Countdown to silly, pointless lights on the Wrangler?

[Whaler27]

There was a lot to like about the Ford Raptor when I bought mine four years ago, but I had to look hard to find one without all the silly “look at me!!” vinyl graphics. The truck also came with three useless, pointless, amber marker lights across the front. They do nothing of value, but they were unavoidable. Then Dodge/Ram came out with a less sporty truck that copied Ford’s goofy little amber lights, except Dodge put them inside the hood scoop for some reason. Now the Goober-lights are showing up on Tacomas, 4-runners, and Silverados. People even pay for aftermarket lighting kits to copy this look! Once again, I don’t get it.

Will the new Wranglers be equipped with Goober-lights that don’t illuminate anything? Another $500 option?

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[TX_Ovrlnd]

There was a lot to like about the Ford Raptor when I bought mine four years ago, but I had to look hard to find one without all the silly “look at me!!” vinyl graphics. The truck also came with three useless, pointless, amber marker lights across the front. They do nothing of value, but they were unavoidable. Then Dodge/Ram came out with a less sporty truck that copied Ford’s goofy little amber lights, except Dodge put them inside the hood scoop for some reason. Now the Goober-lights are showing up on Tacomas, 4-runners, and Silverados. People even pay for aftermarket lighting kits to copy this look! Once again, I don’t get it.

Will the new Wranglers be equipped with Goober-lights that don’t illuminate anything? Another $500 option?

People are already paying money to install aftermarket versions, they aren't for me but who am I to judge how people customize what they financed. I'm sure there will be a new craze by the time the body refresh comes and we'll be 50/50 on liking it or not.

 

[GladiSD]

There was a lot to like about the Ford Raptor when I bought mine four years ago, but I had to look hard to find one without all the silly “look at me!!” vinyl graphics. The truck also came with three useless, pointless, amber marker lights across the front. They do nothing of value, but they were unavoidable. Then Dodge/Ram came out with a less sporty truck that copied Ford’s goofy little amber lights, except Dodge put them inside the hood scoop for some reason. Now the Goober-lights are showing up on Tacomas, 4-runners, and Silverados. People even pay for aftermarket lighting kits to copy this look! Once again, I don’t get it.

Will the new Wranglers be equipped with Goober-lights that don’t illuminate anything? Another $500 option?

Those lights are government mandated on the Raptor, TRX, and Bronco Raptor due to their width. They could not sell them without them. On Toyota’s, they’re just trying to imitate the look…like most Toyota owners do with everything.

 

[brennaman]

There was a lot to like about the Ford Raptor when I bought mine four years ago, but I had to look hard to find one without all the silly “look at me!!” vinyl graphics. The truck also came with three useless, pointless, amber marker lights across the front. They do nothing of value, but they were unavoidable. Then Dodge/Ram came out with a less sporty truck that copied Ford’s goofy little amber lights, except Dodge put them inside the hood scoop for some reason. Now the Goober-lights are showing up on Tacomas, 4-runners, and Silverados. People even pay for aftermarket lighting kits to copy this look! Once again, I don’t get it.

Will the new Wranglers be equipped with Goober-lights that don’t illuminate anything? Another $500 option?

Those 3 amber lights are federally mandated, due to the width of the vehicle. Anything over 80" wide fall into the commercial vehicle category.

As to why they make vehicles larger, is to get around federal mandates for gas mileage, but that is another story.

 

[Equitasforall]

Ok, so your silly, pointless lights on the Raptor, and now the RAM TRX are required by the US Department of Transportation due to the overall width of the vehicle. DOT regs state that any vehicle over 80" wide has to have a minimum of 3 amber marker lights visible from the front of the vehicle. Most commercial vehicles have them mounted on the roof of the cab. Similarly, most dually pickups had them in the same spot. Ford (with the Raptor) and now RAM (with the TRX) chose to be different and put them in the grille and hood vents. Still compliant, but in a different way.

Your Raptor ownership privileges are now suspended. Please surrender your Raptor to the nearest interested party.

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

Those lights are government mandated on the Raptor, TRX, and Bronco Raptor due to their width. They could not sell them without them. On Toyota’s, they’re just trying to imitate the look…like most Toyota owners do with everything.

Anything over 80 inches wide...three amber front and three red rear identification lamps spaced between 6 and 12 inches apart at the center of the front and rear of the vehicle, as high as practicable. I don't know how the grilles are considered as high as practicable though. I've never cared to find one of those in the wild, do they have the rear lights?

 

[Headbarcode]

Anything over 80 inches wide...three amber front and three red rear identification lamps spaced between 6 and 12 inches apart at the center of the front and rear of the vehicle, as high as practicable. I don't know how the grilles are considered as high as practicable though. I've never cared to find one of those in the wild, do they have the rear lights?

Yes, the 3rd brake light housing is quadruple the width in order to housing the 3 red rear facing id lights along with a functional brake light. The side view mirrors also have an amber front facing and red rear facing side marker lights, which are part of the same government reg as the 3 center id lights.

 

[Maverick909]

There was a lot to like about the Ford Raptor when I bought mine four years ago, but I had to look hard to find one without all the silly “look at me!!” vinyl graphics. The truck also came with three useless, pointless, amber marker lights across the front. They do nothing of value, but they were unavoidable. Then Dodge/Ram came out with a less sporty truck that copied Ford’s goofy little amber lights, except Dodge put them inside the hood scoop for some reason. Now the Goober-lights are showing up on Tacomas, 4-runners, and Silverados. People even pay for aftermarket lighting kits to copy this look! Once again, I don’t get it.

Will the new Wranglers be equipped with Goober-lights that don’t illuminate anything? Another $500 option?

The amber lighting in the front is a DOT deal with the manufactures. The going width on the Raptor, TRX etc. from the manufactures have to have these marking lights to note the extra width being over 80 inches. this is to allow on coming traffic to note that the vehicle coming at them in wider than normal and may be taking up more room. Its very intelligent as its most seem on 1 ton pickups, box trucks, and semi trucks. There is reasoning behind it. Now for the tacomas and the runners those are added for looks only after the purchase of the vehicle.

"If you make a vehicle that’s over 80 inches wide, it starts to fall into various “commercial vehicle” categories, and one of the requirements of vehicles this size is that they have — in the words of our government — “three amber front and three red rear identification lamps spaced between 6 and 12 inches apart at the ."

 

[Whaler27]

Okay, guys. Thanks for the education. I should have known this.

It makes perfect government sense -- a light pattern that's designed to communicate what one person in 1500 will be able to interpret. Sheesh.

The amber Raptor lights aren't noticeable in the sunlight. At night they're not visible to oncoming traffic at any useful distance because they're overwhelmed by the crazy-bright LED headlights. By the time you can distinguish the amber lights it's too late to do anything with the information -- and what, exactly, is the motoring public supposed to DO with the information? Give oncoming traffic a wider berth to accommodate the extra few inches?

Maybe burying the lights in the hood scoop is a better strategy. Or not.

If there ever was any value to this law it's rapidly being diminished by the trendy new look being replicated on vehicles of every dimension. The few people in Oregon who actually know what the lights mean will be giving all the little Tacomas wearing them plenty of room -- at least at dawn and dusk when the lights are visible.

 

[Whaler27]

Yes, the 3rd brake light housing is quadruple the width in order to housing the 3 red rear facing id lights along with a functional brake light. The side view mirrors also have an amber front facing and red rear facing side marker lights, which are part of the same government reg as the 3 center id lights.

I gotta say, that Bronco looks like an average Walmart shopper from the rear.

... yes, I shop there too -- that's how I know the look.

 

[old mike]

Let there be light?

 

[Pingbling23]

Did you just say the TRX is less sporty then a raptor?

 

[stylett9]

At night they're not visible to oncoming traffic at any useful distance because they're overwhelmed by the crazy-bright LED headlights. By the time you can distinguish the amber lights it's too late to do anything with the information --

in all fairness, if you want to be critical of bright blinding headlights, look no further than this community for equal if not greater offenders. lol.

As a side rant, blinding bright headlights from Teslas, to Jeeps, to lifted vehicles is becoming a serious problem for my aging eyes. (I'm only in my mid 30's btw).
It's gotten so bad that I've tinted my front windshield just to help reduce the burning glare. I've even began contemplating driving with sunglasses on at night.

 

[Bill_P]

It makes perfect government sense

Remember, a platypus is a beaver built to government specification

 

[Heimkehr]

in all fairness, if you want to be critical of bright blinding headlights, look no further than this community for equal if not greater offenders.

I've even began contemplating driving with sunglasses on at night.

+1 on some JL owners being culpable in the too-bright headlight category.

As for eyewear after dark, Cory has your back.

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