this post was submitted on 01 Dec 2023
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You Should Know

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Why YSK: Your signals alert other drivers as to what you're doing; a signal bulb costs a few bucks and is usually a quick and easy repair to do yourself (consult YouTube); and any place that regulates motor vehicles probably requires you to have working turn signals. So knowing when and how to replace a burned out signal bulb can save you an interaction with law enforcement.

Adding: You can diagnose which bulb is out by turning on your hazard lights and checking all four corners of your car. It'll be the one not flashing.

This is also probably a good time to check your brake lights. Put something heavy on the pedal or have a friend hold it down and check that all three brake lights illuminate. Replacing a burned out brake light is also usually pretty cheap, quick, and easy.

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[–] wilberfan 115 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Many seem to have the attitude that if you never use them, the bulbs will never burn out. Problem solved.

[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How is your BMW these days?

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Here it's the pickup trucks

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Here's the EVERY FUCKING ONE. Seriously what's wrong with you people? It's bad enough that cars in the US aren't forced to use amber turn signals, but I guess it doesn't matter here because no one ever touches the damn blinkers!

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What do they have if not amber turn signals?

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Oh boy, do I have a surprise for you. Their cars blink the brake lights. You read that right. Bonus video

[–] elbarto777 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Interesting. I never thought the turn signals are amber by mandate in other places.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I can't speak for everywhere, but in Brazil the emitted light must be amber by law. Some after market parts and some auto makers get creative and manage to put a red mask on it that somehow still lets amber light through. But it's rare.

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[–] Emerald 7 points 1 year ago

Let's go technology connections

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Imagine BMW and Tesla collaborate on a pickup truck, comes with a free box of bud light.

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[–] CADmonkey 50 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I sometimes back into parking spaces that are in front of a glass storefront so I can see that my brake lights are working.

[–] Goodbyeworld 22 points 1 year ago (3 children)

This is really smart. Considering tail light will get you pulled over, this can save you some pain. I never figured out a good way to check on my own. Thanks!

[–] nicolairathjen 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Another tip is asking literally any human.

Edit: the instrument board should also issue a warning.

[–] lando55 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What if Stevie Wonder is the only person around

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Have him step on the pedal

[–] elbarto777 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But can I trust him not to steal my car?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)
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[–] Hoomod 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Put on your emergency lights and walk around the vehicle?

Oh for brake lights, yeah, some weight probably works best, or backing near something and seeing if it lights up, don't even need a window

[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

This 'hyperflash'ing will also happen if you have replaced an incandescent bulb with an LED bulb due to the different power requirements.
LEDs draw so much less power that they don't draw enough current through the flasher relay. The relay will then think that the bulb is burned out.
To fix hyperflash due to having installed LED bulbs you can wire a resistor inline or replace the flasher unit with a unit designed for LED bulbs.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Yeah. And that's why fitting arbitrary bulbs in your car isn't allowed in some countries. You have to use something that is certified for use in your specific car. It's the same thing with the normal headlights. You'll annoy and blind oncoming traffic if you manage to get the wrong bulbs in. At least in some cases.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Yes, there is mandatory inspection every 2 years here. Your car will absolutely fail if you use some uncertified shit.

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You should also know that (most?) Auto Parts stores will either loan you a screwdriver to change the bulb, or actually do it for you. For free.

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[–] OhmsLawn 24 points 1 year ago

Additionally, if your dash goes dark, your tail lights/brake lights are likely dead.

[–] RampantParanoia2365 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So you mean if you see the dashboard indicator going fast, the bulb outside is burnt?

[–] Cort 6 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Or dying

You can’t see the bulb from inside so that’s how they warn you

[–] just_change_it 13 points 1 year ago (4 children)

This is like "I'm 16 and just got my car" level of YSK.

Fun Fact: in the dominican republic it's very common for cars to never get any replacement bulbs whatsoever throughout the life of the vehicle. The amount of cars you find on the roads with no working lights is terrifying, just like how their drivers behave in traffic.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is like "I'm 16 and just got my car" level of YSK.

For you and me it is, but a lot of people don't really know much about their vehicles, or haven't had the opportunity to learn everything about them.

It's never too late to learn something new.

[–] just_change_it 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Next you're going to tell me I haven't had my blinker fluid changed each year.

[–] Kase 4 points 1 year ago

Relevant username

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't believe so. The clicking is from the bimetal strip that flexes due to electrical resistance heating up the strip and repeatedly breaks then connects again as the metal cools and makes contact. A blown fuse would not send electricity to the blinkers to cause the rapid blinking. The reason it blinks faster with a blown bulb is there's more voltage to the strip so it heats up faster and breaks the connection sooner but doesn't allow it to heat up enough to cause a longer off delay.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Not as much any more. Most vehicles now just play the sound over the driver's door speaker. The blinking is a PWM. Lack of current draw results in the PWM firing faster.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

signal bulb costs a few bucks and is usually a quick and easy repair to do yourself

Heh. $200 sealed units are fun.

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