[1LeeMartin1]

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF.....When you Use the Regen Paddle....to slow down...DO THE BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON??

Driving in California (land of fruits flakes & Nuts)....most drivers are doing 95 mph while tailgating...and reading their emails, texting and brushing their teeth???

....It IS a MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON while you are using the Regen Paddle and slowing down dramatically (at least in California) ...imho....
PLEASE ADVISE?.....

FYI...ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD for removing the turn signals in the mirrors (which the 2015 models did have)?

Come on GM...Great Car...but dont chea out on safety items

 

[Loboc]

Short answer: Yes, the brake lights come on.

Qualified answer: Depends on the rate of deceleration. At ~-0.12g they come on.

 

[DonC]

Federal regulations define when the brake lights come on. As Loboc says, it all depends on the deceleration. Sometimes they have to come on. Sometimes they have to stay off. And sometimes it's up to the manufacturer. Definitely not a safety issue.

FYI I've driven the Volt for almost six years in San Diego and haven't come close to being rear ended. You can relax.

 

[1LeeMartin1]

Federal regulations define when the brake lights come on. As Loboc says, it all depends on the deceleration. Sometimes they have to come on. Sometimes they have to stay off. And sometimes it's up to the manufacturer. Definitely not a safety issue.

FYI I've driven the Volt for almost six years in San Diego and haven't come close to being rear ended. You can relax.

Hi and thanks for your answer...However I CANT RELAX! I have been driving in San Diego since the 70s and in the last 3 years have been rear ended TWICE You have been LUCKY ))

 

[BAZINGA]

If you get rear ended it's not the Volt's fault. Relax.

 

[trm2]

Hi and thanks for your answer...However I CANT RELAX! I have been driving in San Diego since the 70s and in the last 3 years have been rear ended TWICE You have been LUCKY ))

When you were rear ended, were you already stopped or were you still moving?

 

[1LeeMartin1]

When you were rear ended, were you already stopped or were you still moving?

Both....one each...after all it is California...where kamikaze drivers unite from all over the world

 

[16513]

I think a useful addition that wouldn't cost Chevy much would be a tiny, brake light-activated red LED in the hatch area visible in the rear view mirror. Just knowing whether it's on or off is helpful, as one can choose to activate the lights using light brake pedal any time. I do this occasionally in heavy stop and go traffic. No rear enders -yet-- in 4+ years. (knock on wood)

 

[Gary Norton]

The owner's manual says they do when you decelerate at a rate where lights are required by Federal regulations.

 

[caskConditionedAle]

I drive a gen 1, so pardon my ignorance. When you press the paddle, is it like shifting into L, a sudden slow down? When somebody is tailgating me, I personally wouldn't do any drastic slow downs, brake lights or not.

 

[acarney]

The lights will come on when using the regen paddle (but will turn off if you slow enough down but still have your hand on the paddle) AND will come on when the car is in L and you're going faster enough and let off the accelerator long enough. However, I would NOT use the regen paddle on the freeway when it's bumper to bump... I'm not even sure I would use L on the freeway bumper to bumper unless traffic was like less then 20 mph. You slow down a lot more then just letting off the gas in a normal car and honestly you slow down a pretty dang good amount compared to just gently pushing the brakes. (Think about how you use brakes on the freeway when traffic is flowing, usually to open a gap or position yourself, not really to slow down a lot). I had a guy get WAY to close for my comfort last night while I was coming up to a red light on a 45 mph road because I started slowing down MUCH earlier then most other cars (not drastically, but come on, most wait till they're like 100 feet or less away from a light to apply a decent brake force) and I think the regen caught him by surprise and didn't expect me to suddenly start to shave ~3 mph off every second instead of "coasting" up to the light.

The side turn lights I'm not sure are that big of an issue... the Volt's corner lights REALLY wrap around the corner and I've noticed before the running lights REALLY show up from the side and I think those are the same areas as the turn signals. Light visibility on the car seems pretty good.

 

[no fumes]

I've driven all over the place/world. There are bad drivers everywhere, but...since I also live in San Diego area, just the other morning at 5AM I am on the 5 south, traffic is light (what passes for 'light' here even at 5AM!), peacefully minding my own business in the SLOW lane with cruise set at 60 MPH and jazz playing on the radio. From behind comes another vehicle, gets right up on me, expecting? not sure what? Meanwhile a semi has moved up in the lane next to us and for whatever reason is just holding steady. The person behind me starts with the high beam routine. As if I am supposed to punch it in the slow lane so he can get around the truck. He gets closer and closer, with no room for error if something happens. I resisted the temptation to put the middle finger out the window. After a few minutes the vehicle dropped back behind the truck and went around him in the largely empty freeway.

 

[canehdian]

The only answer you need is that the lights activate when necessary.

 

[acarney]

I've driven all over the place/world. There are bad drivers everywhere, but...since I also live in San Diego area, just the other morning at 5AM I am on the 5 south, traffic is light (what passes for 'light' here even at 5AM!), peacefully minding my own business in the SLOW lane with cruise set at 60 MPH and jazz playing on the radio. From behind comes another vehicle, gets right up on me, expecting? not sure what? Meanwhile a semi has moved up in the lane next to us and for whatever reason is just holding steady. The person behind me starts with the high beam routine. As if I am supposed to punch it in the slow lane so he can get around the truck. He gets closer and closer, with no room for error if something happens. I resisted the temptation to put the middle finger out the window. After a few minutes the vehicle dropped back behind the truck and went around him in the largely empty freeway.

I get that a lot too. I go crazy when I see them coming up from like 15 cars back (when they COULD move over!) sit behind me and then honk or flash the lights before finally racing around me like two minutes later. Do their brains really work that slow? Does it take them a minute or two behind the car they somehow magically got close to before they realize the guy is going much slower? Do they forget constantly they can change lanes? Are they worried there's a wall between them?

 

[DonM]

If I'm using the paddle often, or in L I'm concerned that the constant brake light on off is a nuisance to following drivers. It just looks like a nervous driver habit. Does anyone else feel this way?

 

[Kraven]

If I'm using the paddle often, or in L I'm concerned that the constant brake light on off is a nuisance to following drivers. It just looks like a nervous driver habit. Does anyone else feel this way?

Yes, this thought has occurred to me once or twice. I'm careful to not feather (or pump) the paddle (I use L sparingly, down steeper grades mostly) when someone is close behind me. I feather the paddle in certain situations, but not when someone is behind me. If someone is behind me, I'm either constant on the paddle as I have enough room in front to slow down with paddle only or I'm using the brake, keeping the brake light constant in these situations. We all need to help out drivers around us (especially certain drivers who need more time/help) so being vigilant about your surroundings at all times is basic driving common sense, and incorporating this common sense into how our Volts work is just more common sense.

 

[don shaw]

in addition to the paddle activating the taillights, if you are driving in low and let up on the accelerator the taillights come on.

 

[quirkySquirt]

I think a useful addition that wouldn't cost Chevy much would be a tiny, brake light-activated red LED in the hatch area visible in the rear view mirror. Just knowing whether it's on or off is helpful, as one can choose to activate the lights using light brake pedal any time. I do this occasionally in heavy stop and go traffic. No rear enders -yet-- in 4+ years. (knock on wood)

Seconded. Heck, even a passive fiberoptic cable routed to your dash to see the lights come on wouldn't be *that* expensive.

Yes, this thought has occurred to me once or twice. I'm careful to not feather (or pump) the paddle (I use L sparingly, down steeper grades mostly) when someone is close behind me. I feather the paddle in certain situations, but not when someone is behind me. If someone is behind me, I'm either constant on the paddle as I have enough room in front to slow down with paddle only or I'm using the brake, keeping the brake light constant in these situations. We all need to help out drivers around us (especially certain drivers who need more time/help) so being vigilant about your surroundings at all times is basic driving common sense, and incorporating this common sense into how our Volts work is just more common sense.

On the flip side, some drivers have poor control and only operate brakes digitally, so if I see someone's brake lights ahead of me flickering on and off a few times, I'm cool with it. This is why I keep 2-3 seconds distance (good day) behind someone so I have time to deal with sporadic, digital brakers in front of me (e.g., braking is either on or off, no gradual in between for them).

I do this myself since sometimes, hit a pothole without seeing it in time so I instinctively press the brake again after letting up. If the person behind is annoyed, that's their problem--they're tailgating me every time and get pissy they can't chave a nanosecond off their commute by tailgating.

 

[Mr_B]

Thanks for clarifying Gary. I had been wondering the same thing especially when using the adaptive cruise control.

 

[wws]

Short answer: Yes, the brake lights come on.

Qualified answer: Depends on the rate of deceleration. At ~-0.12g they come on.

When pulling the paddle, the brake lights always turn on.

When lifting your foot in "D", the brake lights do not turn on.

When lifting your foot in "L", the brake lights are dependent on the rate of deceleration.

When pressing the brake pedal, the brake lights always turn on.