59 caddy fog light

[Armond]

I have 59 cady 4dr sedan deville and want to know if the fog lights can on be the same time the head lights are on because when I turn the headlights on the fog lights shut off. Maybe this is a wiring problem? If any one knows, give a shout out.
Thanks

[Jim Eccleston CLC 16079]

Fog lights (or parking lights) are designed to shut off when the headlights come on.

[tzurick]

OK so this is normal then for the 59 Caddy?  I just purchased a 59 Coupe DeVille and noticed that all the front parking lights (No fogs...just 4 parking lights) go out when the headlights are turned on.  Modern cars don't act like this so I was curious if this is normal or not.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

It's annoying but it's correct. Parking and/or fog lamps shut off when the headlamps are turned on. Not certain the beginning year for the aux lights to remain lit in conjunction w/headlights- possibly '69??

[tzurick]

I guess it wouldn't be to hard to add a relay or a jumper wire to the headlight switch to keep them on in both positions.  Only issue with a jumper could be if it would put the system over 20A when the highs are on.  Maybe a relay and a switch would be better.

[Glen]

1968 was the first year for parking lights on with the headlights. 

If you jumper the tail lights and front parking lights together you would not be adding a load to the headlights.  But you are adding to the load for the tail lights. 

A relay would be another way to go. 

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

You can run aux lamps with headlamps if you're lucky enough to have a car equipped with Twilight Sentinel- 1964-1967. As much as I'd prefer both sets of lamps to illuminate, I'd never alter it.

[Walter Youshock]

Yes, it's the way they were.  Glen is correct--1968 was the first year that parking lamps stayed on with the headlights.  It was also the first year side marker lights were federally mandated.  I learned this when I used to have regular vanity plates on my '57 and had to have the car inspected every year.  My mechanic was going to fail the car until his dad told him it was correct.  Didn't matter that the seat belts didn't work since the car doesn't have them!

Unlike today's cars and, especially trucks, where everybody has to have their high-beams AND fog lights blaring all the time, blinding everyone in sight, the fog lamps on the old Cadillacs cast a rather powerful beam at the road surface and they don't fry anyone's retinas.  It is important to align them like the headlamps.  The procedure is similar and is in the shop manual.