Why are the fog lights on the 2004 Max facing to the side instead of facing forward like on all other vehicles in the world?

I don't like this "feature".

 

Those aren't foglights, those are cornering lights, they illuminate at an angle so that you have better lateral vision when you're turning the car. The fog lights are embedded in the main light cluster.

 

I voiced the same opinion to the sales guy when I went to take a look. He told me that those aren't fogs. The fogs are integrated in the headlight fixture. Those lights in front will light up with the left/right indicators to illuminate the side of the street when you are turning.

 

You're pretty fast on the typing, eh? you beat me by 15 seconds

 

 

The cornering lights are pretty functional. I drive out in unlighted areas pretty often, and they are definitely handy to illuminate those unmarked, unlit roads I have to turn onto.

 

Buicks have corner lights, so do Caddies. Corner lights are for the old timers who can't see where they're going. Does anyone else catch where the Maxima is headed to? The 6th gen got longer and wider, pretty soon it will sport a longer hood and a hood ornament.

 

Hey, they didn't cost anything, they look nice, and they're functional. I don't buy the premise that this car is headed into "fogeyland." The increase in horsepower and the better handling in the 2004 (trust me) alone show that. Suffice to say, anyone who has driven one is not complaining that the car drives like your dad's Buick or Caddy. The 6th gen might be longer and wider, but it certainly does not look larger. I have a hard time seeing the 2 inch or less increase in height, width, and length. Maybe my eyes just are not that good in my old age (35).

 

I'm a car buff but I have to admit I've never seen cornering lights before or fogs integrated into the headlight unit. I must admit that Buicks and Caddys are not my thing however.

IMO, I still feel the look is odd with these large round cornering lights where front-facing fog lights should be.

 

not larger? get ur eyes examined!

 

...never seen cornering lights. My '96 Max SE had cornering lights. They were on the corner, to the outside of the headlights. Frankly, I was surprised that my 2000 did NOT have cornering lights. I didn't know why Nissan would REMOVE a useful feature on the 5th gen, that the 4th gen already had.

 

My 91 Maxima SE, certainly not an old timers' car, had corner lights and I thought they were a nice touch for a sporty car. I was surprised when they were later dropped, and I'm glad they're back.

 

The senior citizens LOVE the safety features

 

Not all 4th gens have them they dropped them in the 97-99 Maximas.

 

Was just gonna say, I had a 99 SE before, and I didn't see any cornering lights

 

Had a 1979 Delta 98 Regency Oldsmobile (my parents old car) that had cornering lights. Actually worked quite well.

 

Cornering lights used to be a Maxima distinguishing feature. All the Maximas up to the '97 had them. I'm also surprised that so many of you have never seen them before.

 

It's an optical illusion.

 

another intelligent statment that cornering lights are for old foogies. That makes no sense. I have them on my 93. They work well even with stock bulbs. The 95-96 Minimas had them, but the 97-99 MoreMinimas didn't. I think 2k-2k1 didn't also, but then back on the 2k2?


At any rate. If the 2k4 didn't have them we'd hear complaints about that too. Can't win.

 

2K2/2K3 do not have cornering lights. I would rather have fogs where the cornering lights are on the 2K4. No one puts fogs in the headlight fixture.

 

Agreed!!

 

jkratzer: The Lexus RX300 has the fogs integrated into the headlamp. And who cares if "no one" does it. Does nissan have do what everyone else does. Doesn't that make them at all original?

 

The senior citizens will love the new "tooth" on the front grill along with a possible hood ornament in the future.

 

The I30 had cornering lights. The 1992-1994 Lexus SC cars had them as well. They really are not as functional as they seem. Fogs intergrated in the headlights, the new Q45 has this feature and a couple of other cars but from a styling perspective, fogs help lower a cars apprearance and makes it seem sporty.

BTW, the new RX 330 has it's headlights turn slighty in the direction you turn in. This is much more functional (and expensive)than a cornering lamp.

 

yeah well did u expect Nissan to it the hard, or expensive way?

 

I'm not sure about the 1st gen. Max, but the 2nd and 3rd gen also had cornering lights.

 

1sicklex: Headlights turning in the direction of the turn and cornering light are two differnt things. The cornering lamps are meant for taking slow turns, like in a pitch dark suburban development. The physically light up the corner. My 93 does this well.

The rx330 headlight thing is clearly for higher speed driving. Unless they 45 degrees when you turn the wheel, a 10mph turn at night will not be any brighter. Understand what I mean?

 

our 93 LS 400 had fog lights integrated into the headlights...guess you missed that. my 93 Maxima SE had cornering lights...was dissapointed they weren't/aren't on my 5th gen.

Beats me why anyone would suggest that a safety feature is for "old timers". Driving a lot of backroads, you can appreciate a little visibility, else could end up in a ditch.

AND, since some of you chiming in so quick to criticize a great feature of the new car obviously haven't driven one in the dark to appreciate the fogs, they actually are more powerful and provide more vision than those on either my 01, 02, or 03 Max.

Next...

 

i was at the nissan dealership and found those corner lights very odd too. I love the skyview and the bose stereo set up on them.

 

Maxmann, when you getting pics of your 6th gen up?

Take some at night too, I wanna see how well the headlights light stuff up

 

Gotcha, that makes sense, thanks.

 

my '92 SE has cornering lights and fog lights....and i love it...and a friends '96 does as well...don't dis it...its a real nice feature that not many cars I know of especially in the early 90's had.!!

 

I have cornering lamps on my 2000 Nissan Quest; that said, it's a relatively useless feature unless your vision is impaired in some way.

 

Ah ha! I knew those corner lamps were nothing more than Geezer lights.

 

...Actually the cornering lights on the 6th gen Max are quite effective, they throw a large swath of light out in the 10:00 & 2:00 positions. Very noticeable and appreciated in dark cornering.

 

Do they come on only during cornering or are they on the whole time the headlights are on?

 

I don't know about you guys, but my 03 HIDs have a pretty wide beam. So when I'm making a turn, the beam of the lights hits wide enough for me to make the turn safely.

They should have made the cornering lights on Gen6 a little more subtle, instead of making them LOOK like fogs, but not BEING fogs.

Also, integrating fogs into the headlight unit takes away from the appearance of them, and also effectiveness. Fogs are supposed to sit low to the ground where actual fog isn't as dense as it is at headlight level.

Just a couple of pennies

 

They will light on the turning direction side only when the turn signal is applied with the headlights on.

 

Agreed, I have always preferred the separated look of the fogs placed in the lower facia.

However, as far as effectiveness... the 6th gen fogs are considerably more effective than you would expect from being integrated into the headlight. They are aimed lower than the headlights... a noticeable difference is observed when they are lit.