Are modern cars more likely to have the rear lights go out together?

December 20, 2021 3:54 PM

I've been noticing a lot more cars with the rear power circuit completely out (e.g. the headlights and other lighting in the front of the car are on but everything in the back is out) than I remember seeing in the past (compared to 10 or 20 years ago). Is it just my imagination that it's more common or is there a reason why I'm seeing this more often? Obviously the shift to LEDs has made individual lights failing less common.
posted by Candleman to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)

If I had to make a guess, what you're seeing is owners that have their daytime running lights on without realizing that it doesn't also turn on their rear lights as well. It's unlikely that it's a problem with the car itself.
posted by Aleyn at 4:05 PM on December 20, 2021 [19 favorites]

Do the brakelights still activate? I suspect you're seeing cars driving around at night with just their DRLs on.
posted by kickingtheground at 4:05 PM on December 20, 2021 [1 favorite]

Many cars have daytime running lights or automatic headlights that turn on the front headlights, but do not turn on the rear lights. A number of drivers don't realize their rear lights aren't on and don't do anything about it because they are able to see with their headlights.

I think this is unfortunate from a safety perspective, and I have no idea why car manufacturers do it. Here's an article about it.
posted by saeculorum at 4:05 PM on December 20, 2021 [4 favorites]

Another vote for people having their DRLs on and not realizing it. I used to do most of my commute to work before the sun came up, and I'd see a dozen or so cars a week with no rear lights, but working front lights.

In the old analog days if your lights weren't on, your dashboard was dark. But now everyone's dashboard is lit up regardless, so that very distinct visual cue has gone away.

Also, on the stalk in my car, the setting for DRL looks like a pair of headlights that are on. Then comes an AUTO setting which runs the DRLs and turns on the headlights / taillights when it gets dark (or the wipers are on), and then comes the headlight setting. If you didn't look too closely, it would be easy to think you had your headlights and taillights on.
posted by ralan at 4:26 PM on December 20, 2021 [2 favorites]

Agree with others, that those drivers simply did not turn on their lights at night.
posted by kschang at 9:24 PM on December 20, 2021

One thing that has happened to me is that after years of driving cars with automatic headlights, checking my lights has fallen off my mental checklist of things to do when I get in a car. This has bitten me more than once in a rental car that did not have automatic lights, especially when driving in an area with good street lighting.
posted by rockindata at 3:36 AM on December 21, 2021 [4 favorites]

I agree with everyone else, but I swear that GM taillights fail regularly within the first few years. I've seen so many expensive vehicles from them with only one taillight working.

Also the DRL turning off when the blinker turns on trend needs to end. That looks terrible, like one of the headlights burned out.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:34 AM on December 21, 2021 [1 favorite]

I came up beside a car at night and told them that they only had their daylights on but the driver said "my lights are on see" and as they had their foot on the brake all rear lights were on at the time. I couldn't convince the driver otherwise and figure they have never had their nightlights on and probably never will for as long as they have that car. The roads are bright enough in the city that it feels more like an annoyance than an actual safety issue but knowing how to turn your lights on seems like such a basic thing to know.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:19 AM on December 21, 2021

Agreed with everyone above. The daytime running lights being the only lights has become so common that some countries have passed laws mandating that automobile manufacturers must either have front and back lights come on at the same time or everything come on automatically when it's dark.
posted by urbanlenny at 2:41 PM on December 21, 2021