lfeg Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Just spent a week with quite a bit of driving in the northeast and one observation is that there seem to be a higher than usual number of late model Taurus and Transit that have no tail or running lights illuminated after dark. Headlights are at a normal brightness (one Taurus with high beams on near Utica), but when you came up behind them - no lights, not even license plate lights. Anyone else notice this? And could it be a driver issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Maybe they are DRL equipped. Driver assumes his running lights are on. See it too often in Canada from all makes that have auto illuminating dash lights. Fakes you out at night that your lights are on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerM Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I leave my lights in Auto mode. ('13 F150) It works very well; only turning it off if I'm idling. I'm assuming those vehicles have a similar feature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 I leave my lights in Auto mode. ('13 F150) It works very well; only turning it off if I'm idling. I'm assuming those vehicles have a similar feature? Probably but only if you leave it in the auto position. These could be fleet vehicles which can be ordered with factory DRLs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 There's been a recall on the Taurus for the rear license plate bulbs mounts cracking and corroding. That might explain that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StangBang Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 There are too many idiots in general that fail to turn on the headlights. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonj80 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Probably rental, or new Fords that have DRL's (in most '15MY+ you can enable DRL's yourself in the message center)On top of that People don't leave the switch in Auto mode, most rental cars places turn the headlight switch to off from auto. Ford also doesn't use either the Words AUTO or the Headlamp with an A in it picture on the headlight switch in the US. They use a bulb with A in it picture so people might not know what that means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfeg Posted October 6, 2015 Author Share Posted October 6, 2015 Good explanations, as the only other vehicle I saw with no tail/running lights was an old rusty Buick, and they have known issues with bad grounds. It suprises me that DRLs have such brightness, as they are usually 1/2 to 2/3 brightness of low beams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Good explanations, as the only other vehicle I saw with no tail/running lights was an old rusty Buick, and they have known issues with bad grounds. It suprises me that DRLs have such brightness, as they are usually 1/2 to 2/3 brightness of low beams. They are reduced output high beams. Brightness is perceived due to the higher bulb angle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe771476 Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 What I notice is a lot of brake lights inoperative on late model cars and I put the blame on Chinese-made junk bulbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Well we know the GMT trucks always have one burnt out DRL, but I too have noticed just recently purchased vehicles have a light or 2 out. Saw an Accord and 300 yesterday, one Charger last week had 2 out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I thought I was seeing a lot of burnt out LED strips on Audis, etc but they actually turn off the DRL on one side when the blinker is active. I don't know if that's due to DOT regs or something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I thought I was seeing a lot of burnt out LED strips on Audis, etc but they actually turn off the DRL on one side when the blinker is active. I don't know if that's due to DOT regs or something else. With the LEDs being so bright, it's hard to see the blinker if the LEDs are on, so they turn them off. I'm glad they do that, because I have seen a couple where you couldn't even tell the blinker is on. Don't remember what kind of vehicle it was though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 With the LEDs being so bright, it's hard to see the blinker if the LEDs are on, so they turn them off. I'm glad they do that, because I have seen a couple where you couldn't even tell the blinker is on. Don't remember what kind of vehicle it was though. I've seen this on several makes and models, though it seems to be worse on the CUVs. Several times I've had un-Christian thoughts about drivers not being able to use their turn signals only to discover that they were, in fact, using them when they got into the turn and the headlights/running lights were no longer in a position to overpower the signal lights. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Yeah it must be voluntary because you can have brights on and your blinker on and that's not illegal. but it looks really funny. The new chryslers do the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I've seen this on several makes and models, though it seems to be worse on the CUVs. Several times I've had un-Christian thoughts about drivers not being able to use their turn signals only to discover that they were, in fact, using them when they got into the turn and the headlights/running lights were no longer in a position to overpower the signal lights. Ha ha, I've had similar thoughts at those times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonj80 Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Its a DOT regulation to interrupt if the DRL if the Turn-signal is on if visibility requirements are not meet. '15 Fusion does this, the Mustang even does it with the accent light even though they don't meet DRL requirements. The Escape doesn't need to because of where the Turn signal is in relation to the DRL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 What is the requirement? The only reg I know is that you can't have more than 4 lights on at the same time (lows w/fogs or brights only where the brights are both high and low bulbs on at the same time). That's why your fog lights go off when you activate the high beams on most Fords - if they were left on it would be 6 on at the same time. But since you can have brights and the turn signal on at the same time I assume that's not the reason here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Pretty sure our new focus does that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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