AUDIQSS

We have had 11 different Audis ( original allroad, S4 Cab, three S5 Cabs, five A6s, and the 2018 Q7). Of them all the one I most DO NOT want to back-up in is the Q7; especially in the rain at night. The amount of light available from the reverse lights, even after installing higher output bulbs is TOTALLY insufficient. Add to that the fact that the lens of the back-up camera is not protected from the rain or road spray whatsoever and that the rear windows are heavily tinted by the factory means it is just not possible to comfortably back up this vehicle, even into a driveway I have been backing into for over 40 years. I don't even want to talk about backing up into an unfamiliar parking garage, shopping center parking lot, etc.

The only conclusion I can come to is that Audi engineers only drive their products forward, they may not even know that there is a reverse gear in the transmission.

If anyone has figured out a way to add additional reverse lights to this Q7, please let me know how you did it. Is there something I can mount to the trailer hitch receiver? If so how can I supply power to it? I need something better than having my wife walk beside the vehicle waving a 5,000 lumen spotlight!!

SCarGuy

Reverse lights aren’t there to illuminate the road to you. Best bet, install an auxiliary light in the back bumper, or under it, with its own dedicated switch.

Corgiman

So you’re saying the reverse lights only function is to signal that you’re backing up to other drivers? 🤔

Force-1

Correct - they inform cars and people around you that you are going to backup. They are not designed to illuminate like a headlight. And US DOT only requires 1 be installed.

AUDIQSS

The extension of what you are saying is that the people/drivers then need to avoid me vice me avoiding them. That if I hit them it is their fault for not getting out of my way because I showed them with my puny little backup lights that I was going to do so. That I don't NEED to see them. Needless to say that is BS! You are right, I don't need to see way down the road like with headlights, but I do need to see enough to know if something/someone is near behind me and the Q7 lights don't even provide that much illumination.

AudiFanFL

That's debatable.

Corgiman

No he’s correct. The regs say it’s only a signal that you’re reversing. The worst is the GM system that uses the reverse lights as path lighting. I can’t tell if they’re backing out or approaching/leaving the vehicle. Dumbest idea ever.

gsobol

So, there are minimum light requirements for all lights, including backup lights. OK, if you really, really want to know and don't mind the headache - here is the actual paragraph:

"S5.1.1.18 A backup lamp is not required to meet the minimum photometric values at each test point specified in Table I of SAE Standard J593c, if the sum of the candlepower measured at the test points within each group listed in Figure 2 is not less than the group totals specified in that figure."

Wow, whatever the hell that means. And in case that wasn't clear, here are the so called referred tables:




But nowhere does it mention that you have to see the trash cans or your neighbors Lexus while backing up in total darkness ....... just saying ......

BigKutta

I dont find the Q any worse that any other tinted SUV while reversing. As a matter of fact, the camera views do a very decent job, and even when reversing, I feel I have adequate light. The camera is also about as shielded as any other car I own...it will get dirty, so clean it. And yes, the back up light is for indication, and in no car has that ever illuminated the surroundings more than the Q.

hayde_bre

I used to turn on my hazard flashers when backing up in pitch black area, but recently I started using my rear fog lamps, they make it much brighter in the rear.
Audi reverse lights are not worse than 2 other X5s I drove in the past.