GM reverse light illumination when doors unlocked

jqsmooth · 05-17-2018, 04:59 PM

It seems like GM is putting this feature on all of their models. Not being a patron of their brand, I thought it would never affect me as a driver. I was wrong. I see it time and time again in a parking lot where I'm waiting for the car/suv with their reverse light on and I wait and nope, they're not moving.

There's a reddit thread on this matter:

https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/commen...e_lights_when/

I thought it'd be pretty one-sided but it isn't. Some people actually like the feature, which can be turned on/off. Unreal. No one cares about their fellow driver's time and the confusion it can create. Never cared for the brand after seeing my dad go through so much trouble with 2 Cadillacs, but now I loathe them even more.

Wonder what BMW drivers think of all this. Do you own the offending vehicles and like this feature?

Spa2k · 05-17-2018, 05:05 PM

Depending on your perspective, it’s either annoying as heck or a great safety feature that lights the way (and lets other drivers more easily see) the vehicle’s passengers (especially kids).

Germanauto · 05-17-2018, 05:38 PM

GM is a joke so I'm not surprised they put a stupid feature like this.

Source: grew up in a GM family, parents wised up one day, escaped for greener pastures, and profited.

eatsleepboost · 05-17-2018, 05:43 PM

They have done this since 2007.5

KenB925 · 05-17-2018, 05:45 PM

Like anything there is good and bad.

The bad here is that we are going to be trained to ignore reverse lights, most people don't pay any attention to them anyway, or treat them like a yellow light and speed up when they see them, so maybe no loss...

Red Bread · 05-17-2018, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenB925

Like anything there is good and bad.

The bad here is that we are going to be trained to ignore reverse lights, most people don't pay any attention to them anyway, or treat them like a yellow light and speed up when they see them, so maybe no loss...

Yeah, there's an endless fleet of Suburban/Denali/Escalades at my kid's daycare. I ignore their reverse lights and just back up first. Terrible design.

jqsmooth · 05-17-2018, 06:35 PM

I feel like the light should have one and only one purpose. Light goes on - "I'm backing up so watch out!". Light off - I'm not moving, you can safely pass me. Can't believe it's been around that long. There's a lot of confusion/distractions out on the road and in the parking lots AS IS. This just adds to it. And if it's such a great feature, why aren't the other makers following suit? I'd disable it if it came with my BMW.

Shredicus · 05-17-2018, 06:40 PM

I hate this so much

jqsmooth · 05-17-2018, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shredicus

I hate this so much

it bothers me so much that i posted about it. glad to know i'm not alone...

to_riffic · 05-17-2018, 06:45 PM

Learned something new and now I know how ridiculous this is.

aaaaah · 05-17-2018, 06:51 PM

My old GTI used to just leave the headlights and taillights on for 30s after turning off the car and that provided ample light for safety.

The reverse light thing that GM does is stupid. The tail lights give out enough light.

zx10guy · 05-17-2018, 07:20 PM

I'm surprised the Feds even allowed this to hit the market. As others have indicated, this is a crash waiting to happen. I'm surprised there hasn't been a rash of wrecks because of this. And I'm waiting for a wreck to result from this feature and the lawsuits against GM because of it.

jkoral · 05-17-2018, 07:49 PM

I can't see any perspective where it's a great safety feature. When my kids were smaller and we were walking out of parking lots (always along a line of cars and never in the middle of the lane), if the reverse lights came on, I would grab their hand(s), stop and wait as the driver backed out (no cars had the wide angle reverse cameras with side proximity like most do today).

If you need the reverse lights to show other drivers where your kids are that just got out of the vehicle (as mentioned above), maybe you should teach your children how to safely walk in a parking lot.

I'm surprised it's been around this long, I've never noticed it. Probably assumed a GM driver was sitting there in Reverse.

05-17-2018, 04:59 PM	#1
jqsmooth Captain 161 Rep 773 Posts Drives: M6 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (2)	GM reverse light illumination when doors unlocked It seems like GM is putting this feature on all of their models. Not being a patron of their brand, I thought it would never affect me as a driver. I was wrong. I see it time and time again in a parking lot where I'm waiting for the car/suv with their reverse light on and I wait and nope, they're not moving. There's a reddit thread on this matter: https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/commen...e_lights_when/ I thought it'd be pretty one-sided but it isn't. Some people actually like the feature, which can be turned on/off. Unreal. No one cares about their fellow driver's time and the confusion it can create. Never cared for the brand after seeing my dad go through so much trouble with 2 Cadillacs, but now I loathe them even more. Wonder what BMW drivers think of all this. Do you own the offending vehicles and like this feature? __________________ 2008 E64 M6 2011 E92 l SSII l Fox Red - 145k and Totaled. 2012 Toyota Prius C - 145k and Totaled. 2002 Nissan Pathfinder - 301.6K and Junked. 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport - Rolled & Totaled. 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood - RIP.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

05-17-2018, 05:05 PM	#2
Spa2k Major 1194 Rep 1,086 Posts Drives: '13 JCW Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: US iTrader: (0)	Depending on your perspective, it’s either annoying as heck or a great safety feature that lights the way (and lets other drivers more easily see) the vehicle’s passengers (especially kids).
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 05:38 PM	#3
Germanauto Major General 9848 Rep 6,147 Posts Drives: Alfa Romeo Giulia, Rosso Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: LA iTrader: (0)	GM is a joke so I'm not surprised they put a stupid feature like this. Source: grew up in a GM family, parents wised up one day, escaped for greener pastures, and profited.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 05:43 PM	#4
eatsleepboost Captain 422 Rep 656 Posts Drives: Evo Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Boston iTrader: (1)	They have done this since 2007.5
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 05:45 PM	#5
KenB925 Second Lieutenant 1125 Rep 265 Posts Drives: ZL1, Raptor Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	Like anything there is good and bad. The bad here is that we are going to be trained to ignore reverse lights, most people don't pay any attention to them anyway, or treat them like a yellow light and speed up when they see them, so maybe no loss...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 06:35 PM	#7
jqsmooth Captain 161 Rep 773 Posts Drives: M6 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (2)	I feel like the light should have one and only one purpose. Light goes on - "I'm backing up so watch out!". Light off - I'm not moving, you can safely pass me. Can't believe it's been around that long. There's a lot of confusion/distractions out on the road and in the parking lots AS IS. This just adds to it. And if it's such a great feature, why aren't the other makers following suit? I'd disable it if it came with my BMW. __________________ 2008 E64 M6 2011 E92 l SSII l Fox Red - 145k and Totaled. 2012 Toyota Prius C - 145k and Totaled. 2002 Nissan Pathfinder - 301.6K and Junked. 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport - Rolled & Totaled. 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood - RIP.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 06:40 PM	#8
Shredicus Major 538 Rep 1,122 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Spokane, WA iTrader: (12)	I hate this so much
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 06:45 PM	#10
to_riffic Lieutenant General 3076 Rep 13,777 Posts Drives: rwd Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (38)	Learned something new and now I know how ridiculous this is. __________________ ~loud noises~
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 06:51 PM	#11
aaaaah Lieutenant 366 Rep 411 Posts Drives: Nuggets Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: AU iTrader: (0)	My old GTI used to just leave the headlights and taillights on for 30s after turning off the car and that provided ample light for safety. The reverse light thing that GM does is stupid. The tail lights give out enough light.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-17-2018, 07:49 PM	#13
jkoral Colonel 1151 Rep 2,068 Posts Drives: 2017 M2 LBB 6MT Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: MA iTrader: (7)	I can't see any perspective where it's a great safety feature. When my kids were smaller and we were walking out of parking lots (always along a line of cars and never in the middle of the lane), if the reverse lights came on, I would grab their hand(s), stop and wait as the driver backed out (no cars had the wide angle reverse cameras with side proximity like most do today). If you need the reverse lights to show other drivers where your kids are that just got out of the vehicle (as mentioned above), maybe you should teach your children how to safely walk in a parking lot. I'm surprised it's been around this long, I've never noticed it. Probably assumed a GM driver was sitting there in Reverse.
	Appreciate 0 Quote