Reversing lights upgrade?

[van ordinaire]

OK, just don't expect pretty pictures of relays - or even a wiring diagram BUT I will need a little time to think this through & set it out in any meaningful way.

[GiveMeABreak]

Just bear in mind the CAN wiring on these vehicles and any hashing or splicing may have unintended consequences....

[WillyR]

Just bear in mind the CAN wiring on these vehicles and any hashing or splicing may have unintended consequences....

Absolutely. Thanks

[WillyR]

OK, just don't expect pretty pictures of relays - or even a wiring diagram BUT I will need a little time to think this through & set it out in any meaningful way.

No problem. The reverse lights have been rubbish for 3 years already. Another 6 to 12 months won't hurt.

[renagade]

Hi All
I bought one of those reversing camera and screen kits for both my C5 . X7 and find them to be very good. £12.50 . Easy to fit as well

[Richard_C]

The X7 lights are compromised by the mock-led look chip-cutter stuff inside the light fitting. Seems to narrow the spread of light. Turning the big red rear foglight on helps but only a bit.

I reverse down an unlit shared access to my gateway, a few years back I fixed a couple of bike-wheel reflectors to the gateposts at a handy height, helps the aim.

[WillyR]

The X7 lights are compromised by the mock-led look chip-cutter stuff inside the light fitting. Seems to narrow the spread of light. Turning the big red rear foglight on helps but only a bit.

I reverse down an unlit shared access to my gateway, a few years back I fixed a couple of bike-wheel reflectors to the gateposts at a handy height, helps the aim.

Sadly my home area has no facility to use reflectors of any kind. Perhaps I should mount a monster outdoor light and destroy any friendship I have with my neighbours.

Richard, you have the same car as me, although you might not have the LED Reverse lights depending on model. I have had a Xantia 2.0 HDi, XM V6, C5 MkI, all with excellent reverse lights but my New 2015 Grand Picasso (B78) is absolutely hopeless at lighting its way backwards. I have tried the rear fogs, I have tried the rear camera, all with no safe display of what is behind or where I'm going to end up. And you can't open the door because it puts the brakes on and screams blue murder.

Someone mentioned that the internal rear view mirror dimming is switch off in reverse, but I don't see this in reality, as my door mirrors are marginally brighter.

One of the pleasures of owning the "best" MPV in Britain, I suppose.

[Richard_C]

Yes, Excl+ with LEDS. Same problem. I can back my wife's C3 down the drive easily in the dark, the C4 Pic and the C5 I had before both dreadful. Tinted rear windows don't help.

I'm thinking of fitting a roof box and some kind of roof-launched parachute flare contraption. A lump of burning magnesium floating slowly down won't do any harm will it? My father told tales of landing his Baltimore in North Africa with buckets of burning kerosene marking out the runway. Maybe that's what I need.

[myglaren]

You need one of these in the back window:



You may need som Alooooominum and sodder!

[WillyR]

Yes, Excl+ with LEDS. Same problem. I can back my wife's C3 down the drive easily in the dark, the C4 Pic and the C5 I had before both dreadful. Tinted rear windows don't help.

I'm thinking of fitting a roof box and some kind of roof-launched parachute flare contraption. A lump of burning magnesium floating slowly down won't do any harm will it? My father told tales of landing his Baltimore in North Africa with buckets of burning kerosene marking out the runway. Maybe that's what I need.

Heh heh… that would scare the chickens in the back garden...

Further investigation is the order of the day, here. Thanks for brightening up my morning.

[WillyR]

Yes, Excl+ with LEDS. Same problem. I can back my wife's C3 down the drive easily in the dark, the C4 Pic and the C5 I had before both dreadful. Tinted rear windows don't help.

I'm thinking of fitting a roof box and some kind of roof-launched parachute flare contraption. A lump of burning magnesium floating slowly down won't do any harm will it? My father told tales of landing his Baltimore in North Africa with buckets of burning kerosene marking out the runway. Maybe that's what I need.

Heh heh… that would scare the chickens in the back garden...

Further investigation is the order of the day, here. Thanks for brightening up my morning.

[WillyR]

You need one of these in the back window:



You may need som Alooooominum and sodder!

Perfect... And after I have burned the house down, I won't need the light as there will be nothing in my way any more.

Question... would it melt the tinting film in the back window? heh heh...

[van ordinaire]

Never mind the film, more likely melt the back window!

[Paul-R]

I don't know about melting the back window but it might bleach the retinas out of anyone following!

[van ordinaire]

There's a guy on the Cadillac forum who thinks rear fogs (not required in USA) are an excellent ant-tailgating device, thus inspired he's mounted a laser on the back of his car which (as I understand it) projects a red triangle on the road immediately behind him. In response to the protests/uproar, he said his cousin, the Deputy Sheriff (this is in Tennessee, b-t-w) says it's fine!