that illuminated not a separate light also

If you had the 'strip like' DRLs installed AND the cornering lights, what happens when you indicate? Does the DRL go off and the cornering light come on? :)

Also, the cornering lights are, so far as I can make out in some cases at least, just the fog lights, which AFAIK point forwards so how can they shine a light to the side? Wouldn't it be better if they installed an extra bulb into the side indicators that shone a steady light to the side instead of the front facing ones?

Yes, I was bored at work today :) :) :)

My Focus doesn't have them but I have driven a number of VW group cars with them on and they really are quite useful actually!

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