You’d think after all these years of interacting with turn indicators — this important and vital cooperation between humankind and flashing lights that goes back all the way to 1939 — we’d have it all figured out. And yet, right here, right now, smack dab in this eternally-fleeting present, we’re confronted with a certain turn signal design that is deeply, perhaps even tragically, flawed. I’m talking about in-bumper rear turn indicators, a phenomenon that I’m pretty sure precisely zero turn-signal operators like. In fact, at most of the taillight bars I’ve been to recently, anyone showing up with such a setup would be pantsed, vigorously and with undeniable glee. Let’s look at this stupid design choice, figure out why it exists, and complain about it, lavishly and loudly.
In case you’re somehow unaware of the tragedy about which I now speak, here’s an example of a car with bumper-mounted indicators:
Pretty straightforward, right? All the normal taillight elements are in place, it’s just that some of them have been re-located down to the bottom floor, on the bumper.
It’s not immediately clear why such a decision would be made, of course, because there are already parts of the taillights in the more expected location up on the beltline of the car, too. That division between having a set of upper taillights that look like they should do everything but actually don’t, and a lower set that handles some of the functions is one of the big flaws in this taillight setup. It’s confusing.
It helps to know where to expect to see taillights, so you can be ready for the important information they need to convey, often on very short notice. That’s part of why the bumper-indicators suck; you’re always looking for them in the wrong place.
Some older bumper taillights, like on 1980s Chevy Malibu wagons and El Caminos, were less of a problem because the entire taillight was set into the rear bumper:
Sure, they were really vulnerable to damage because they’re set into the part of the car designed to smack into things/be smacked into, which is still a baffling issue on the modern designs, but at least you wouldn’t be confused as to where to look, because they were the only taillights on the back of the car or truck. Also, in the case of the El Camino there, they became pretty invisible with that tailgate down.
So, if they’re confusing and vulnerable to damage, why put them on the bumper at all? The reason why this happens can be best explained visually:
The bumper-mounted indicators are simply a way to allow for taillights to be visible even when driving with a tailgate or trunk lid open. By law, the brake, turn indicator, and the rear position light (you know, the basic taillight), must be visible even when things are open. There are three ways to deal with this: design trunk lids or hatches that do not include the taillight assemblies (the most common way), stick the crucial functions on the bumper, or add an extra set of little taillights inside the trunk or hatch.
The secret taillights method is by far the most fun an exciting, treating you to a surprise extra set of lights that get revealed when the trunk or hatch is opened, and that’s always a treat. But, this method is expensive. So, if you want to be cheap and yet still have a trunk lid or tailgate that takes up the full width of the rear, all you can really do is locate – or, significantly, duplicate, like the Audi Q5 does, so it only relies on the bumper lights when the hatch is open. Here, look:
That’s a reasonable compromise. Unfortunately, most of the cars with bumper indicators today, like the Chevy Bolt and a genuinely alarming number of otherwise excellent Hyundai-Kia designs, don’t do this. The indicators are just there, down low. And that’s a problem, especially in modern traffic.
Why’s that? Well, perhaps this little conversation I had with Autopian contributor Emily Velasco will help:
Okay, if that’s too small to read, it basically tells a gripping tale of how Emily’s dad was fuming about some jackass in front of him not using his blinker. As I guessed immediately, it was a bumper-mounted indicator, and in Emily’s dad’s Toyota Highlander, he simply could not see the indicators at all over the tall hood. With so many trucks and SUVs on the roads today, I’m pretty certain Emily’s dad is not alone: bumper indicators are too damn hard to see.
They’re in a confusing location, and they’re invisible in traffic behind the wheel of so very many SUVs and trucks. That’s a safety problem, and there’s no reason we need to stand for it. It’s been known that mounting turn indicators high, where eyes are, is a good idea; Citroën did it (albeit for interesting reasons) back in the 1950s! And, we all decided that high-mounted brake lights are important, hence the Center High-Mount Stop Light (CHMSL) laws.
So why should we have to deal with dangerous and stupid bumper-mounted indicators? The answer is we shouldn’t. We can make our preferences known to auto designers with a variety of methods, from a directed email campaign and online petitions to chaining yourself to Hyundai-Kia’s design offices and threatening to set yourself on fire, screaming, until your needs are met.
Paying attention, taillight designers?
Both Kia and Chevy have stated their indicators are a conscious design choice – for Kia, in part to mimic the lower fog lights you see on the front of the cars, and for Chevy, to replace lower elements like exhaust treatments that you don’t get on EVs, and to keep the tail lights slim.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/41945/why-some-cars-have-silly-bumper-mounted-brake-lights-and-turn-signals
Both statement are marketing BS, the chevy as huuuuuuuge light assembly, so maybe that was their intentions but they forgot to “keep it slim”, and kia and the mimicking??? Like no, they never have a similar shaped front bar low in the front to act as fog light…
You know what they could do, to have something there for design purpose and still be smart/useful, they could make the side marker/position light/reflectors there. Like they alway did back then.
Or even better, MANDATORY rear foglights.
Just make a rule: taillights should be mounted above 30% (40 even) of vehicle height.
Question to the taillight aficionados:
Has any mfg. put redundant lights in the bottom of the tailgate, such that the extra lights are visible up high when the tailgate is open?
Also, when can we have a rant about mfgs. hiding front turn signals in the middle of the headlights, making them impossible to see when the headlights are on? See modern F-150s for example.
I don’t know what all the fuss is about, I can see them just fine from the drivers seat of my MX-5.
Thank you Torch. I hate those stupid bumper indicators sooooo much!
I drive a “regular” car; all newer bumpers are right at eye level.
For the high riders among us, try not pulling up so close behind the car in front of you that their bumper falls below your line of sight. A related problem: with today’s squashed greenhouses and high belt lines, traffic lights disappear over the roof as you approach an intersection. How you gonna know when to step on the gas when the light turns yellow?
The only site where the words “tail light high” can have two meanings.
I don’t accept the “lights must be visible with the tailgate open” excuse. If the CHMSL is mounted on the back glass, it won’t be visible with the gate open, so there goes that excuse. This is just an example of (poor) design winning out over function.
As for the A-wagons and El Camino with the lights in the bumper… the (stated) reason is that the cars were too narrow to fit a 4′ wide tailgate opening (always necessary for the apocryphal plywood sheets) *and* taillights above bumper level, so there was nowhere to put the lights *aside* from the bumper.
It’s really the hazard lights that the rule is for, so if you’re on the side of the road with your trunk open the blinking lights can still be seen by other motorists.
My guess is the rule doesn’t apply to the CHMSL as it’s a secondary indicator (though many of us now use it as a primary).
So we have a law mandating open-tailgate signals but not one with a minimum height. Our lawmakers solved the 1% problem and created a 100% problem.
Maybe we can bring back semaphore trafficators.
I used hand signals for several years when I was daily-driving my completely stock ’37 Plymouth but I’m pretty sure most people who noticed just thought I was waving, except for the bicyclists and motorcyclists. They generally understood.
YES! THANK YOU! I have a mental health issue that causes my brain to completely shut down when I see poor automotive design, like this example. Almost equally bad are turn signals mounted low on the front fascia. My 2015 Camry has this, where instead of the turn indicators up by the headlights, they flank either side of the “maw” down low. It’s not quite as egregious, but not necessarily ideal, especially for someone looking at you from their rearview mirror. It’s likely they wouldn’t see your turn signal, either.
I totally agree with your take on this, Jason.
Now, to more important questions: When are we gonna get a new Mack Hardigraw Mystery installment?!
This. We need more Hardigraw!
This is the important question! I asked about a month ago and Torch said soon but soon has come and gone as far as I’m concerned. We need more Mack Hardigraw and we need him now!
I love Hyundai and Kia’s design lately, they are killing it.
*except for this*
The front indicators are mostly low as well – take a Santa Fe, which has high DRLs and low headlights. The blinkers are in the headlight assembly, not the DRL assembly.
In addition to woes on the road, this makes it *quite* annoying for me to find a specific vehicle in a lineup on the dealer lot I work at. “One of those ten fuckers beeped when I hit the alarm, but I can’t tell which one.”
Jeep also did that for a couple of models. The DRLs looked like they were in a squished headlight assembly with really large fogs mounted high-ish on the bumper cover. At night, it became apparent that the “fogs” were actually the low beams, and the DRLs were in a housing by themselves.
Yes, I’ve felt the same way – no one is trained to look down toward the bumper for turn signals! I didn’t like them because I can’t see them if I’m two cars behind them – the car in front of me blocks them. I didn’t realize that even if you’re the car directly behind them – as in the Highlander’s case – you can’t see them. With the US so conservative in its taillight regulations, how can they have let this slip?
And your article gave me an idea – if Kia/Hyundai insist on bumper-level turn signals, would it be possible for them to also integrate turn signals into the high-mounted center brake light?
“no one is trained to look down toward the bumper for turn signals!”
Speak for yourself! I learned to drive when those El Caminos were new. Although yeah, when the tailgate was down and the bed filled with two dozen 2x4s sticking out past the tailgate with a red rag tied to the end, it was hard to see the tail lights.
Wait, what? People actually put things in the beds of El Caminos? (aside from beer coolers and bats and perhaps a gasoline canister)
I’m sorry, but who’s the dipshit driving around with their tailgates open? I once saw an elderly man doing that, but it was obviously in error, because there was no cargo present (or it was gone). If you fold down the front seat you can usually get anything up to 8′ inside the vehicle, or at least in my minivan. If your lift struts aren’t the best and you have to make an emergency maneuver, you risk jarring the hatch and breaking glass. It seems ill-advised at best, dangerous at worst.
Feels harsh calling everyone who does this a dipshit as it’s no different than a sedan with it’s trunk open or truck with it’s tailgate down. Sometimes the stuff you purchase just might not completely fit inside. As long as the load is secure (and flagged if sticking out) what’s your issue? To your old man example, I had an issue with my Fit hatch closure one time where it wouldn’t catch, but I didn’t have anything to tie it down with or try and repair in the car so I had to drive home with it fully open for like 10 miles.
That’s fair. Perhaps I was being a little too harsh. My only defense is the utter pain and horror these designs inflict upon the world as visual vandalism, which I take personally. But you are right, there are the occasional extenuating circumstances that can’t be helped. If there was an edit button, I would reword my comment accordingly.
I agree completely, but I still greatly prefer bumper mounted amber turn signals over red ones mounted anywhere. Bumper mounted red ones should all be burned with fire.
The Bolt EUV has red combination brake lights and turns on the bumper. The “lights” by the rear window don’t even light up. They are only parking lights. It’s abysmal.
I know its not your department but maybe you should rant about the tall hoods instead.
This was my thought. My only real beef with low turn signals is not being able to see them if they’re 2 cars ahead but since sedans are getting rarer and rarer on my commute it’s not a big deal since being surrounded by larger vehicles “solves” that problem because I have no visibility now.
I can maybe understand in the case of the Bolt, after seeing the picture of the rear hatch open. But the Tucson has no excuse. Half the taillights go up with the hatch but there’s still another set there that could be used for the blinkers.
Late 2021 Mrs. Rex and I were shopping for a minivan and really liked the Kia Carnival. We happened to find ourselves behind one in traffic and she immediately pointed out how stupid and unfortunate the bumper blinker design is. Even those who are not “car people” can instinctually see how it sucks.
Torch, I wonder if one could dig into insurance data to see if there’s a statistic on higher than average rate of rear-end collisions involving Kia/Hyundai vehicles.
I’m glad you identified that the convo between you and Emily was tiny and hard to read. Now I don’t have to complain about it and am free to go chain myself to a vehicle manufacturer.
Any suggestions on how to get to Korea, cheaply?
Swim?
That’s a long swim. Be sure to pack a snack.
Enlist and request DMZ duty?
I mean… I’ve done the first one already? Pretty sure they wouldn’t take me again.
I would thank you for your service, but it seems to have been in vain if you did not take the opportunity to protest turn-signal placement in your country of posting.
Just right-click and open the image. It expands nicely when shown by itself.
Yes, stupid design especially when coupled with all these high riding cars and SUVs that everyone thinks they need, to “see over” other traffic.
The 1st gen new MINI Clubman had cut outs in the rear barn doors, so when/if the car was driven with them open the taillights were visible.
Meanwhile, the F54 Clubman kept all taillight functions in the barn doors but moved the brake lights to the bumper.
You know what the new gen got ? Massive light assembly on the doors, like 3/4times the size of the precedent gen, and small assembly low in the bumper, with every info located there except running light.
Can we get an exemption for designs that bring the bumper up to the taillights instead of the taillights down to the bumper, such as the 1964-6 Thunderbirds?
https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/5a391e0606af6_IMG_1832-2.jpg
Bring back the loop bumpers!!!
Thank you! I’ve ranting about this for years! Do you know how many times I’ve sat behind a newer Kia at a green light growing more and more irritated because they won’t go, even after honking at them, until they then turn and I see the bumper lights blinking and then I get more angry because I used a honk on someone who was doing things by the book and now I’m some unhinged assbag honking at innocent people so I then have to act even more outlandish so they think that I’m just some crazy bastard who honks at everyone the moment he gets the slightest bit inconvenienced instead of having to do the “shit my bad, sorry” hand gestures?
Testing… are there notifications of replies yet?
Even worse on the new Chevy Bolt EV & EUV, the brake lights are now in the bumper. The normal taillights are just for decoration, there are some cases of people being pull over because the police think their taillights are not working
After reading this: Surely he’s wrong the main taillights are huge and there are only tiny little reflectors down there…
After confirming: THIS IS THE WORST TAILLIGHT DESIGN I HAVE EVER SEEN! They’re not only not where you expect, but TINY. I hate tiny taillights. It’s why I hate the new Rav4.
WOW, another kindred who hates the Rav4 taillights! Although my personal gripe is that they have one measly LED bulb on each side for the brake lights. It’s ridiculous. It’s almost like they’re doing it out of spite — “We’re FORCED to put in the CHMSL, so we’ll just gimp the regular brake lights! Suck it, regulators!”
Toyota is a strange one with tiny lighting. IIRC a couple Camrys ago (6th gen I think, and maybe post-facelift) had smaller brake lights, LEDs but several dots, in a silver housing – so they seemed to wash out more. The CHMSL was LED, but not very evenly lit – so it was 4-5 dots.
Also – Toyota is guilty of bumper turn signals on the new Venza, but those are at least amber LED so I’ll give them an edge over most of the other bumper ones for illuminating better.
The new Corolla Cross has a combo turn signal-stop light, which is something I don’t recall Toyota ever having done before in the U.S. market.
Not only are Hyundai-Kias’ turn signals bumper-mounted, their recent model updates seem to have also switched indicator color from amber to red, which is another serious transgression.
The first time I saw a new Santa Fe’s rear indicators in action, my first thought was “impressive, this is literally every one of Jason’s most-loathed taillight design choices in a single package.”
I’ve noticed the same thing about the color. I want to say the current gen Santa Fe was red and switched to amber with the facelift, only because I passed a newer one in a parking deck the other day and specifically made note of it.
Some specs of Tellurides have rear bumper turn signals too, at least, pre-facelift here too, I’m not sure if they changed this now. I think it was lower-spec models that have incandescent brakelights, while upper trims have LED rear lights that also serve as a combo brake and turn signal (also not great).
While this isn’t the end of the world, I really hate lights like this. It’s not where you expect a signal to come from.
Oh, and don’t get me started on those poor led lights on Ford trucks. Who thought putting a tiny a bar of light in the four corners of the taillights was acceptable for cars following in rain. I thought they fixed it on the F150s but now the F250s have that same design.