Rear Lights

Rear lights are an important safety feature in vehicles. By letting other drivers know when you are slowing down or making a turn, these lights make the road a whole lot safer. But that is not the whole story, is it? Taillights are also an aesthetic element.

Taillights are a vital part of the car’s exterior design. So much so that car enthusiasts can tell the make and model of the car just by looking at the taillights. But if you do not like the off-the-shelf appearance of a stock rear light, you can customise it with a new pair. If your old set of lights is consuming too much power, you can replace it with HID, or LED lights. Replacing the lights is also a solution to fogged up glasses that make your car look older than it is. This guide will help you choose between different types of tail lamps and will tell you how to install and take care of them.

A beginner’s guide to vehicle taillights

Knowing about different types of rear lights and their functions can come in handy when you take your car to repair or when shopping for a new set of lights. There are many reasons to replace the lights. Like the paint and plastic parts of the car, lights lose their shine and clarity after a few years. The lights will crack and get foggy, limiting the visibility of the lights. When you start looking for brand new rear lights to replace the old ones, you will come across lots of different types and variations. Which one should you pick? Which is the best rear light to buy? Read on to find out.

Brake lights vs taillights

Because the brake lights are on the backside of the vehicle, they must also be called taillights, shouldn’t they be? But no, brake lights and taillights are not the same. A brake light turns on when you push the brake pedal. And only when you push the brake pedal. Otherwise, it remains off. This lets the cars riding behind you know that it is time to slow down or change the lane when they see the brake lights shining. On the other hand, taillights automatically turn on with the headlights. Unlike the brake lights. Taillights enable the motorist to see your car from behind and avoid collisions.

Custom taillights

These are for those who love to add a personal touch to their car. Using custom rear lights is a great way to pimp your ride. You can use them to give your car a more premium look or use lights that come in unique shapes to make your car stand out from the crowd. Or if you are a vintage car lover, you can even install a set similar to the famous wing lights of a Cadillac Eldorado. Other things that people like to customise about the rear lights are the texture of the glass and the background of the light. But if you do not want a new set of lights, you can try adding chrome bezels around the existing lights too.

LED rear lights

Light-emitting Diodes made their way into the automobile world after the 2000s. They quickly became the favourite bulbs for taillights as they have a fast reaction time, less power consumption and a longer lifespan than the average halogen bulb. Now, LED lights are becoming more and more relevant as the world is focusing on environmentally-friendly electric cars. Because LED Lights do not eat through battery power, electric cars can increase their range by using LED bulbs in place of the old halogen lamps.

Euro rear light

Despite the benefits of LED rear lights, some people prefer Euro-style lights for their distinctive design. They feature a smooth and aerodynamic glass globe with a one-piece outer surface. Euro lights use xenon bulbs instead of halogen bulbs. Although much more energy-efficient than a halogen bulb, they fall short in comparison to LED lights. But energy efficiency is not what people want Euro lights for. Euro lights have a smooth and clean design that LED lights do not offer. Sometimes it does make sense to trade efficiency for style.