Kia turn signals…

[Oey12]

This past Friday and Saturday I drove a lot of highway miles in my 2020 Tundra. For reference the truck is slightly higher than stock.

I had the opportunity to drive behind several (4-5) late model Kia CUV/SUV’s. I don’t like to drive to close other vehicles so I had plenty of room between these Kia’s and me.

What I noticed instantly was how low the turn signal indicators were on the bumper. None of the higher mounted brake lights acted as turn signal either.

I like to look ahead while driving but that method made it very difficult to see when the “Kia’s” were switching lanes. It a piss poor design IMHO.

I also pointed it out to my wife and she agreed. One particular CUV (about the size of a RAV4 but with much less ground clearance) felt like I was looking down at the ground to view the turn signals. The brakes on all these vehicles were very visible.

I want to see what it’s like in my RAV4 now when I commute back to work to see if it had to do with the height of my truck. But I have never remember having an issue seeing any turn signals with the numerous stock and lifted trucks I have owned.

 

[Marcozi]

I concur with your sentiments. Turn and brake signals should be within specific height ranges.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Wouldn't know. No one here uses there turn signal.

Lucky if 1 of 3 of their brake lights still works.

 

[Klutch9]

I hear ya. Our Carnival also has the turn signals in the bumper. The only positive is at least they are amber, so they stand out from the brake lights. Some cars, like the Chevy Bolt or Buick Envision, have a red combo brake light/turn signal in the bumper. What’s worse, up higher they both have lights that look like they should function as brake and/or turn signals, but they don’t. They are running lights only.

 

[RooflessVW]

IMO signals are something you see with your peripheral vision, not something you focus on.

They may not be conventionally positioned but I don't think they're as bad as some of the older "conventional" turn signals that flash a brake light.

 

[Oey12]

IMO signals are something you see with your peripheral vision, not something you focus on.

They may not be conventionally positioned but I don't think they're as bad as some of the older "conventional" turn signals that flash a brake light.

I agree with you on using your peripheral vision, and not focusing. Unfortunately the turn indicators were so low that I could barely see it with my peripheral vision. I had to keep glancing down to get a proper view.

 

[Analog-1]

Turn signals to change lanes ? Don't see that here in Michigan.

 

[Capt W]

Lucky if 1 of 3 of their brake lights still works.

Has anybody actually pinpointed the reason so many Hyundai/Kia cars' brake lights resemble British smiles? You'd think this would be an easy issue to remedy, yet it's plagued these cars for years.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Has anybody actually pinpointed the reason so many Hyundai/Kia cars' brake lights resemble British smiles? You'd think this would be an easy issue to remedy, yet it's plagued these cars for years.

Gm seems worse here. My unscientific survey.

 

[Capt W]

Seen the same thing on some GMs, too, but almost always seems to be a Hyun/Kia when I get to the stoplight. I just don't get why this is an issue. The back of my '86 Daytona daily driver has four 2057s, two 194s, and a 921 CHMSL...and they all last seemingly forever. My 2008 Charger has all its original bulbs from Day 1.

We have to be taking about very inferior parts or something erroneous in the brake light circuitry. This shouldn't happen on a newer car.

 

[fantastic]

I've been calling out those "dog bone" headlight & taillights to the wife. Maybe I'm thinking of the other SK brand?

 

[Carmudgeon]

What's old is new again, and split functions a current styling trend, front and back, and that has resulted in some less than optimal placements.

Signals at least flash and can gain attention that way. I find poorly implemented reverse indicators more of a problem. Makes it harder to discern which car is threatening to suddenly going to dart out of a parking space in a crowded lot. The massive blind spots in vehicles nowadays don't help.