Amber or Red rear turn signals....

I prefer the look of all red tail light assemblies. The amber makes a car look cheap, to me. At least up premium cars. Not so much on others.
I wonder if it's because Euro/ Asian cars in their home countries, that have amber turns, are also smaller and typically hatchbacks. While we picture the Cadillac Escalade as the end-all, be-all vehicle for rich Americans.
 
Amber is the best solution, but red would be more acceptable if the OEMs didn't use it as license to cheap out and cosolidate and distill three functions (tail/stop/signal) into a single light source. Some of the older Chrysler products, like the minvans, and pickups are notable examples, with a single red lense with a clear cutout, and two bulbs, one for reverse, and one for everything else. Having discrete sources for each function would at least reduce the risk of potential confustion, even if they're all the same color.

It hasn't gotten any better with modern vehicles, which have programmable controls, and in a way worse, by allowing different schemes to suit different markets, leaving some, like the U.S .to be configured with the simplest version like above, while the rest of the fixture (with elements that may be needed to satisfy others' regs) goes unused.

An example of this is a late model BMW SUV, which have large tail fixtures and ample room for discrete functions, but light up only two parts of it in U.S. spec.
 
I’m partial to the sequential Audi amber turn signals, they always catch my eye. I’ve seen some U.S. spec Audi’s with sequential signals, but they also have a long narrow strip that also lights up entirely to satisfy regulations.
 
It hasn't gotten any better with modern vehicles, which have programmable controls, and in a way worse, by allowing different schemes to suit different markets, leaving some, like the U.S .to be configured with the simplest version like above, while the rest of the fixture (with elements that may be needed to satisfy others' regs) goes unused.

An example of this is a late model BMW SUV, which have large tail fixtures and ample room for discrete functions, but light up only two parts of it in U.S. spec.

This isn’t new. Spaces for rear fog lights and other functions have existed in euro cars since the 80s, and have gone unused, sometimes only requiring a bulb.
 
Amber all the way.

On the forte I was doing a bulb check and noticed both rear blinkers were almost white! The amber coating actually fell off of the bulb and left just a white bulb for the blinkers.

2 new traditional 1156A bulbs later and now have amber turn blinkers again.

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Since FMVSS allows either, why would Mercedes, Audi, BMW and others, go to the expense of designing, purchasing and installing tail lights only for NA market? Is it only for looks? I will admit that, with few exceptions, I prefer the look of all red tail light assemblies. The amber makes a car look cheap, to me. At least up premium cars. Not so much on others.

There are other requirements in the US also, such as side markers, and if they want, side reflectors. Both of which are not required in Europe.

Here's a Euro Camry as an example
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My old 2016 Tiguan... had the similar lights to Europe, but no amber turn signals and rear fogs (both bulb openings were blocked off, so the injection molds were slightly different), as well as the wiring harness and BCM's.... but the European ones, did have the amber turn signals and rear fogs, as well as the rear side reflector, but the side marker was blocked off, both on the mold, and the wiring/BCM

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This isn’t new. Spaces for rear fog lights and other functions have existed in euro cars since the 80s, and have gone unused, sometimes only requiring a bulb.

That's true, nut not for the most basic primary functions like stop/signal/tail.

I noticed a brand new MINI do the same thing. The bisected Union Jack motif has been mocked for appearing "backwards" and pointing in the wrong direction when it lights up as a signal. So what does a late model MINI do? It lights up only the inner cross elements, like a lateral T.

It's much easier now to just change the coding in the light module that controls an array of LEDs, rather than adding the additional traces, socket, or bulb for something that won't be used for every market. Mostly software vs. hardware, depending on the design of the lighitng and need to satisfy the passive requirements.
 
Also, it is shocking what the NHTSA approves for vehicle lighting standards. I see some real garbage lighting on public roads... at night... in bad weather. Unsafe and sad.
Worst example I can remember from recent years was the PT Cruiser. One tiny red light on each side..... I think that was all. Who knows, maybe there was something else but it's been awhile since I've seen one. I think the designers were taking the whole "retro" styling cue much too literally by making authentic 1930s-style taillights. At least they put one on each side!
 
Amber is more noticeable, I remember reading a bunch of studies done on it when I worked in auto insurance. With that said I think red LEDs are the next best thing, especially if it is a separate light from the brake lights. Lots of cars out there (mainly older GMs and Fords) where both of the rear tail lights also double as brake/turn signals. Those are definitely not as noticeable.
 
I'm more bothered by the front turn signals which are buried in the headlight cluster with the regular and high beams. On a lot of cars, the turn signal quickly becomes invisible when the other lights are on. Whatever happened to the old-style turn signals mounted separately, like down in the bumper? Cars had that kind of turn signal for decades.
 
I'm more bothered by the front turn signals which are buried in the headlight cluster with the regular and high beams. On a lot of cars, the turn signal quickly becomes invisible when the other lights are on. Whatever happened to the old-style turn signals mounted separately, like down in the bumper? Cars had that kind of turn signal for decades.
Chrysler had an interesting solution to that problem - they turned off the headlight on the side that was signalling. Quite effective.
 
Let's go back to when turn signals were turn signals!
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NADA lamps while the rest of the world got another set of the ones on top in amber...

This thread does have me curious as to when and the FMVSS changed to allow what we have now.
 
About a year back a car passed me on Hwy #380 and he had red turn signal light a Trooper from the opposite side crossed the median and pulled the car. I presume it was for red turn signal. I don’t know what the law is in TX. But I always try to keep my car stock.
 
european manufacturers do not like amber rear turn signals, they are simply forced by regulations to keep it around in euro and other markets.

they are undesirable in the same way as the american 4-corner marker lamps
 
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