Buick brake lights are too low

[u/DifferentCoyote4562]

Not my pictures, but saw this car today. The brake lights are definitely not where you'd expect them and annoyingly low

[u/Popular_Course3885]

US DOT guidelines dictate size/location of where brakes lights can be located, with one major restriction being that your main two brake lights cannot be located on a movable panel (in this case, the hatch/trunk lid). Not sure why they couldn't use the out edge of the lights that are fixed to the side/rear panels, but I'm willing to bet this DOT restriction had something to do with whatever their thought process was.

I knew someone who used to have a Ferrari California, and the brake lights were just like this. The big round lights on the trunk lid couldn't be used, so their brake lights were down on the bumper too. He got pulled over all the time by the police thinking his taillights weren't working correctly.

[u/Simple_Sound_3840 → u/Popular_Course3885]

They can be on a movable panel - they just also have to have tail lights that can be seen when the panel is open. Ironically, Buick was one manufacturer that did the "secret tail light" thing on the Cascada. You see this on some Minis and BMWs as well.

[u/Konather → u/Simple_Sound_3840]

this. makes me think that the car thinks the hatch is open.

[u/Skirra08 → u/Simple_Sound_3840]

Yeah on the first generation California there were lights in the trunk for this reason.