What is a high-mounted brake light for cars?
The high-mounted brake light is the third brake light installed on the upper part of the rear of the vehicle, at the top of the rear windshield, or at the center line of the rear end. It is also called a high-position brake light or a third brake light and is an auxiliary light of the brake light.
Its main function: It is positioned higher than the ordinary brake light, and during braking, it is more likely to be seen by vehicles behind (especially trucks, buses, etc. with high chassis), which can effectively reduce the risk of rear-end collisions.
Main features
Installation location: Usually on the upper part of the rear of the vehicle, inside the rear windshield, or on the top of the trunk lid. The light band is relatively wide, and some cover about half of the rear window.
Working principle: Lights up when braking to warn the vehicles behind to slow down or stop. Especially more effective at night, in foggy conditions, etc.
Common types: Traditional gas high-position brake lights (cheap but prone to damage, average brightness) and LED high-position brake lights (high brightness, long lifespan, currently mainstream).
The core function of the car high-mounted brake lights (high-position brake lights) is to warn the vehicles behind and reduce the risk of rear-end collisions. They are installed on the upper part of the rear, making it easier for the following vehicle to see the braking signal.
Why is it more effective than ordinary brake lights?
Higher position, more prominent: Ordinary brake lights are at both ends of the rear, low position, and drivers of trucks and buses with a high chassis are easily blocked by the view of the front vehicle; high-position brake lights are installed on the upper part of the rear, providing a wider field of vision, and the following vehicle can detect the vehicle in front braking more quickly.
Three lights arranged in a triangle, double the warning effect: The left and right brake lights are close to the width light position and have the same color, which is easily overlooked; adding high-position brake lights, the three lights form a triangle, significantly improving the recognition degree.
When following, can "skip over" the front vehicle to observe: When following, through the high-position brake lights of the front vehicle, one can observe the braking dynamics of the vehicle further ahead, get a head start in predicting the road conditions, and avoid sudden braking or rear-end collisions.
Actual effectiveness is supported by data.
High-position brake lights can reduce about 4.3% of traffic accidents.
At a speed of 88 km/h, LED high-position brake lights can shorten the stopping distance of the following vehicle by 4.9 to 7.4 meters, giving the following vehicle more valuable reaction time.
Usage reminder:
High-position brake lights mostly use LED sources, with extremely fast lighting speed (40-60 ms), long lifespan, and more energy-efficient, but also need to regularly check if they are properly lit to ensure they can function in critical moments.
In low visibility conditions such as at night, in foggy, rainy days, etc., the effect of high-position brake lights is particularly prominent. Don't underestimate it.
High-position brake lights not lighting up, the most common reason is that the bulb has burned out → either the high-position brake light bulb has burned out or the circuit is broken.
If all brake lights are not lighting up → it may be a problem with the brake light switch, fuse, or main circuit.
Check the symptoms: Step on the brake, observe if the left and right brake lights are lighting up normally.
Both sides are lighting up, only the high-position not → likely the high-position brake light bulb has burned out or the circuit is open.
If all brake lights are not lighting up → it may be a problem with the brake light switch, fuse, or main circuit.
Check the bulb: Open the trunk, remove the high-position brake light cover, check if the filament is broken or the bulb is black. If it's broken, replace with the same model bulb (halogen bulbs cost a few to tens of dollars, LED slightly more expensive).
Check the fuse: Refer to the vehicle manual, find the brake light fuse, check if it is broken. If broken, replace with the same specification.
Test the switch and circuit: If the bulb and fuse are not the problem, use a multimeter to test if the brake light switch (near the brake pedal) and the circuit to the high-position light are energized. If the switch is broken, replace it, and if there is a broken point in the circuit, connect it.
Special handling for high-end vehicles: Some models may have fault codes stored in the body control module, requiring professional equipment to reset or being reprogrammed at a 4S store.
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