Bob Petruska

This is interesting!

I changed my back-up lights to LEDs today, and when I removed the bumper light strip I said why do I have these 5 bulbs in in each bumper light strip that never light up.

A little searching, the bumper strip lights are only functional when the hatch is open when you are carrying something, or just never closed it all the way.
There's a second set of taillights, brake lights, and turn signals.

Maybe you other owners are aware of this but I sure wasn't.




"Here's why.

For several years -- maybe decades, who knows? -- the federal government has had a regulation that no headlights or brake lights can be on a movable piece of automotive bodywork. So if it moves, it can't include a brake light or a headlight. That means a car company can't stick its headlights on a car's hood, and it can't stick its brake lights on a car's tailgate, because those items could be open while you're driving, potentially rendering it impossible to see your headlights or brake lights.



Audi, no doubt well-aware of this regulation, went ahead and designed the Q5 and the Q7 with the brake lights on the tailgate.

Now, I know what you're thinking. This is a no-no. This shouldn't be allowed. THEY CAN'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!!! And indeed, they didn't. In order to meet the requirements of the regulation, Audi also installed a second set of brake lights on the Q5 and the Q7.

So here's what happens. In normal driving, when you're just cruising around in your Q5 or Q7, the brake lights on the tailgate are operational. But the moment the vehicle detects that the tailgate is open, those brake lights cease to function. When that happens, the second set of brake lights -- located in the bumper -- immediately take over, providing the functions of brake lights, taillights, turn signals and even reverse lights. Then, when the tailgate is shut again, it's back to the regular old brake lights in the tailgate.



Since Audi figured out this workaround, several other automakers have used the idea. The Lincoln MKC and MKX crossovers now also employ a second set of brake lights in addition to their standard tailgate-mounted set, which work exactly the same way as the lights in the Q5 and the Q7. It's the same story with the brake lights on the new Mini Clubman: They're mounted on the car's rear doors, with a second set in the bumpers in case the doors are opened.

So now, the next time you're in traffic behind an Audi Q5 or Q7, you won't have to wonder why it appears to have two sets of brake lights. This will leave you with ample time to ponder other things, such as how cool it would be to have headlights mounted on your hood so you can shine lights into third-floor windows and annoy your friends. We can dream."


That last line is for you Redd!

DennisMitchell

Clearly Bob, you never went to Home Depot and drove home with the gate open. LOL. It is a good feature.

I just changed my backup bulbs to LED as well today. Can't wait until dark to see how bright they are.

MurrayA4

Yes I agree it's a great feature that's baked into the Audi tech.
While I'm at it allow me to whine a bit, have you guys/gals noticed the new trend among Koreans & Japanese to move the turn signals down to the bumper light strip, annoying,dangerous and stupid.Probably communistical creep, thats a word eh !

Bob Petruska

I have about another hour before total darkness here in PA. The reason I bought these is to hopefully brighten the curb up when backing up and using my tilted down passenger mirror.

Audi should have put a camera in each outside mirror housing, aimed at the rear tire/curb area to parallel park with ease. Good Sony cameras go for less than $5 in volume....Hello Audi!

EDIT: I just tried the LEDs in the dark, and I can now see the right rear tire/curb very well in the tilted down passenger mirror. I can also see extremely far the view in the rear camera.

In case anyone is interested, these are the LEDs from DeAutoLED.com, they don't throw any bulb errors. So far, so good. Only took about 15 minutes to install them.

Coolieman1220

I always knew the Audi did this. Dropping someone off at an airport or curb and having the signal on, you notice the change over. I always thought that was a good feature, especially since the rear fog lights are the lights in the bumper.

Didn't know about the federal regulation for movable body parts not having lights.

Good read, thanks for sharing!

Redd

Gee, Bob. I put in LED backups a while ago and never bothered counting bulbs, maybe I should have. I know there are "extra" red lights in the bumper for the red rear fog lights, I just assumed that was what the rest of the wiring was about. I really don't want to poke around trying to find that buried Philips screw again. That's ONE place where a hex-head fastener would have been so much nicer, anything that helps the tool find the screw by braille!

Headlights in third floor windows describes the old Marchall rallye lamps I used to have. (Stolen while the whole car was stolen.) They took 55W H1 bulbs, or optional 100W H1 bulbs and might have been 7" wide. Big bugeyes...totally illegal for on-road use, but great for eating up country roads at night. You could read a newspaper from a half mile away. And went totally night-blind if you had to turn them off. (Ooops.)

But yeah....modern headlights have got a long way to go. Thirty-forty years ago it was easier to read those newspapers down the block.(G)

Alternate rear lights that only work when the hatch is up. Gee, now I've got to try that. What did Forest Gump say? "Audi is like a box of chocolates..." (G)

dret

It’s also a money maker in after production parts as I’m certain Audi conspired with all of the shopping carts (buggies in some parts) manufactures to ensure the height of the bumper light strip perfectly meets the lower corner of the carts guaranteeing proper destruction. Replacements come in at $90 each.

Bob Petruska

I agree that you really need to bend down low to find the Philips screw, but at least the Audi engineer designed a plastic funnel around the screw to guide the screw driver shaft tip right to the screw and that the screw remain attached to the housing after loosening it so it doesn't fall behind the bumper reinforcement bar.

I have so say this very quietly, but these are super easy to steal (with a power screwdriver most likely less than a minute), and probably the most commonly damaged item on a Q5. If you live in a bad area it just may be worth it to change the screws over to torx or another odd ball type to help prevent theft.

DennisMitchell

That is a good idea about the screws. I remember that was an issue with thieves stealing the drivers assistance cameras out of the front of A6's et al that are mounted where the fog lights used to be.

MurrayA4

Wow you guys live in some tough spots ! I don't lock my doors - house at night.And I sleep very soundly.Bumper light strips intact, but then again we've got guns unlike you guys/gals !