Morimoto tail light issue
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2021
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Morimoto tail light issue
Wondering if anyone else has experienced this - the video below is worth a thousand words.
If I apply the brake pedal normally like the first 3 cycles in the vid, the lights work as normal. They go from dim>bright>dim.
If I pump the brakes somewhat fast, they go dim>bright>off>dim. Why are they turning off if I pump fast?
I have the moromoto headlights, fogs, sides, and tails now. I just now noticed this when backing in, who knows how long it's been doing it. Not trying to attract any unwanted attention...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB7p...ature=youtu.be
If I apply the brake pedal normally like the first 3 cycles in the vid, the lights work as normal. They go from dim>bright>dim.
If I pump the brakes somewhat fast, they go dim>bright>off>dim. Why are they turning off if I pump fast?
I have the moromoto headlights, fogs, sides, and tails now. I just now noticed this when backing in, who knows how long it's been doing it. Not trying to attract any unwanted attention...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB7p...ature=youtu.be
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,293
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From: Phoenix, AZ to Quakertown, PA.
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Very strange, I wish I could assist with this issue but have never had this yet. I too have all Morimoto lights but haven’t experienced this.
pleas keep us up to date on what you find out.
pleas keep us up to date on what you find out.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
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From: Port St Lucie Florida
2025 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Wondering if anyone else has experienced this - the video below is worth a thousand words.
If I apply the brake pedal normally like the first 3 cycles in the vid, the lights work as normal. They go from dim>bright>dim.
If I pump the brakes somewhat fast, they go dim>bright>off>dim. Why are they turning off if I pump fast?
I have the moromoto headlights, fogs, sides, and tails now. I just now noticed this when backing in, who knows how long it's been doing it. Not trying to attract any unwanted attention...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB7p...ature=youtu.be
If I apply the brake pedal normally like the first 3 cycles in the vid, the lights work as normal. They go from dim>bright>dim.
If I pump the brakes somewhat fast, they go dim>bright>off>dim. Why are they turning off if I pump fast?
I have the moromoto headlights, fogs, sides, and tails now. I just now noticed this when backing in, who knows how long it's been doing it. Not trying to attract any unwanted attention...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB7p...ature=youtu.be
Either way, he is a good guy and will help if he can.
Recommend you reach out to him.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,650
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From: Cape Canaveral Florida
St. Jude Donor '07 thru '26
NCM Lifetime Member
I just watched my Morimoto tails for an hour this week while my mechanic was bleeding my brakes ... lots of pumping ... never saw that behavior ... they went on and off as expected each time.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2021
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Spoke with Cole this morning - turns out it's just something I will have to deal with since it's due to the internal circuitry of the brake lights. Nothing against Cole, great guy just don't think there's a fix for this readily available. Anyone else with these tails able to go out and pump their brakes quickly with their headlights on to see if they can replicate this? Might start unplugging fogs/sidemarkers and seeing if it persists if nobody else can replicate.
Navigator
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 9
Likes: 8
I have the same symptoms
It's the same symptom as mine. I found this symptom today. I think I have this symptom in a different way. If you press the brake pedal hard, there is no problem. If you step on it lightly, you'll get symptoms.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 384
Likes: 217
From: Phoenix
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Spoke with Cole this morning - turns out it's just something I will have to deal with since it's due to the internal circuitry of the brake lights. Nothing against Cole, great guy just don't think there's a fix for this readily available. Anyone else with these tails able to go out and pump their brakes quickly with their headlights on to see if they can replicate this? Might start unplugging fogs/sidemarkers and seeing if it persists if nobody else can replicate.
I was going to put these on too but 100000% won’t if it compromises people seeing my brake lights
You’re in the car, so who knows if they are turning off in other scenarios as well. You just happened to stumble on this so there could be other times it happens
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2021
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something you have to deal with? They are your brake lights. They are turning off when you’re applying brakes, extremely dangerous.
I was going to put these on too but 100000% won’t if it compromises people seeing my brake lights
You’re in the car, so who knows if they are turning off in other scenarios as well. You just happened to stumble on this so there could be other times it happens
I was going to put these on too but 100000% won’t if it compromises people seeing my brake lights
You’re in the car, so who knows if they are turning off in other scenarios as well. You just happened to stumble on this so there could be other times it happens
@VetteLights Cole, opinions on this? Options here?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2021
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It's the same symptom as mine. I found this symptom today. I think I have this symptom in a different way. If you press the brake pedal hard, there is no problem. If you step on it lightly, you'll get symptoms.
https://youtu.be/esktA6FkFVA
https://youtu.be/esktA6FkFVA
Navigator
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Supporting Vendor
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Yeah you have a valid point here. If a cop see's it, it just gives them a reason to pull you over and cite you, or in other cases it could cause you to fail inspection.
@VetteLights Cole, opinions on this? Options here?
@VetteLights Cole, opinions on this? Options here?
This is normal functionality for the second generation Morimoto tails (with optional sequential mode). While I have mentioned the scenario to Morimoto previously, it did not result in any modifications to programming. This is not something that causes concern to me with them on my car personally as it's not something that I have ever experienced in normal driving conditions (but can certainly replicate it when intentionally trying to make it occur). If Morimoto gets enough inquiries about it, they may decide to make a revision going forward but personally, I prefer the on/off/on/off cycle to the on/dim/on/dim - it's more attention grabbing in my opinion.
If it's something that's still within the return window, we can absolutely get you swapped out with a different brand if preferred but a different set of Morimotos will operate the same way.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2021
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What causes the light to turn off when the brakes are quickly tapped for less than a second is that the unit is expecting that quick pulse to be a turn signal pulse so it turns off afterwards in anticipation of the turn signal engaging opposed to a brake light (the turn signals cycle on/off/on/off opposed to on/dim/on/dim).
This is normal functionality for the second generation Morimoto tails (with optional sequential mode). While I have mentioned the scenario to Morimoto previously, it did not result in any modifications to programming. This is not something that causes concern to me with them on my car personally as it's not something that I have ever experienced in normal driving conditions (but can certainly replicate it when intentionally trying to make it occur). If Morimoto gets enough inquiries about it, they may decide to make a revision going forward but personally, I prefer the on/off/on/off cycle to the on/dim/on/dim - it's more attention grabbing in my opinion.
If it's something that's still within the return window, we can absolutely get you swapped out with a different brand if preferred but a different set of Morimotos will operate the same way.
This is normal functionality for the second generation Morimoto tails (with optional sequential mode). While I have mentioned the scenario to Morimoto previously, it did not result in any modifications to programming. This is not something that causes concern to me with them on my car personally as it's not something that I have ever experienced in normal driving conditions (but can certainly replicate it when intentionally trying to make it occur). If Morimoto gets enough inquiries about it, they may decide to make a revision going forward but personally, I prefer the on/off/on/off cycle to the on/dim/on/dim - it's more attention grabbing in my opinion.
If it's something that's still within the return window, we can absolutely get you swapped out with a different brand if preferred but a different set of Morimotos will operate the same way.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: New Jersey-ish
2024 C6 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
Spoke with Cole this morning - turns out it's just something I will have to deal with since it's due to the internal circuitry of the brake lights. Nothing against Cole, great guy just don't think there's a fix for this readily available. Anyone else with these tails able to go out and pump their brakes quickly with their headlights on to see if they can replicate this? Might start unplugging fogs/sidemarkers and seeing if it persists if nobody else can replicate.
Last edited by CorvetteFan1953; Jun 20, 2022 at 10:14 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
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I see what you're saying, you do sort of have to make it do it, but now it's always going to be in my mind when night driving. I shouldn't have to think about my brake lights going out on me even if it is for a split second. Thanks for confirming that you experience it too.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2021
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From: Reston, VA
I don't own a set of these but they are the ones I was planning to eventually buy.
Since Cole asked, my input is now that I know how these work, I won't buy them unless the programming is changed to prevent this from happening. Brake lights are too important to not work all the time. What would be the best way to contact morimoto for this kind of feedback?
Since Cole asked, my input is now that I know how these work, I won't buy them unless the programming is changed to prevent this from happening. Brake lights are too important to not work all the time. What would be the best way to contact morimoto for this kind of feedback?
Supporting Vendor
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I don't own a set of these but they are the ones I was planning to eventually buy.
Since Cole asked, my input is now that I know how these work, I won't buy them unless the programming is changed to prevent this from happening. Brake lights are too important to not work all the time. What would be the best way to contact morimoto for this kind of feedback?
Since Cole asked, my input is now that I know how these work, I won't buy them unless the programming is changed to prevent this from happening. Brake lights are too important to not work all the time. What would be the best way to contact morimoto for this kind of feedback?
Absolutely - send over input if you'd like to see a different functionality on them at morimotohid@morimotohid.com. If there is an overwhelming demand for different operation, I'm confident that we could help push to make it happen and can also shoot over feedback to the head of R&D once there are some inquiries to reference.
As a side note, the brake lights do work. There is not a period in which the brake lights do not work. There is a split second period where the lights try to engage a turn signal sequence if the brakes are tapped for a fraction of a second (similarly to turning on a blinker and having it cycle on/off) but they are not something that I would personally consider a safety concern on my car by any means. If I personally considered it a safety concern, we would not offer it on our site until a revision was made. Granted this is just my preference, but I do prefer them as-is with the bright/off/bright/off turn signal cycle opposed to the bright/dim/bright/dim cycle.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: New Jersey-ish
2024 C6 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
Absolutely - send over input if you'd like to see a different functionality on them at morimotohid@morimotohid.com. If there is an overwhelming demand for different operation, I'm confident that we could help push to make it happen and can also shoot over feedback to the head of R&D once there are some inquiries to reference.
As a side note, the brake lights do work. There is not a period in which the brake lights do not work. There is a split second period where the lights try to engage a turn signal sequence if the brakes are tapped for a fraction of a second (similarly to turning on a blinker and having it cycle on/off) but they are not something that I would personally consider a safety concern on my car by any means. If I personally considered it a safety concern, we would not offer it on our site until a revision was made. Granted this is just my preference, but I do prefer them as-is with the bright/off/bright/off turn signal cycle opposed to the bright/dim/bright/dim cycle.
As a side note, the brake lights do work. There is not a period in which the brake lights do not work. There is a split second period where the lights try to engage a turn signal sequence if the brakes are tapped for a fraction of a second (similarly to turning on a blinker and having it cycle on/off) but they are not something that I would personally consider a safety concern on my car by any means. If I personally considered it a safety concern, we would not offer it on our site until a revision was made. Granted this is just my preference, but I do prefer them as-is with the bright/off/bright/off turn signal cycle opposed to the bright/dim/bright/dim cycle.
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If this was to take place on their end, it would be quite awhile before they would be available for purchase as a "third generation" honestly. Probably an early 2023 timeframe.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2018
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From: New Brunswick, Canada
So let me see if I understand this correctly. You would need to do a light tap of the brakes, release, and then another light tap of the brakes, all within what, 1-2 sec., for this to occur? If this is the case, it seems to me that this is not a normal emergency braking maneuver that you all seem to now be leery of with these tail lights. In most (all?) emergency braking situations I've ever required, it was a HARD on the brakes situation.
The only time I see the need for a tap-off-tap of the brakes is in a brake check scenario, and you shouldn't be doing that anyway.
Also, does this affect the third brake light as well, or does this light up normally?
The only time I see the need for a tap-off-tap of the brakes is in a brake check scenario, and you shouldn't be doing that anyway.
Also, does this affect the third brake light as well, or does this light up normally?