Honda Accord Tourer - Twin rear fog warning lights - legal or not?

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Wed 27 Feb 2019 09:31
Honda Accord Tourer - Twin rear fog warning lights - legal or not? - focussed

A bit of background - I am preparing our Accord for it's first french mot.

Involving replacing rhd headlight units and moving the single rear fog warning lamp which is part of the rear lamp cluster, from right side to left side - and yes they do check it and fail the test if it's on the wrong side. Which means that strictly speaking, doing this means that the car would not be legal to drive in the UK if I need to visit.

I can modify the left side fog warning housing which is a mirror image of the right side housing except it doesn't have a hole for the bulb, it has the bulbholder fitting at the back of the unit, but no hole for the bulb in the reflector - easily modded, I did it on the last Civic, another bulbholder, extend the wiring - possibly increase value of the fuse and voilà - twin lamps

So - are twin rear fog warning lamps legal in the UK? The UK mot tester's manual refers to a single rear fog warning lamp only. There was a discussion on HJ back in 2008 - which seems to indicate that while not considered desirable, they are legal.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=69625

Edited by focussed on 27/02/2019 at 09:36

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Wed 27 Feb 2019 09:47
Honda Accord Tourer - Twin rear fog warning lights - legal or not? - FiestaOwner
So - are twin rear fog warning lamps legal in the UK? The UK mot tester's manual refers to a single rear fog warning lamp only.

Twin rear fogs are certainly legal in the UK. There are plenty of cars supplied with twin rear fogs from new (in the UK).

The MOT check looks for 1 working rear fog light, could be in the centre or offside. If a car is fitted with working nearside and offside rear fogs, that is also a pass.

"...and yes they do check it and fail the test if it's on the wrong side. Which means that strictly speaking, doing this means that the car would not be legal to drive in the UK if I need to visit."

Would the car not be legal to drive in the UK, provided it's still registered in France and you are just having a short break (or holiday) in the UK??

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Wed 27 Feb 2019 10:33
Honda Accord Tourer - Twin rear fog warning lights - legal or not? - focussed

"Would the car not be legal to drive in the UK, provided it's still registered in France and you are just having a short break (or holiday) in the UK??"

I take it that you mean is a french registered car legal to drive in the UK providing I am not resident in the UK ? Yes - as long a I don't exceed 6 months in the UK in any one year.

The question of whether French insurance will be valid in the UK after Brexit is a question our french insurance broker is still trying to find a definitive answer to.

Edited by focussed on 27/02/2019 at 10:34

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Wed 27 Feb 2019 12:03
Honda Accord Tourer - Twin rear fog warning lights - legal or not? - Brit_in_Germany

After Brexit, assuming the worst case it will be like any other non-EU/EFTA country (e.g. Turkey) where the Green Card system will most likely provide cover - i.e. not automatic as at present but generally possible.

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Fri 1 Mar 2019 21:45
Honda Accord Tourer - Twin rear fog warning lights - legal or not? - focussed

Job done - I can have twin rear fogs, or one left or one right depending on which bulbs I leave in the holders - job's a good 'un!

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