For what it's worth, it seems like a big deal to me too. There are times when I will tap the brake a few times if traffic is suddenly coming to a stop in an area you wouldn't expect, like on a highway. It sounds like doing this with the Morimotos would cause them to black out. The pulsing really grabs peoples' attention. Newer volvos will do it automatically if you are on the brakes and then press harder, which really helps the person behind. I guess I'd feel a little more comfortable installing a 3rd brake light flasher with the Morimotos and forgetting that habit.

 

And since your brakes are off, (assuming that you are travelling at the same speed) SO DO YOU.

Folks, I'm not saying that this isn't an issue, since I believe it is, but I am saying it's not as bad as you make it out to be. The scenarios where this issue would present itself are limited at best. And the way you make it out, you would think the lights go out for minutes, not a fraction of a second.

That being said, could a potential fix for this issue on the gen 2 lights be a programming change so that if the tail lights are on (dim), and a direction signal is activated, if sequential mode is enabled, the sequence replaces the dim light with a bright light? Not sure how it would look aesthetically, but it could solve the entire light going black for a fraction of a second. I'm also not sure if an existing set of lights could be reprogrammed easily, but I would think it's something Morimoto could answer.

Sounds like a bad habit that needs breaking anyway. If you really feel the need to pulse your taillights, hit your emergency flasher switch.

 

I completely agree.

I drove around yesterday with my lights on as I was with another car. I told them to tell me if you ever see the lights flicker off. Not once did it occur, I braked like I normally would and everything. I always have to tap my brakes when backing out of my driveway as it’s a downhill and even then it did not occur. Maybe it’s different with the carbon ceramic brakes as initial bite is not as strong as steel brakes? As far as I’m concerned, this is not an issue for me anymore. It’s an oversight yes, but it’s not the end of the world.

Yeah I can sit in my driveway and tap the brakes quickly and make it happen but in normal situations it just does not occur for whatever reason.

Happy motoring!

 

It has worked well for me for many years, both in cars and on motorcycles. I learned it in driver's ed and that's not how flashers are intended to be used, at least on US roadways. In some US states, using the flashers while driving is illegal. When your flashers are on, you lose the ability to signal your lane changes. Legality aside, it takes a moment for people to realize why the flashers are on if you're driving whereas people see pulsing brakes and they immediately know what that means.

 

I beg to differ. How exactly is someone supposed to differentiate pulsing brakes from 4-way flashers?

I think that 4-way flashers (hazard lights) are intended to indicate that there is a potential emergency or situation coming up. In the scenario mentioned a few posted back, where you are coming to a stop on a highway and pulse your brakes for attention, let's extrapolate a bit.

So you're on a highway with a 70 MPH speed limit and after making a blind turn, come across an accident where traffic has stopped. From your own post, you would pulse your brakes to warn drivers behind you, but they can't see you because you are around a blind turn. So, you come to a complete stop due to the accident. Now you only have your brake lights on fully (or should, I know some people throw the car in park and take their foot off the brake). A car, travelling 70 MPH around the blind turn will only see your full brake lights. Your pulsing option has done you no good.

Now, in this same scenario, activate your hazard lights. Now that same car, travelling 70 MPH around that same blind turn will see your hazard lights flashing which would hopefully produce the effect that you think pulsing your brakes would initiate. Why do you think it takes people more time to figure out why your hazard lights are on than it would take for them to figure out why you are pulsing your brakes? Think about this scenario for a minute. You are stopped completely on a 70 MPH highway around a blind turn. I would think that this warrants hazard lights.

And to make another point from what you just said in the post I am replying to and I quote "When your flashers are on, you lose the ability to signal your lane changes." why aren't people freaking out over this little oversight? Shouldn't your turn signals override the hazard light? Isn't this another safety issue? Don't modern cars do this now?

 

Imagine the looks on the jury's faces when you say that in court, right after they've heard from the plaintiff in a wheelchair.

Then the plaintiff's attorney says, "So let me get this straight Mr. Defendant: You knew the brake lights were defective, but installed them anyway because you didn't think it was 'that bad'?" "Really?"

Got a good attorney on retainer?

 

Think if these were factory, they wouldn't pass inspection nor be mass produced due to this issue if they just 'shut off' like they do. Car stuff has to be idiot proof to prevent liability.

 

I can agree to disagree. I think you're trying to come up with a scenario to prove I'm wrong. There are scenarios where pulsing the brakes works better. Obviously if I'm stopped on the highway, I'm going to have my flashers on. That's how flashers are intended to be used. If I'm coming to an unexpected stop with someone behind me, then I give the brakes the pulse. People differentiate the pulsing brakes from the flashers by the 3rd brake light. Flashers override turn signals in almost all cars because they aren't supposed to be used while driving. All I'm saying is that it's been effective for me. I've luckily never been rear ended.

 

I actually do have a good lawyer, but that's not the point.

You are deliberately ignoring the fact that it is a VERY specific scenario to get these lights to 'just shut off like they do'. A scenario that I have attempted to point out is not very likely to happen in normal driving and which has been tested already by @CorvetteFan1953 who can replicate the 'just shut off" in his driveway, but while out driving normally in traffic, could not reproduce this effect.

You're also ignoring the fact that these lights are doing exactly what they are programmed to do, look for that spit second on-off-on cycle which is meant to indicate a turn signal has been activated so start the sequential mode routine. Unfortunately, this is how the lights detect a turn signal. So, unless there is a programming change to look to see if the tail lights are on, and adjust the sequential mode to go from dim-bright for at least the first sequence, this is how they will work. I would personally prefer if the programming change was made, to remove the SLIGHT possibility of the 'just shut off' issue. Unfortunately, I do not believe there is an easy way to reprogram these lights.

 

Indeed, Morimoto told me if the sequential function is removed, the issue goes away. It’s just a side effect of how they programmed it.

 

Sounds like bad programming

 

They basically admitted that from the start by saying that it was due to how the sequential mode was programmed.

Unfortunately, they did not say there was an easy way (if any) to reprogram them without replacing them.

 

The more I read about these tail lights, the less confidence I am having in getting a set (which makes me very sad). 😢

 

You could have these trouble free lights with a PM to me.

 

111

 

Never had any problems with my Morimoto rear lights.

 

I bought infari I just tested them like you guys are doing with these and all good. Pheww