The Third Brake Light (Third Brake Light Service)
April 17, 2022
So you thought you only had two brake lights. Look again and you'll see one in the center at a higher level than the two on either side of the vehicle. They're sometimes in the inside of the vehicle behind the back window, or they could be in the deck lid, on the roof or on the spare wheel carrier,
But why is that third brake on your vehicle? Experts say it helps prevent rear end collisions. Tests done by installing the third brake light in taxis and fleet vehicles showed fewer rear end crashes in the ones that had the extra light. The third brake light was mandated in new passenger cars in 1986 in the US and Canada. The requirement was added to new light trucks and vans in 1994.
Sometimes it's difficult to know if your third brake light is even working. Many vehicles have bulb warning systems that alert you to non-functional bulbs, but not all do. Your vehicle service facility will often check to see if all your turn signals, taillights and headlights are working during routine maintenance inspections, and they may notice that the third brake light is out.
So, do you have to have it replaced? Not necessarily. Many areas only require one brake light to work in the rear of a vehicle. So even though new vehicles have to have the third brake light, you may not get a ticket if it eventually stops working. But you may be missing an opportunity to drive a safer vehicle if you don't get it fixed.
In 1995, an insurance institute study found that 1986 model cars were involved in 5 percent fewer rear-end collisions from 1986-1991 than they would have expected without the extra light.
Ask your service advisor for advice. Keep in mind that in these days of drivers distracted by everything from texting to putting on makeup while driving, you can reasonably conclude that anything that makes you more visible to the vehicle behind you adds one more—possibly life saving—safety margin.
Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston
2017 E. Malone
Sikeston, Missouri 63801
573-472-1139
http://www.charliesfastlubesikeston.com
Need Service?
More articles from Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston
The Edible Engine
July 28, 2025
You may have had a friend whose vehicle was the victim of hungry rodents. After all, mice, rats and squirrelseven rabbitshave been known to gnaw on wires in engine compartments, causing vehicle electrical systems to go haywire. They can disable a vehicle completely and be very expensive to fix.... More
How Does Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston Know What to Recommend?
July 21, 2025
When you drop your vehicle off at Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston in Sikeston, they don't just poke around under your hood looking for stuff to do. Charlie's Fast Lube Sikeston professionals have lists and procedures they follow for different types of service. First of all, your Sikeston service cen... More
Command Performance (Engine Air Filter)
July 14, 2025
The internal combustion engine in your vehicle counts on two things that mix together to be burned in the engine for power: fuel and air. Both are important, of course. If you run out of fuel, your engine wont run at all. Since theres plenty of air around, you wont run out of air, but you coul... More