Door Mirror Turn Signals

I know this sounds like a dumb question. I've searched the owner's manual and this forum but I can't seem to find what I'm looking to confirm.

 

Can someone confirm to me that the door mirror turn signal repeaters have a component that illuminates forward when the turn signal flashes? My '17 only seems to flash the small square side/rearward section when the turn signal is engaged. There's nothing lighting up in the part of the clear lens that wraps around the front of the mirror housing, either door.

 

This doesn't seem right. My '05 LGT LTD had turn signal repeaters in the door mirrors and the whole bottom of the front of the mirror housing flashed with the turn signal.

My 2017 only lights up on the sides and rear as well. I used my hazards to test this. The turn signal is barely visible from the front during the day. At night, it can clearly be seen from the front even with the headlights on. I still don’t think it’s bright enough from the front though, day or night.

Like you, I looked for the non existing bulb and I came up with nothing. I thought about attempting to open up the lens add an LED strip that illuminates in the front, but I decided against it.

 

If anyone has a solution I would love to hear it as well.

 

 

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So why does the clear lens wrap around the front of the mirror housing? I'm convinced the turn signal repeaters in the door mirrors are an effective safety item.

So why does the clear lens wrap around the front of the mirror housing? I'm convinced the turn signal repeaters in the door mirrors are an effective safety item.

 

Fancy cosmetics Just like the rear light cluster on the trunk lid that don't have bulbs in them!

There must be a good reason. Subaru wouldn't do this just to save a buck on each mirror, would they?

I just passed a 2018 Legacy coming towards me taking a left and it clearly had a bulb in the front side of the amber housing. I do not know what trim level it was, but it was clear as day. I hope someone can chime in because I sense a mirror upgrade in my future if that is now a factory option.

 

 

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I just passed a 2018 Legacy coming towards me taking a left and it clearly had a bulb in the front side of the amber housing. I do not know what trim level it was, but it was clear as day. I hope someone can chime in because I sense a mirror upgrade in my future if that is now a factory option.

 

 

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You can get these if u want much better it will fit our 6gens

 

https://www.amazon.com/Forester-mirror-Accessories-Indicator-Puddle/dp/B00IJ5DV04/ref=pd_sbs_263_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00IJ5DYF6&pd_rd_r=QSZK0CC5BWAR5F2N5T5D&pd_rd_w=SRUbg&pd_rd_wg=BE11o&refRID=QSZK0CC5BWAR5F2N5T5D&th=1

I have a 2015 Legacy and noticed last night that when standing still, there are 3 bulbs that light up in the turn signal mirror. However, when traveling at speed, only the rear most bulb illuminates and is not visible from the the front of the vehicle. Weird I know. Not sure what the logic is behind that. I had someone drive it last night following me to drop off for service.

Here's a video of my 2017 with the emergency flashers engaged. There is no bulb operating in the forward facing section of the clear lens.

 

there are easy to see turn signal lights at the front of the car. If a car is approaching you, do you really check their mirrors to see if they are indicating a turn?

 

That said, the side indicators would be useful for merging in traffic or passing vehicles on the highway, along with blind spot monitoring.

 

IMHO this complaint ranks up there with being irritated that the 2.5 liter has one exhaust outlet and a plastic cover where the 3.6's second exhaust tip sits. First world problems.

There must be a good reason. Subaru wouldn't do this just to save a buck on each mirror, would they?

 

Saving a buck on each mirror would be plenty of reason for Subaru to do it. You figure if they sold 500,000 cars a year with this mirror, it would save them a $1million a year. You figure that pays for 10 engineers salaries or 1/10 of an executive's yearly bonus . Engineers design nice, robust parts, and then the finance guys who don't understand engineering tell you it's too expensive and "why can't you make it for half the cost." I quickly learned after college that companies value an engineer that can save money and keep part properties the same, compared to one who can keep the cost the same but give you superior properties with a more robust and innovative product. At the end of the day capitalism thwarts innovation once again lol.

Every day for the last 30 years I make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic that has a stop sign while I have priority and no stop. Until I got my 2005 LGT with forward facing turn repeaters in the door mirrors those oncoming cars often did not see my left turn signal and would start up as I turned in front of them. With the door mirror repeaters, those incidents were much less frequent. Yes, the mirror repeaters are effective.

 

My question is why did they eliminate what seems like a single bulb? Cost?

Here's a video of my 2017 with the emergency flashers engaged. There is no bulb operating in the forward facing section of the clear lens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I posted this last week, but I saw a 6th gen Legacy with a bulb blinking facing forward. Judging by the driver, I highly doubt it was a mod. I still can’t figure it out

 

 

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Here's a video of my 2017 with the emergency flashers engaged. There is no bulb operating in the forward facing section of the clear lens.

 

According to the FSM, there is just a single LED behind the lens in each side mirror (2015-2017).

I just bought a 2018 Legacy 3 weeks ago and I was surprised to find it has no side-blinkers. My previous car, a 2007 Mazda 3 had them and it was only a mid-trim. For a brand that's so safety-minded, I'm shocked they would omit a basic safety component to save a couple bucks. I actually thought they were mandated by the government since virtually every car seems to have them. I have had a couple similar experiences as Ovcoursitsilver mentions in my new car now, where a perpendicular car starts pulling out in front of me because he can't see that my blinker is on.

For what it's worth, these turn signal repeater lights are designed primarily to send light to the side of the vehicle, NOT the front. And there are, of course, legal requirements about what those lights have to illuminate. It's not like Subaru just decided they didn't want light going to the front (you do have a front turn signal in the headlight after all), but they were designed to meet the legal requirements.

For what it's worth, these turn signal repeater lights are designed primarily to send light to the side of the vehicle, NOT the front. And there are, of course, legal requirements about what those lights have to illuminate. It's not like Subaru just decided they didn't want light going to the front (you do have a front turn signal in the headlight after all), but they were designed to meet the legal requirements.

 

Well that explains why the mirrors on my '17 don't have forward-facing bulbs! I don't have access to those legal requirements. To which laws are you referring and when did they come into effect? I see a lot of new cars of all makes driving around that must be non-compliant.

 

So some time in the last few years, the government decided that all those cars running around with forward-facing mirror mounted turn signals were incorrectly designed and dangerous? Like my '05 LGT.

Well that explains why the mirrors on my '17 don't have forward-facing bulbs! I don't have access to those legal requirements. To which laws are you referring and when did they come into effect? I see a lot of new cars of all makes driving around that must be non-compliant.

 

So some time in the last few years, the government decided that all those cars running around with forward-facing mirror mounted turn signals were incorrectly designed and dangerous? Like my '05 LGT.

 

I'm not sure if there is a legal requirement mandating that these be present. From what I can recollect, these first started appearing on the up scale and flashy Cadillacs in the mid 2000s.

 

They were in the mirror and rear facing. They basically served the purpose of the BSM but for the car that is in the blind spot so the driver can be aware and cautious of a car trying to enter your travel lane as you wouldn't see the rear turn signal.

 

There days half the population doesn't even use the turn signals appropriately, so they are basically bling that manufacturers use to make you feel "luxurious / upscale".

 

As for it shining light to the front, I don't see any situation where a person in the opposite direction won't be able to see your front indicator light showing your intent to turn. If you got that close, then you are either already in a crash or both cars are stopped and waiting to turn and the turn signal serves no purpose.