Is it me or do Hyundai and Kia cars seem to ALWAYS have both brake lights out?`

[kschachn]

What I seem to notice is a lot of cars with no taillights on at all at night. Not sure if they don't have their headlights on, but the only thing on the rear is a reflection.

Sometimes that’s due to operating with just the DRL.

 

[350Rocket]

Every time I'm out driving, I see a Hyundai or Kia vehicle with BOTH brake lights out (if they have incandescent bulbs). It's every single time I'm out on the road... doesn't matter which model, as long as it has incandescent bulbs -- multiple vehicles a day. My 2002 Tahoe has the same bulbs in the brake lights as it did from the factory. A 2018 or whatever Kia... dead. I've even had three Hyundai/Kia rental cars with both brake lights out when I traveled for work (pre-COVID). Is it something about the owners? Or is this something going on with Kia/Hyundai cars? Maybe crappy bulbs? Questionable electrical? It's pretty dangerous. I almost rear-ended one on my motorcycle.

Usually it's just one or the other out that I noticed. Lol. Definitely a significantly higher amount of burned out bulbs than other makes though. I did one so far on my fiance's Sonata.

 

[350Rocket]

Its usually a Chevy pickup truck I see with 2, or all 3 brake lights out.

My 2005 taillights delaminated before any bulbs went out. I've only had to do one DRL in the past 10 years.

 

[CKN]

Every time I'm out driving, I see a Hyundai or Kia vehicle with BOTH brake lights out (if they have incandescent bulbs). It's every single time I'm out on the road... doesn't matter which model, as long as it has incandescent bulbs -- multiple vehicles a day. My 2002 Tahoe has the same bulbs in the brake lights as it did from the factory. A 2018 or whatever Kia... dead. I've even had three Hyundai/Kia rental cars with both brake lights out when I traveled for work (pre-COVID). Is it something about the owners? Or is this something going on with Kia/Hyundai cars? Maybe crappy bulbs? Questionable electrical? It's pretty dangerous. I almost rear-ended one on my motorcycle.

Are you the same guy on TTAC always posting this same make believe thing?

 

[Snowflake White]

Sounds like the results of a poor quality or failing alternator/ or unstable charging system.

 

[RazorsEdge]

Here in Iowa,there's idiots driving around here with one headlight out daily. Not to mention the fact 9 out of 10 drivers love to tailgate also.

 

[Nick1994]

I haven't noticed it anymore than other car makes.

The ones I see that don't work most often is Teslas, and I imagine they aren't too cheap to replace.

 

[pezzy84]

Colleague has a newer model Forte ('17 or '18) and she has had a ticket for her brake lights. She replaced them first when I told her they were wonky about 1.5 years ago, her response then was 'not again'. ~2 months ago they were entirely burnt out again and she was pulled over and received a tail light fix it ticket, she immediately found closest auto parts store and plopped two new brake light bulbs in on her lunch break.
Yes she knows how to put new brake lights in her Forte and she is not a car person at all.

 

[odie]

Seems like headlights out are common for Priuses and Subarus' .

 

[PandaBear]

Every time I'm out driving, I see a Hyundai or Kia vehicle with BOTH brake lights out (if they have incandescent bulbs). It's every single time I'm out on the road... doesn't matter which model, as long as it has incandescent bulbs -- multiple vehicles a day. My 2002 Tahoe has the same bulbs in the brake lights as it did from the factory. A 2018 or whatever Kia... dead. I've even had three Hyundai/Kia rental cars with both brake lights out when I traveled for work (pre-COVID). Is it something about the owners? Or is this something going on with Kia/Hyundai cars? Maybe crappy bulbs? Questionable electrical? It's pretty dangerous. I almost rear-ended one on my motorcycle.

Not sure about Hyundai and Kia, my 95 Corolla had a lot of brake bulbs burnt back then because the wiring harness socket "melted" with the bulb's tip. Finally it was so bad I replace both harness and then it lasted 120k without burning one.

Prizm tends to be in a bit worse condition than Corolla of the same year despite being identical mechanically and electrically, so I suspect it is the lower price attracting a different kind of buyers. H&K may have the same problem early on.

 

[Blinker]

The 2011-2014 sonata is notorious for burned out tail lights. I think Hyundai has a TSB regarding it.

As for Kia, I’ve had several rental Kia’s with burned out bulbs resulting in a warning message in the Instrument panel screen. My guess is the bulbs are just very cheap.

 

[Blinker]

Hyundai/Kia also made it ridiculously hard to change out the CHMSL on several of their sedans. The correct procedure on those cars is to remove the rear seat and the package tray. What a silly pain. Most people just leave that one burned out.

 

[walterjay]

Have owned several Hyundai and Kia. Only had one burn out a headlight early on. Replaced free under warranty. Fourteen years later all lights working on it.