Flashing brake lights: Motoring Motoring Discussion forum

Motoring Discussion > Flashing brake lights	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: BobbyG	Replies: 29

Fri 19 Nov 10 22:24

Flashing brake lights - BobbyG

Was some distance back from a Corsa tonight as it approached a roundabout and as it slowed I noticed that its rear brake lights pulsed rather than stay lit.
Strange way to brake I thought, until as I approached the roundabout, a mixture of broken road surface and drain covers made my ABS cut in.

It was then that I realised that the Corsa must also had its ABS cut in and have a feature that makes its brake lights pulse whilst under ABS braking. Subsequent googling has confirmed this.

Quote clever, now I need to find a way of checking if my car does that! Reverse at speed up to the garage door anyone??? :)

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Fri 19 Nov 10 22:32

Flashing brake lights - Old Navy

Thats brave (?) driving, relying on ABS to slow at a roundabout.

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Fri 19 Nov 10 22:49

Flashing brake lights - BobbyG

Eh?

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Sat 20 Nov 10 19:42

Flashing brake lights - Cliff Pope

>> Eh?
>>

I think Old Navy might have been querying the fact that you habitually brake at roundabouts at a speed that would lock the wheels but for the ABS ?

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1

Sat 20 Nov 10 20:00

Flashing brake lights - Old Navy

Spot on Cliff.

Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 20 Nov 10 at 20:01

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Sat 20 Nov 10 20:55

Flashing brake lights - BobbyG

habitually? Thats right, all my threads mention that don't they!

What bit of "a mixture of broken road surface and drain covers made my ABS cut in" was confusing?

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Sat 20 Nov 10 21:13

Flashing brake lights - Old Navy

The bit where you were driving too fast for the condion of the road.

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Sat 20 Nov 10 21:15

Flashing brake lights - BobbyG

Maybe if I had my front fog lights on then I would have seen the broken road.

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Sat 20 Nov 10 21:21

Flashing brake lights - Old Navy

I doubt it, the traffic in front is the hint. There is a gentle bend near where I live, when the cars in front brake as they go around it, it is a safe bet that the speed camera van is just past it.

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Fri 19 Nov 10 22:59

Flashing brake lights - Skoda

It should be enabled on yours Bobby, your BCM definitely supports it. Can be enabled & disabled by VAS or VCDS.

2009 or later it defaults to hazards rather than brake lights, but the options there to go back to brake lights.

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Fri 19 Nov 10 23:05

Flashing brake lights - BobbyG

Skoda, my Scenic I remember had the hazard lights. Once I had to do a full-on emergency stop when a toddler ran out in front of me and I remmember the hazards kicked in automatically.

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Fri 19 Nov 10 23:25

Flashing brake lights - Skoda

Automatic underwear dispenser probably more use for that case :-)

It annoys me that it only comes on when ABS comes on, doesn't matter how hard you brake unless you trigger ABS they don't come on in VAGs :-(

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Sat 20 Nov 10 08:52

Flashing brake lights - BobbyG

Oh well I will need to wait for the snow and ice this year to try it out although the more I think about it, last year I did quite a bit of playing at being a teenager in deserted car parks and don't remember the hazards coming on.

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Sat 20 Nov 10 12:14

Flashing brake lights - Skoda

>> and don't remember the hazards coming on.

Interesting, wonder if it's linked to road speed or something like that.

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Sat 20 Nov 10 10:49

Flashing brake lights - L'escargot

>> It was then that I realised that the Corsa must also had its ABS cut
>> in and have a feature that makes its brake lights pulse whilst under ABS braking.
>> Subsequent googling has confirmed this.

I assume that the flash rate of the brake lights was lower than the ABS frequency.

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Sat 20 Nov 10 16:19

Flashing brake lights - hawkeye

>> Quote clever, now I need to find a way of checking if my car does
>> that! Reverse at speed up to the garage door anyone??? :)
>>

Pull the rear screen wiper to the service position; the brake lights may reflect on it. Or a bit of duct tape if the brake light is set into the window.

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Sat 20 Nov 10 22:01

Flashing brake lights - rtj70

I was behind an Insignia yesterday evening and its lights were pulsating quickly. I didn't recall discussion on here before but I think someone might have mentioned this relating to Astras.

I am now wondering if this is LED related which turn on/off quicker. As break pressure is varied maybe the lights are going on and off. With traditional brake lights then the bulb might totally dim? Just a thought?

Could it be Vauxhall/GM have not implemented LED taillights that well? Or maybe it's a good thing seeing brake lights go on and off quickly.

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Sun 21 Nov 10 15:50

Flashing brake lights - MD

Please confirm, But I believe that the automatic hazards thing is illegal in this country. FC or others may know via construction and use reg's etc.??

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Sun 21 Nov 10 16:04

Flashing brake lights - Injection Doc

would be interesting to know as lots of vehicles are fitted with automatic hazards now, even my wifes fiesta, if you brake hard above 50 they flash about 5 times, excellent idea for motorways.
I am still confused about the fog lights coming on for turning left and right on some vehicles !
Got stopped by Mr plod for turning out of a car park with the fog lights on untill I pointed out its only one and its connected to the steeing! confused or what. Didn't go down to well.

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Sun 21 Nov 10 17:13

Flashing brake lights - Skoda

>> I am still confused about the fog lights coming on for turning left and right on some vehicles !

Haha I turned it on to try it, ended up never turning it off. It's not useful very often, but when it is, it's great. Dark car parks and unlit streets.

When you engage reverse, both come on, the light spills down the side of the front wheels a bit.

Not a killer feature by any stretch of the imagination but sometimes very handy for near car illumination, below and around where dipped beams hit.

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Sun 21 Nov 10 20:57

Flashing brake lights - VxFan

>> I am still confused about the fog lights coming on for turning left and right
>> on some vehicles !

However ever did people manage to go around corners before cornering lights were invented?

I thought people who drove round with their front fogs on all the time were prats, now when I see a car with just one on I initially think they're even bigger prats for not noticing they've got a bulb out and therefore can't be a true chav because both aren't lit up.

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Mon 22 Nov 10 21:28

Flashing brake lights - MD

We are not allowed to think for ourselves now comrade.

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Mon 22 Nov 10 21:56

Flashing brake lights - Harleyman

>> We are not allowed to think for ourselves now comrade.
>>

Many a true word Martin...... :-(

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Tue 23 Nov 10 11:21

Flashing brake lights - Fursty Ferret

ABS places a significant load on the car's electrical system. What's more likely is that the lights were dimming as the voltage fell with the brake modulations. Even on my old Passat, the headlights flickered noticeably if the ABS cut in.

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Tue 23 Nov 10 12:03

Flashing brake lights - VxFan

>> What's more likely is that the lights were dimming as the voltage fell with the brake modulations.

No. They're meant to pulsate. Some manufacturers use the brake lights, others use the hazzards. It's meant to warn people behind you that you're braking hard - how people behind you interpret the pulsating lights is another matter.

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Tue 23 Nov 10 12:09

Flashing brake lights - Redviper

as VxFan states,

The Rear Brake lights on my Vectra will pulse/flash when the ABS kicks in and I know this becasue using the reflection of a trolly park in a empty snow covered car park I tested this, when I came accross it in the owners manual.

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Wed 24 Nov 10 17:33

Flashing brake lights - Fursty Ferret

Yeah, but next time look at the beam from the headlights and it's probably doing the same.

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Wed 24 Nov 10 18:46

Flashing brake lights - VxFan

>> Yeah, but next time look at the beam from the headlights and it's probably doing the same.

Nope. Only time the headlights dim is when I turn the steering as the electric PAS pump draws a large amount of current. I solved that though by replacing the H7 halogens with a HID kit.

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Wed 24 Nov 10 07:53

Flashing brake lights - L'escargot

>> Some manufacturers use the brake lights, others use the hazzards.

Rule 116 of the Highway Code says you must not use hazard lights when driving unless you're on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway. www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070302

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Wed 24 Nov 10 10:15

Flashing brake lights - VxFan

Tell that to Ford ;o)

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