2010 GMC Terrain: Blinded by the (Reverse) Light

And who's idea was it to put a chrome strip across so that you can be blinded by reflecting lights? Remote opening from fob helps though.

This is an issue, really? I'd think more light is better. Just don't stare at them.

I never liked how GM lights up the reverse lights on unlocking. I've encountered these while walking/driving on a couple occasions and thought, for a moment, that the vehicle was about to reverse.

Please, could someone please write out the actual line in the song-- I have never been able to figure it out. To me I always heard it as: Wrapped up like a douche.en-anutter in the night.

The light is really good for battery manufacturers. Especially when you don't have the motor running... in the night.

Really?? Are you just trying to find things you don't like about the Terrain??

ed124c,

Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night. Deuce as in a deuce coupe.

Regarding the lyrics of the song:
http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/blow/blindedbythelight.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blinded_by_the_Light

Back to the Terrain:
Does it have a backup camera? Maybe the extra-bright lights are to assist the driver when reversing in less than optimal lighting.

Thanks,

Im goona be singing that all day now.

@mrryte

There is a back-up camera option in the Equinox/Terrain. My wife's Equinox has it. The image is displayed in the rear view mirror. I also figured the back-up lights are bright to help out the back-up camera. They sure aren't anywhere as bright as HID lamps (which are truly blinding to on-coming traffic).

As for the song, the lyrics are from a Bruce Springsteen tune (Manfred Mann did a cover of it). Mr. B already listed what the actual words are.

audisport +1

Back up camera is standard on all Terrains.

I would say bright back-up lights are good as you are backing into a spot, you have rear head lights! :D

Umm... so in your entire life you've never had to reverse when it's dark outside?

Can't fathom why you'd complain about this. To quote you:

"I wonder if the deuce who wrote it actually evaluated it prior to posting it"

I am really not sure how you could find more light to be annoying. It's for your safety and does not infringe on your enjoyment of the vehicle. GM vehicles have had this feature for many years. You should also notice that they only illuminate in low light (such as your parking garage), but they will not illuminate during a sunny day.

I have no problem with particularly bright backup lights, in fact they should be useful at night for enhancing visibility for the driver, the backup camera, and any approaching vehicles/pedestrians/etc. Especially good in inclement weather.

However, I absolutely hate how GM has them light up when unlocking the vehicle. I can't count how many times I've been driving through a parking lot, approach a GM vehicle with the reverse and running lights on and have to slow down and pass cautiously to ensure that the car isn't actually backing up. Drives me nuts.

My car uses the LED license plate lights for the same purpose and they illuminate a nice area around the back of the vehicle without faking other people out into thinking the car is about to back up.

Another vote for hating back-up lights that come on when the vehicle is not backing up. It's like crying wolf. People get used to ignoring back up lights, then complain when they get ran over by a car backing up. Although, I am getting very annoyed with vehicle lighting get overly bright in general. With all the new HID and Xenon headlights and LED tailights, my night vision is completely ruined and I can't see anything but the lights.

this is off topic but at first glance i thought this was a buick rendevous....

"I can't count how many times I've been driving through a parking lot, approach a GM vehicle with the reverse and running lights on and have to slow down and pass cautiously to ensure that the car isn't actually backing up. "

What is wrong with having to slow down in a parking lot? Isn't that what one should be doing by being a safe driver as to avoid hitting someone? Furthermore, how much "slower" does one go when the see the reverse lights? Are you going that fast to get through the parking lot that it's holding you up?

I'm honestly not trying to defend GM on this one -- I just don't see how one can gripe about these lights, especially with the reasoning that it's making someone slow down in a parking lot. This creates more safety for the person walking to their car, and even more so when they have their children in tow.

Bright reverse lights are great. Cannot begin to tell you how important it is to see where you are going, forward or backwards, at night. Honda is beginning to understand this GM seems to have gotten it years ago. Remember the old Grand Ams that had 4 reverse lights. And the old Corvettes that had rear cornering lights that along with the fronts turned on when in reverse. Swabs also had the cornering lights turn on in reverse. Cornering lights, great feature from the past that went away why?

Speaking of cornering lights I was behind a late 1980's Nissan Maxima tonight whose cornering light threw out this bright wide light when the turn signals were on. I really like cornering lights very useful when Turing in narrow driveways or streets.

It's actually pretty easy to discern whether if someone is backing out or unlocking the car.....see if the brake lights are lit.

"What is wrong with having to slow down in a parking lot? Isn't that what one should be doing by being a safe driver as to avoid hitting someone? Furthermore, how much "slower" does one go when the see the reverse lights? Are you going that fast to get through the parking lot that it's holding you up?"

I don't drive fast in parking lots. People are careless and bad enough drivers as it is. I assume the worst so it causes a false reaction, and that's what bugs me. It's a car with its reverse lights on and no one on the brakes. I don't know if it's carelessly about to back up in front of me or simply just unlocked.

"It's actually pretty easy to discern whether if someone is backing out or unlocking the car.....see if the brake lights are lit."

That's exactly the problem. It could be someone backing up without their foot on the brakes!

"Cornering lights, great feature from the past that went away why?"

They're alive and well actually - making a comeback. All new BMWs with adaptive bi-xenon headlights have a second dedicated cornering light for sharper turns. The inner headlight is actually kind of a fake - it's a halogen light that angles to the side... it serves no other function since the low and high beams are all covered by the outer adaptive xenon units. Both cornering lights illuminate when the car is in reverse. Mercedes also has secondary halogen cornering lights (in the fog light unit) on their newer models.

I understand where you're coming from, bimmerjay. I am just as annoyed when someone goes exactly the speed limit (or just under -- because, well, it is a limit, after all). Either way, these "annoyances" are quite small in nature, and when it comes down to it, they have safety in mind rather than the minor annoyance to others around.

I think we can all agree that in the grand scheme of things, this stuff does not make or break what determines a good vehicle. If anything, these are simply nit-picky quirks for those who can't really find anything wrong with said vehicle.

"I think we can all agree that in the grand scheme of things, this stuff does not make or break what determines a good vehicle. If anything, these are simply nit-picky quirks for those who can't really find anything wrong with said vehicle."

I agree, but it is the small things that make or break an ownership experience sometimes. I don't suppose this would bother me as an owner (having bright lights wouldn't), but as another driver, count me as yet another vote for the highly irritated when it appears a GM driver is backing from their space. It's like someone having their turn signal on that isn't really turning, to me.

I don't think they're struggling to find things wrong with it. The "Christine" nav system and the bull-headed transmission that isn't meeting the advertised EPA rating OR offering snappy performance. It's a good car, but based on the powertrain options, it's just that: good, but not without flaws (but what car is?).

"reverse" lights...

@graduate:

You make a good point: I certainly did not mean to imply that the Terrain has nothing wrong with it (but I see that I did). Perhaps the analogy "mountain out of a mole hill" is more appropriate.

Either way, this "problem" is not a problem for the owner of the vehicle (unless one is concerned that road-rage may ensue in the mall parking lot).

And yes, those who drive with turn signals on (and those who simply do not use them) are quite annoying. Turn signal use (or lack of) can cause accidents; illuminating the reverse lights probably won't.

+1 for bright reverse lights.

-10 for bright reverse lights coming on when you unlock the door(s).