Hey guys, I'm thinking of maybe ordering an F56 Justa soon, visited the dealer a couple months back to check out the first 2014's they got in. Fell in love with the car but forgot to check for something that's rather important to me. The rear turn signals/ hazards. On US spec cars, are they red or amber? I hope they're amber because it's easier to distinguish at night from the red tail lights, IMO an important safety feature and embarrassing that it's not mandated in the states yet (hopefully this will change soon with TAFTA coming along)

Also looking at the MK7 Golf GTI which has removed the ROW amber bulbs in favor of using the brake/running lights as the turn signal for our market...

 

I think F56 tail lights are all-red, worldwide. I've never seen a photo of an F56 with amber turn signals. If you go to international websites (mini.de, mini.co.uk, mini.fr, etc), they show all-red tail lights.

 

Yes the housings are red, but I'm talking about the bulbs. When they blink, are the red or amber?

 

Rear turn indicators blink a bright red circle within a darker red background.
Front and side indicators blink amber.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

All of the Euro spec cars here have turn signals that flash amber, to include the F56 Cooper.

That is not a requirement in the states...they flash red for US models.

 

Surprising that MINI doesn't offer amber rear turn signals for $250.

BTW, a real pet peeve of mine are the drivers who turn on their emergency flashing lights during heavy rains -- dangerous, and illegal in many (most?) states. Only for use when stopped.

 

Haha...funny. I think its a BMW thing though. Most if not all of their models use red flashers. I'm not sure if the tail light itself is different, or if it is just a different bulb.

A good use for the flashers here is when you drive into traffic on the autobahn, people turn on the hazards to warn people behind them of the slowdown.

 

Exotic sports cars have the function that when a driver brakes hard, both taillights flash rapidly for a bit. (a fast hazard flasher).

I generally put on my hazards on the highway if I'm going at speed and have to slow down. I live near Los Angeles, so I kinda don't want to get rear ended by distracted drivers who are likely tailgating anyway -- so anything can help! he he he

 

The problem is those rear flashers are usually/frequently also brake lights and turn signals. Follow behind someone w/ them on, and you won't know if they put on their turn signals. You'll also lose a fraction of a second if they hit the brakes -- dangerous and that's why they are illegal in so many states.

 

I honestly dont know why this happens...like on the newer Audi's...the whole damn tail light acts as a turn signal...American truck style.

Its not the case in Europe...The same model with have a separate amber LED turn signal independent of brake lights. Which I feel is MUCH safer.

Maybe its a cost issue...who knows.

I dont know the excuse for the BMW/MINI though...they have separate housings for the turn signals inside the tail lights.

 

On the NYS Thruway there are signs saying to use your flashers if you're driving slower than 40mph. I thought if something was illegal somewhere it was illegal in New York. Weird.

 

I read somewhere that while NHTSA knows that amber rear signals are something like 30% safer than red ones at night, they won't change it because "it promotes freedom in tail light design" or some moronic BS. Yet these are the same guys who want bicycle reflectors glued to the sides of the car....

 

Since amber isn't required, MINI and BMW have been doing all-red tail lights on most US spec models for cost saving reasons. On my 2006 R52, I purchased OEM Euro tail lights from a UK vendor just to get the amber signals. You'll have to do something similar.

Here's a video of the Euro model. Although the lens is red, the turn signal flashes amber. It's interesting that in past generations, MINI had always used amber or clear lenses where the light is amber, but this time they are using red lenses. Jump to 5:51.


This is the standard tail light (not the LED version that is included with the LED headlight package).

 

Awesome, thanks for posting. Would it not be possible to just change out the bulbs from red to amber though? would I have to buy entire new units?

 

One would think that to save cost, MINI/BMW would just use the same housing for all cars. Seems like it would cost more to develop/manufacture tail lamps for each specific market.


You could try it but it's the lens that's red, not the bulb. Likely you'll have to switch to Euro-spec tail lamps. It's the same way with VWs, too. It's funny, all the US fanboys want the Euro style and the folks across the pond like the all-red look. I guess the grass is always greener...

 

The original bulbs are clear. The color comes from shining through the red lens. Changing the bulb from clear to amber will affect the color slightly, but not significantly.

As I understand it, in European cars the amber is accomplished through subtractive colors by using a green filter between the bulb and red lens, but the filter is made of a material that hasn't been approved yet by the US DOT. I take this to mean that none of the manufacturers has taken it through the approval process (i.e. funded the required procedures and tests).

 

I don't particularly care what they look like. I just don't want some moron taking me out on the side of the road if I have to pull off for some reason and put the hazards on.

 

[QUOTE=sal1k;3964563]Exotic sports cars have the function that when a driver brakes hard, both taillights flash rapidly for a bit. (a fast hazard flasher).


My countryman has such system, it's called "the dynamic brake lights"

 

I see that you're in Europe. MINI didn't bring the system to the US (or that type of system hasn't been approved here).

 

With coding you can enable the dynamic force braking signals on US spec cars.

 

Would you please elaborate on that?

 

I apologize, it is possible with NCS Expert on the R56 but I'm not sure if it is the F56 (not sure if NCS Expert even works on the F56). I forgot this was in the gen3 forum.

 

would the European spec non-LED taillights (63217297433, 63217297434) be a direct plug and play fit on the NA F56?


If yes, anyone have a source where to get them other than EU Mini dealers which won't ship overseas? My local Mini dealer says they can't order EU spec parts

 

If I remember, if you slam on the breaks, the middle part of the lights will flash like the hazards are on a few times to get the attention of those behind you. Then they just stay on. You can get the amber lights but it would require replacing both your tail lights with euro spec ones.