"Senseless Ambiguity of NA Turn Signals"

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: Tim_S
I spent 11 years in Germany during my Army career, drove throughout Germany and Europe, and have to say that amber rear direction signals just make sense IMO. Much more noticeable particularly in lower visibility conditions. In Germany at least, amber rear direction signals are required by law. A US automaker exporting to Germany must fit them to the vehicle before it can be sold. I am not aware of that requirement changing. I also don't know why many European car makers, exporting to the US are now fitting them with red direction signals. I don't believe there is any US or state law dictating what color rear direction signals must be other than a car must have rear direction signals.

There is a law stating which colors the rear turn signals can be. Like I said in my last post, it is outlined in the FMVSS section 108. It states rear turn signals must be either red or amber. No other color is permitted.

 

[Smokescreen]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
Amber in both the Corolla and the Sierra...red in the LeSabre...which is the only car out of the 3 to have a dash board warning that comes up after the signal light has been engaged too long without being cancelled. Think old person at the wheel..forgets to shut off blinker for miles and miles and miles and then it sounds about right.


How does that work? I mean, if you can't see the flashing yellow light on the dash, are you going to see the solid yellow one instead?


Its much more elaborate than that...in the message center it flashes: "Turn Signal" and even dings at you. I don't know how anyone could possibly ignore it...but then I have seen seniors ignore almost anything.

I have to admit, having the rear turn indicator be amber is way simpler to determine and more visible at greater distances, especially in inclement weather.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: supton
... Also, what with all the LCD's and control units in cars today, there really isn't much of a reason why they can't monitor "critical" bulb performance. And when one goes, flash a warning on the LCD. Heck you don't need a dedicated warning bulb in the instrument panel anymore.
My '81 Mazda was so sophisticated that it had a "dedicated warning bulb" in the instrument panel to indicate failure of a brake light bulb. It actually worked when one finally did burn out after about 30 years. The turn signal lenses were of course amber. Now I'm back to red rear turn lights, like in the '54 Chevy (also below).

 

[supton]

I *thought* I had read the manual to my Camry, but when a new light popped up the other day I was taken aback--had never seen whatever that light was before. Got to work, cracked open the manual, and sure enough, the car has some sort of monitor for brake bulbs. Wonders never cease. Now I wonder if my other vehicles have that or not.

 

[bunnspecial]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
What I can't stand are turn signal bulbs that are a pain in the rear, pun intended, to change. My 04 S60R had a little trap door on either side and the bulbs were all there and easy to get to. On a Lincoln LS or 05-09 Mustang you have to take half the trunk apart to get to the bulbs. Customers will come in and want us to change them in parts and on those cars I send them to service since I can't be down doing something like that for 15-20 minutes.


The first time I lost a bulb on my LS, I went back to the trunk to hunt for the socket and of course couldn't find it. So, of course, I went to the manual only to find the helpful "Consult dealer for service" under instructions for changing the tail lights.

Fortunately, the internet came to the rescue and I was able to do it. After owning the car for 10 years, though, and I think eventually changing both rear turn signals and one brake light I believe the car had swallowed two or three sockets over the years. As I recall, you needed a decent length extension to get at one of the nuts(maybe the lower one) and it was easy to "snag" the socket on the access hole and have it tumble into depths of the trunk.

I can also remember changing a bulb one evening and having a neighbor say "what on earth are you doing?" when they saw the entire tail light hanging off the back of the car

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
My Tiguan, has a spot for with an amber lens

It's not even used at all for the US/Canadian Tiguans. It's the running light/brake light that is used as the turn signal.


You can change that with a VAG-COM

WRONG. If it was that easy, I would have done it already.

The amber turn signal is not even wired to the BCM.

 

[UG_Passat]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: Tim_S
I spent 11 years in Germany during my Army career, drove throughout Germany and Europe, and have to say that amber rear direction signals just make sense IMO. Much more noticeable particularly in lower visibility conditions. In Germany at least, amber rear direction signals are required by law. A US automaker exporting to Germany must fit them to the vehicle before it can be sold. I am not aware of that requirement changing. I also don't know why many European car makers, exporting to the US are now fitting them with red direction signals. I don't believe there is any US or state law dictating what color rear direction signals must be other than a car must have rear direction signals.

There is a law stating which colors the rear turn signals can be. Like I said in my last post, it is outlined in the FMVSS section 108. It states rear turn signals must be either red or amber. No other color is permitted.


The other key point is for amber turn signals, there is a minimum size requirement.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted By: hatt
I made it through 5 minutes. Sounds like he's making up a bunch of issues. Instead of worrying about brake light schemes stop driving aggressively and following too closely. It's always worked for me.


I agree, and the really hilarious part is that when I got tired of the video and paused it, I noticed it was at exactly the 5:00 mark lol.

 

[SHOZ]

My last 3 cars have had amber rear turn signals. On my Ford Taurus there was an easy mod that turned the amber turn signals into brake lights so it really stood out for brakes. If the turn signal was used you would still have the signal work like normal on that side but the other side would be a brake light.

I don't like white front turn signals close to the headlight.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted By: red7404
dont see any reason to say one color for turn is better than an other. if its flashing ITS A TURN SIGNAL!!!!


Or someone is pumping the brakes! Which is it?