July 04, 2019 / by Danny Mavis

If you’re someone who loves driving your Ford across the Australian outback during nighttime, then you probably know how important having a proper vision in front of you is in order to avoid running into kangaroos or objects. While your Ford’s headlights may offer an amazing vision in normal weather conditions, you’ll need a pair of fog lights to make sure you can see through thick fogs, heavy rains, and dust storms. And while most Ford vehicles come with factory installed fog lights, they’re probably much weaker than aftermarket fog lights, which is why many owners decide to upgrade.

Nowadays, you can find xenon, halogen and LED models at all Ford parts stores. LED fog lights are the most popular type these days, as they’re the most durable, offer the most illumination and working hours. When shopping for fog lights in Ford parts stores, there are a couple of important factors you’ll need to consider in order to get the best deal.

Compatibility

This is the first and most important thing you’ll have to consider. Ideally, you want the fog lights to be mounted on your bumper, and while some Fords have bumper space specifically designed for fog lights, others have bumpers that make it kinda hard to install fog lights. Check your Ford to make sure you can install the pair you like without an issue. The socket type can also be a problem so make sure you’re buying bulbs that fit in the sockets on your Ford bumpers. Further, you have to consider factors like supply voltage and current. This can be a problem if you have multiple other appliances connected to your vehicle.

Brightness

LED lights are the brightest, and their brightness is measured in lumens. The more lumens, the higher intensity illumination. You can find fog lights that can have anywhere from 1000 lumen output to 3000 lumens and more. Generally, the more lumens the fog lights have, the more expensive they are.

Safety Features

The safety features refer to the quality of the housing and its ingress protection and anti-shock properties. LED chips are usually manufactured using fragile materials, so they need extra protection. Ideally, the ingress protection of the fog lights you’re after should be IP-67. An IP-67 rating implies that neither water nor dust will damage the LED bulb easily, and you can submerge the fog lights under 1 metre of water for 30 minutes without damaging them.