How Many Reversing Lights Do You Have?

[Keeper]

My colleague told me, just after I had picked up my car, that I only had one reversing light working. I assumed, because I had just picked the car up, that this was standard. I just watched a YouTube video that shows an exact same model as mine with two reversing lights. Thought I'd better check before I book an SC appointment.

 

[arg]

Was the YouTube video from the USA?

On Model S at least there are two lamp positions; we get one reversing plus one rear fog, while over there they get two reversing and no rear fog.

Not sure about Model 3.

 

[elecTED]

Not sure about Model 3.

Same for model 3 (ie, UK = 1 reverse light, 1 rear fog)

Really would prefer symmetry and more light when reversing. One reverse light means the rear area remains poorly lit when reversing.

 

[MrBadger]

Not (bright) enough. Not looking forward to the day when having to reverse in the dark and no usable rear camera.

Do the rear view mirrors tint at night regardless or only when there is vehicle glare from behind? I had to reverse onto a narrow unlit road on Saturday night and apart from rear view camera I felt totally blind. Had to use hazards in case anyone came along so they could see me as I sure felt I wasn’t going to see them or reversing area. Didn’t help that suddenly out of nowhere a couple and pram suddenly appeared and just stood there oblivious that I was actually trying to manoeuvre.

 

[Keeper]

Was the YouTube video from the USA?
.

It was. That explains it. p/poor illumination, as mentioned. Its hard to reconcile the design thinking for a car design that majors on safety so much but seems to have neglected the simple things like the reversing illumination, automatic wipers and steering wheel control functions.

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

It was. That explains it. p/poor illumination, as mentioned. Its hard to reconcile the design thinking for a car design that majors on safety so much but seems to have neglected the simple things like reversing illumination, automatic wipers and steering wheel control functions.

No front headlight wash either which meant on the pre facelift MS the lightbulbs had to be down rated for Europe, so going forwards at night isn't fun in one of those .

 

[WannabeOwner]

Really would prefer symmetry and more light when reversing

Its hard to reconcile the design thinking for a car design that majors on safety so much but seems to have neglected the simple things like the reversing illumination

I'd like two rear fog lights ... I think one-of-each is a major compromise (is it the Mini that has one fog, central, down in the bottom of the bumper? on a foggy night cars behind may well completely misjudge what type of vehicle it would be ... and its "width" of course)

Perhaps engage Rear Fog (and even hazards?) if more light needed to see when reversing?

 

[arg]

I'd like two rear fog lights ... I think one-of-each is a major compromise (is it the Mini that has one fog, central, down in the bottom of the bumper?

However, one only seems to be extremely common across all categories of cars now (in my recollection much more so than when rear fogs were new back in the 80's and normally came in pairs).

I don't understand why this is, since AFAIK the regulations have always required only one (but permit two).

on a foggy night cars behind may well completely misjudge what type of vehicle it would be ... and its "width" of course)

I'm not sure this is really a concern - if you are far enough away that you can see the rear fog but can't make out the normal rear lamps, you don't really care what it is, you know there's something there and need to slow down for it. If you get to the point of manoeuvering around the car in front and still can't see the rear lamps, you've got bigger problems!

Lack of brightness of the reversing lamp is a real issue though - not so much that there's just one, more that there's only one and it's small and not exceptionally bright. The rear camera does manage a surprisingly good job of extracting an image from the gloom, but I'd certainly prefer brighter.

 

[Cogarch]

Given the restrictions on light slots it would have been nice if they had made the reverse and rear fog as dual purpose. with both white and red LEDs behind a clear lens.

Even better, a little forward thinking over export market regulations at design stage..!

 

[xdcthedoc]

I had to ask my SC about this as well - bit embarrassing thinking there was a defect when it was normal operation.

Maybe something they should flag up to new owners?

 

[LukeT]

Reversing quite often in the pitch black (narrow Devon lanes necessitate long accurate reverses quite often) the reversing light isn't good enough to rely on the camera in my view. I have often gone back to the mirrors. It's a shame because if we had a decent light the camera would be really very good for this job.

It may be just me but where I find it easy to use all three mirrors together in reversing like this, if I use the cameras my eyes need a bit of a refocus between that and mirrors so camera and mirrors together don't work quite so well.

In many situations though, the brake lights are also on for much of the reverse, and they do provide more light.

 

[MrBadger]

Do your mirrors auto dip in this situation?

 

[LukeT]

Do your mirrors auto dip in this situation?

Mine? I have my wing mirrors set to tilt down a bit in reverse, which is OK for field of vision but I don't think it helps with the darkness.

 

[MrBadger]

Sorry, I meant dip as in tint. I was to busy reversing to pay any attention to whether the mirrors had auto tinted or not, further adding to lack of rear view. I know they were tinted on drive home with cars behind, but would like to think that they were not tinted whilst reversing in the dark. Just not sure but you never know with some of the auto functionality working how it does.

 

[vitesse]

Slight diversion but I was quite surprised how small and dim M3 indicators are at the back when I was following one recently.

 

[elecTED]

Are these two boys just reflective stickers?

Could they have been used/designed as fog lights?

 

[MrBadger]

Slight diversion but I was quite surprised how small and dim M3 indicators are at the back when I was following one recently.

And brake lights. If it wasn't for the 'high level' brake light, they would be just as small.

 

[Lx2m3]

Does anyone know of any possibility to change the reversing light in the M3 to something brighter?

 

[vitesse]

Does anyone know of any possibility to change the reversing light in the M3 to something brighter?

I don't think there is a simple solution to this.

 

[12Pack]

Use the rear fog light?