reversing lights poor

[pont]

Hi,
Just got a xc60 yr 15 and the reversing lights are very weak, almost no help when reversing. Has anyone found an improved bulb or similar? I do not have a reversing camera.

Oh, and do the footwell lights really stay on permanently at night?

Many thanks

[wimorrison]

You can turn the lights down by using the dimmer control beside the headlight switch, and I cannot say that I have thought that the rev sing lights are poor - no better than any other car but also no worse.

[Brodick]

Agree with above.

What do you mean by almost no help???
Reversing lights are not designed to assist the driver with reversing. They are there as a warning to other motorists and pedestrians that you are about to move.

[CDJ]

Originally Posted by Brodick

Agree with above.

What do you mean by almost no help???
Reversing lights are not designed to assist the driver with reversing. They are there as a warning to other motorists and pedestrians that you are about to move.

The purpose of a reversing light includes to help you see where you're going!

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by pont

Hi,
Just got a xc60 yr 15 and the reversing lights are very weak, almost no help when reversing. Has anyone found an improved bulb or similar? I do not have a reversing camera.

Oh, and do the footwell lights really stay on permanently at night?

Many thanks

Volvo now use a double reversing light, one on each side, and I find mine much better than any other car I've owned.

You sure both the lights are working?

[Brodick]

Originally Posted by CDJ

The purpose of a reversing light includes to help you see where you're going!

If this was the case - why would a number of vehicles only have on very small reversing light and some even mounted at bottom of bumper?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-high...her-road-users

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...hedule/14/made

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by Brodick

If this was the case - why would a number of vehicles only have on very small reversing light and some even mounted at bottom of bumper?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-high...her-road-users

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...hedule/14/made

I'm inclined to think the Highway Code is wrong in this instance as reversing lights are optional and not required to be working for the MOT. If they were signal lights it seems to me it would be an MOT fail if they were not working but it isn't from everything I've read on the web.

[pont]

I am not questionning the highway code, just the practicalities of night reversing.

I am very grateful to wimorrison for his constructive inputs, which include confirming that the footwell lights do stay on (15 model yr) and that the "dash dimmer" is the only way to reduce the light, which I find an unwelcome distraction when driving on our very dark lanes around here.
The autodipping headlights are , for me, wonderful.

Reversing lights on my v70 and other cars I drive do assist with seeing where you are going, and Rory, I have the twin lights. What year is yours? I am wondering if the bulbs, which I am led to believe are now LED on mine, may unusually be less bright than the ordinary ones they replace, from what you say.

The new to me xc60 reversing lights are certainly bright enough to inform others that I am reversing, but cast no "flood" of light to show the way. For practical looking in the wing mirror purposes, none. There are two of them which I must admit surprised me, as that can be confused for distant headlights.

One last thought, I sat wondering how I was going to reverse in the pitch black last night, and gave up and drove forward to turn round. While writing this reply, I have started to wonder if the reversing lights brighten when either the handbrake goes off, or the vehicle moves. This would be typical of the new "even more clever" Volvo thinking.
An experiment tonight is in order. I will let you know if there is news.....

My post was made in the hope that someone may agree with me, and have found an improvement. I live in a world of no street lights and pitch black roads.
On a positive note - Wow, what a car!

[wimorrison]

I am fairly certain that the bulbs in mine are incandescent not LED - has the previous owner 'upgraded' to LED with a lower power?

Edit - confirmed that my car has 21w incandescent bulbs

[mordred1973]

do you have the dark tint rear windows? I do and as you say at night its 99% black if you use internal mirror, better using the door mirrors and miles better than our Seat Ibiza, they're so poor can't see the kerb to line the car up!