Adding a 3rd brake light flasher
 

Can someone enlighten me on how to pull the 3rd brake light assembly out of a 2019 RDX to install a flasher unit? No screws visible, only a small button of some sort on the underside of light assy. Photos would be appreciated. Don't want to break anything,
Thanks in advance.

Not sure where you are located but if you are in the US or Canada (which I assume you are because of the RDX), then it is a violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 to have a flashing 3rd brake light.

^ This is correct.

The federally-mandated center high mounted stop lamp must be steady burning. Not flashing, blinking, or pulsing, but steady.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...sec571-108.pdf

Here in Texas (and possibly other states), a vehicle is to be rejected during an inspection if the CHMSL isn't steady burning.

https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetfo...ms/VIE-201.pdf

This hasn't stopped new car dealers from installing third brake light flashers on their vehicles and charging hundreds of dollars for this "safety feature". All the new Hyundais running around my area have CHMSL flashers added by the dealer.

Probably true
 

I see what you’re saying, but I’ve been getting my 2013 Avalanche inspected at different Texas State inspection stations for yea and not once have I been informed that this would fail the inspection. The DOT does not inspect our vehicles in Texas. I don’t see what all the fuss about what is legal has to do with the original post, which asked for info on how the remove said light. I wish people would just answer the question posed or not answer at all. (My option), which you didn’t ask for either.

Well... First, Texas didn't include the CHMSL in its list of inspected items until January 1, 2017. Before then, it could be ripped out, busted, or burned out and wouldn't cause the vehicle to fail an inspection in the state of Texas.

The United States Code of Federal Regulation, Title 49, Subtitle B, Chapter 5, Part 571, Section § 571.108 has mandated a CHMSL on vehicles sold in the United States since 1986.

The "DOT" (Department of Transportation - US, Texas, or other jurisdiction) has nothing to do with requiring CHMSL's or their inspection.

A CHMSL and its specification is required by US law and enforced by licensed inspection stations under the Texas Vehicle Inspection Program - a service of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The laws are clear - new vehicles must be equipped with a steady-burning CHMSL and vehicle inspection stations aren't supposed to pass a vehicle it the CHMSL unless it meets these requirements

If a vehicle inspection station passes a vehicle with a flashing CHMSL, they are at risk of losing their license if they are caught.

Dealers who install a CHMSL flasher are not only tampering with a federally-required safety device, but also illegally passing vehicles during the vehicle inspection process putting themselves at quite the liability risk. This practice will come to a screeching halt when some ambulance-chasing lawyer takes a deadly crash case and determines that the cause was due to a brake light modification installed by the dealer. Just watch.

FMVSS 108 specifies the lighting standards. These standards cannot be modified by the states, but the states can determine what they will inspect (or if they will inspect anything at all).

However, this does not preclude law enforcement from ticketing a non-compliant vehicle. In addition an insurance company may decline to pay your claim if your vehicle is non-compliant.

Those dealers who are illegally modifying the cars are subject to a fine (IIRC) of $1600 per incident.

One must also be very clear that most states regulate flashing red and/or blue lights as they are normally reserved for emergency vehicles.

Ignorance of the law isn't an excuse.

Flashing CHMSL are dangerous and will set YOU up for trouble.

I wouldn't be surprised if it passes.

It takes at least 10-15 minutes for an employee to pull a vehicle in, inspect it, and complete the paperwork. The station can only collect $7 for their service. If they do four inspections per hour, that's $28. The station makes little to no profit on inspections, so they put their lowest-paid employees in charge of them.

I regularly see vehicles pass inspections that should have failed due to lack of employee concern or because they were slipped an extra $20 or because the inspector is the owner's brother-in-law.

I contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety today for clarification on the laws and enforcement. They're supposed to research and get back with me tomorrow. We'll see.

And it would generally take two people to check the CHMSL. Most inspection stations have four mirrors to check taillights and front blinkers, but they seldom have a way to check the third brake light.

$7 for an inspection is awfully cheap. VA charges $16 although most dealerships will give you a free inspection with any service.

If DPS comes back with any answer other than "it must be steady state" then they are violation of Federal law.

Back when bluetooth headsets first came out they were pretty large and most had a large blue LED. I got pulled over by a MD cop because I had tossed the headset on the dash, the blue light was still on and he thought I had a police light.

Ok, went and had my 2013 Avalanche inspected this morning, which has a flashing (5 times rapid) and passed with flying colors! I watch the whole process and they very clearly saw the flashing.

You know there are so many laws on the books that it boggles the mind! Just for example, it it a state law that you must have a license plate on the front and rear of all registered passenger cars! Millions of cars are only displaying one. Sure you can be sited for that, but few are.

I am still going to put the flasher on my RDX as soon as I can figure out how to get the assemble out of the hatchback. There is also a DOT reg that says he third brake light shale be easily relamped without any special tool. I can’t see that happening either. CITIZENS AREST , AS BARNEY FIFE USE TO SAY, lol

Can you provide a link to this? I'd be curious to read it since most CHMSL's now use LED's and are not relampable.

Easy access to high mounted stop light
 

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...5032211dc0.png
This is the info you asked for. 1st item

I think this varies by state. However, in the states where it is required to have both a front and rear license plate, people can be and are stopped and ticketed for not having them. I'm fairly sure they don't enforce this on out-of-state cars, obviously. You would be responsible for knowing the particular laws in your own state.

Regarding this thread, I'm not trying to be offensive, but I never understand the need to make these weird modifications on cars. A flashing third rear light? That doesn't even look good. It's literally just a random "look at me, I'm different" thing. And then when people are told that it's a violation of the law, they're like "that's OK, I bet I can get it through anyways." And then if they get cited or pulled over, it's always like "what, officer, I didn't know??" or something like that. Any time there's a law, someone has to go around trying to break it.

Amazing how many have felt the need to pounce all over this post with legal BS without ever answering the question. Are you all just so bored/sad that you feel the need to impress? Flashing center brake lights draw attention to the car. Please list a study that says otherwise.

Amazing how many reply to three year-old threads. ;)

Will be another as*hole with blinking brake lights, duh..