Do any Fords have separate dashboard lights for dipped beams and sidelights?

[anyjungleinguy]

As title really. 

My Fiesta has only one dashboard icon for both dipped beams and sidelights.  Every other car I’ve ever driven has had separate dashboard icons for these. 

Do any Fords have separate icons? I just find it a little curious, that’s all. 

[TomsFocus]

Most 'modern' cars have been the same for the last 10 years or so, one light for both.

[anyjungleinguy]

Do they? I’ve had two different courtesy cars over the past two weeks, both 2017 plates and they have separate indicators. Pretty sure my dad’s 17 plate Merc has them separate too. 

[AlexBartlam]

no my fiesta has one light 2013 plate. 

[pragmatix]

Nothing I've driven in the last 20+ years has had separate lights on and as I never just use sidelights it's not an issue

[eddie eastwood]

When I switch the lights on in the Focus i get two green icons, side by side, in the left side of the cluster then when I switch to main  beam also get a blue icon in the right side.

[Swiftfocus69]

2 hours ago, eddie eastwood said:

When I switch the lights on in the Focus i get two green icons, side by side, in the left side of the cluster then when I switch to main  beam also get a blue icon in the right side.

Think you`ll find the 2nd green icon is for the front fog lights

[eddie eastwood]

23 hours ago, Swiftfocus69 said:

Think you`ll find the 2nd green icon is for the front fog lights

No its not that, I have taken some photos of what shows in the cluster at each light switch position. You now what they say 'a picture paints a thousand words'

Light switch on dipped beam, this shows those two side by side green icons (maybe all one icon) in the top part of rev counter side, first photo.

Light switch on main beam, this shows a blue icon in speed o side, second photo.

Light switch with front fog lights on,  shows a green icon in lower part of rev counter side, third photo.

Light switch with front and rear fog light on, as above now shows a yellow icon in lower part of speed o side, fourth photo.

Edited March 4, 2018 by eddie eastwood
more info

[TomsFocus]

That dipped beam icon is all one and is the normal modern one.

On older cars there was a separate one the same shape as the full beams, but in green with diagonal lines to show 'dipped' beams instead.

[eddie eastwood]

7 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That dipped beam icon is all one and is the normal modern one.

On older cars there was a separate one the same shape as the full beams, but in green with diagonal lines to show 'dipped' beams instead.

Cheers Tom

[jeff-d]

 

[alexp999]

No such thing as sidelights, they are parking lights.

The icon is just to tell you your lights are on. If they are in the parking light position it won't bong when you stop the engine and open a door.

If it's dark enough for you to think about putting some lights on, you should have dipped beam on.

[TomsFocus]

Sidelights are a thing, they're just useless tbh.  Meant to be used in rain back when dynamos struggled to power proper lights.  Those with mk3 Focus's have the option for sidelights to come on automatically when the wipers are on but it's not dark enough for the sensor to turn dipped beams on.

Parking light is only on the road side, and is activated by leaving an indicator down iirc.

[alexp999]

14 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Sidelights are a thing, they're just useless tbh.  Meant to be used in rain back when dynamos struggled to power proper lights.  Those with mk3 Focus's have the option for sidelights to come on automatically when the wipers are on but it's not dark enough for the sensor to turn dipped beams on.

Parking light is only on the road side, and is activated by leaving an indicator down iirc.

Check your manual or try leaving the lights in "sidelight" position and get out the car. :)

[TomsFocus]

Sidelights aren't parking lights - though they are used for that purpose.

They were meant to be used when you don't need to see, but need to be seen, silver cars in rain are a good example.  They take a lot less electric than the 55w dipped beam which was important with the poor charging systems in the past but not really relevant now.  DRLs now do the same job really but sidelights are still a legal requirement and an MOT fail if they don't work.

We're actually both right about operating the parking lights lol, one side is on the stalk, both are on the dial.

 

 

[TomsFocus]

Just to add to the above - the Highway Code is even more useless than sidelights themselves on this...   It was 10 years since I was learning to drive but I don't remember it being this confusing!  Whoever wrote 'headlights' instead of main beams hasn't helped tbh lol.

How do you know when it's half an hour before sunrise, when you MUST switch the main beams off and go back to sidelights...?  

It also says you MUST use sidelights, not headlights, in built up areas...but 'should' use dipped beams in those areas.  So it's not actually illegal to use sidelights alone in town?  

 

The Highway Code and vehicle lighting

4. Lighting requirements (113 to 116)

113
You MUST

• ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise
• use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified
• use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226).

Night (the hours of darkness) is defined as the period between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise).
Laws RVLR regs 3, 24, & 25, (In Scotland - RTRA 1984 sect 82 (as amended by NRSWA, para 59 of sched 8))

114
You MUST NOT

• use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders
• use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users (see Rule 226).

In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.
Law RVLR reg 27

115
You should also

• use dipped headlights, or dim-dip if fitted, at night in built-up areas and in dull daytime weather, to ensure that you can be seen
• keep your headlights dipped when overtaking until you are level with the other vehicle and then change to main beam if necessary, unless this would dazzle oncoming road users
• slow down, and if necessary stop, if you are dazzled by oncoming headlights

[anyjungleinguy]

Yeah, parking lights and sidelights are definitely different. 

My dad’s Merc has separate dashboard icons for sidelights, dipped beam, full beam, and left and right parking lights. 

Some have said separate dash icons are an old concept, not used on newer cars: I’ve had two low end courtesy cars from different manufacturers recently and they had separate icons. 

Others have said it’s only a feature on modern, expensive cars: I’m not sure a Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10 fit that criteria. 🤣

The only reason I created this thread was because I found it curious, that’s all.  :)

[alexp999]

Ford don't consider them sidelights, but parking lights. Hence only 1 icon and the car not bonging when you leave them in position B.

[TomsFocus]

 

14 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

Ford don't consider them sidelights, but parking lights. Hence only 1 icon and the car not bonging when you leave them in position B.

Nice Photoshopping...   My manual definitely says sidelights, as if they'd waste all that ink.   On a serious note though, I wonder if they stopped using 'sidelights' when DRLs became standard?