by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 03/01/2017 at 22:12
by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 03/01/2017 at 22:12
Tags: Ford F150
STARS: 2
As ridiculous as it sounds the current F150 is nearly invisible from directly behind. The LED running lights only make up maybe 5% of the rear end area, are far apart, and appear so dim from directly behind that the trucks are nearly impossible to see in fog or poor lighting. Has anyone else noticed this? All the light is on the side of the vehicle but once you’re square with the rear end it’s easy to find yourself running up into the backside of an aluminum and steel housing development.
I’m really surprised this hasn’t been addressed. I wish I could grab a better picture but they all showoff the side portion of the LEDs which is more than effective lighting. However, if anyone has an F150 or is close to one then get a picture of the vehicle from directly behind without the brake lights going.
"CB" (jrcb)
03/01/2017 at 22:18, STARS: 7
Or keep an eye on the road in front of you so you don’t rear-end people.
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
03/01/2017 at 22:22, STARS: 3
China-spec reflective tape stripes for everyone!
"Carbon Fiber Sasquatch" (turbopumpkin)
03/01/2017 at 22:22, STARS: 3
Guess that tailgate better have that “FORD” plate light up. How long would it take for Ram and Chevy to follow that trend? I say less than a year lol
"Ssfancyfresh" (scotttt)
03/01/2017 at 22:26, STARS: 0
Yeah. I totally agree. The lower trim trucks have incandescent lamps that are much more visible. The problem is that most of the housing for the uplevel LED lamps is taken up by some sonar sensor. It’s just a solid red blank. Pretty terrible. Not sure how they got away with that one
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
03/01/2017 at 22:26, STARS: 1
I’m being serious right now, I don’t joke around with something I believe is a legitimate safety issue. The current F150 has inadequent rear lighting when viewed head on from the rear, especially in foggy conditions and the low lighting of dawn and dusk. The vehicle has too large an area without reflective or well-illuminated material to reflect its size. It would be like a semi only having an 8 inch strip of rear lighting at the corners of the trailer.
"Levitas" (levitas)
03/01/2017 at 22:43, STARS: 3
This is something you’ll have to take up with NHTSA. I’m sure there’s an FMVSS requirement (108?) about this, and the F150 must adhere to it just like every other vehicle on the road. Ford did the testing and decided it met the federal standard as well as their own standard.
But related to this, some FMVSS requirements need serious rework. Some of the US regs vs. European regs just make you want to punch things.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
03/01/2017 at 22:44, STARS: 0
But the additional safety of the sonar sensor cancels out the bad taillights! /s
"wafflesnfalafel" (wafflesnfalafel1)
03/01/2017 at 22:55, STARS: 0
yep - you can get pretty creative with 3m tape
"Svend" (svend)
03/01/2017 at 23:02, STARS: 1
DRLs for the rear aren’t mandated in many if only a few countries. What is required in most countries is rear reflectors, like those fitted to the rear of the Chinese export F-150 (just above and inward of the exhaust pipes).
So in low light conditions as you point out your lights can reflect off the other vehicle.
However if it was a low light condition then the headlights and tail lights should be on and not just DRLs.
For foggy conditions a rear fog light should be lit, again this in required in most markets. Also, again with the reflectors fitted to the other vehicle your lights would reflect off them.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
03/01/2017 at 23:09, STARS: 1
My dad was a glazer and he cut out Chevrolet in mirrored glass for the tailgate of his C/10. doesn’t light up, but in the same realm.
Dibs on royalties.
"Svend" (svend)
03/01/2017 at 23:10, STARS: 2
But it also has reflectors built into the rear bumper.
(above and inward of the exhaust pipes).
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
03/02/2017 at 00:02, STARS: 0
In bad weather the triple blinker thing messes with me on the mustang. I’m usually pretty tired driving home at night in the rain and then blink blink blink. I guess I want the blinker to stay in one place, not traverse the area of the car. Maybe I’m just weird.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
03/02/2017 at 01:02, STARS: 0
Those reverse lights are something awful too.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
03/02/2017 at 01:04, STARS: 2
Considering how many idiots there are running around without lights on in the fog... he does have a point. Not saying there isn’t anything wrong with the Ford though.
"Carbon Fiber Sasquatch" (turbopumpkin)
03/02/2017 at 07:20, STARS: 1
I got you on that.
"450X_FTW" (mistermic)
03/02/2017 at 08:04, STARS: 1
Durango has a solution
"450X_FTW" (mistermic)
03/02/2017 at 08:06, STARS: 1
I actually put reflective tape like that on the underside of the rear fender on my dirt bike (plated for the road), since the tail light is only 5 led bulbs, reflective tape really helps people notice when they’re behind you
"You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much" (youcantellafinn)
03/02/2017 at 08:42, STARS: 0
I’m with you on the sequential blinker that some cars are running now. They are horrible and annoying.
"Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero" (sampsonite24)
03/02/2017 at 08:56, STARS: 0
I was following a new raptor last night on the way home from the store. I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. The rear tail lights and brake lights are bright and visible even from a few car lengths back