Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Tail Light Lens

A fully functional tail light is a requirement of any registered vehicle that drives on the roads in all 50 US States. However, the amount of people that are issued "fix-it-tickets" by police and sheriff's departments each year pales in comparison to the amount of people involved in rear-end collisions; caused primarily by a broken tail light. On many occasions, the reason the driver doing the colliding hit the car in front was due to a bad tail light lens that was damaged or was not illuminated.

By law, the tail light lens is supposed to be colored red as to brightly show up in day or night driving situations. The light bulb that illuminates the tail light is white. As a result, when the tail light lens is cracked, broken or damaged, the light that is supposed to alert other drivers of braking or your presence driving in front of them during night hours can appear white, and be very difficult for somebody to see.

The tail light lens itself is lightweight, affordable and rather easy for the casual mechanic to replace. If the tail light lens is damaged and needs to be replaced, it's recommended that you replace the tail light bulb at the same time. This will ensure the entire light will be working well. Unlike other mechanical parts, a bad or failing tail light lens typically does not show warning signs that it's about to break. However, there are different levels of bad or failing as well as a few quick self-diagnostic checks you can perform yourself or with the assistance of a friend that will alert you to this problem so you can have it repaired as soon as possible.

Inspect the tail light lens for cracks

Whether you've backed into a wall, another car or had a shopping cart hit the back of your car, it's very common for our tail light lens to crack and not completely break. A cracked tail light will typically still function correctly, lighting up red while the headlights are active and illuminating bright red when the brake pedal is engaged. However, a cracked light lens will progressively crack more until parts of the light lens fall off. This problem is enhanced every time you drive the car and wind, debris and other items come in contact with the rear tail light lens.

A good rule of thumb is to check your rear tail light lenses any time you fill up with fuel; as you typically have to walk around the rear of your vehicle to put fuel in the tank. This takes all of a few seconds and can save you from receiving a ticket from a police officer or worse, being involved in a traffic accident.

Test your tail lights every week at night

Another good safety tip to consider is having your rear tail lights checked every week with a quick self-examination. To complete this, simply start your car, turn on your headlights, walk to the back of your car, and ensure both tail light lenses are solid. If you can see small cracks on the lens, it's a good bet that the tail light lens will break completely or water will enter the lens; potentially shorting out the electrical system in your car.

Anytime you notice a crack in your tail light lens, contact a local ASE certified mechanic and have them replace it as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your tail light or the electrical system inside your car.

Have the tail light lens inspected by service professionals

Many car owners have their oil changed by service centers like Jiffy Lube, Walmart or their local ASE certified mechanic. When they do, the mechanic technician often will complete a routine safety inspection that has about 50 points on the checklist. One of these items is checking the tail lights to ensure they function properly.

If the mechanic lets you know that the rear tail lens is cracked or broken, make sure to replace it as soon as possible. A fully functional tail light is required by law in the United States. The replacement is very easy, affordable and is much cheaper than a fix-it-ticket or insurance premium.


Next Step

Schedule Vehicle Body Electrical and Lighting Inspection

The most popular service booked by readers of this article is Vehicle Body Electrical and Lighting Inspection. Once the problem has been diagnosed, you will be provided with an upfront quote for the recommended fix and receive $20.00 off as a credit towards the repair. YourMechanic’s technicians bring the dealership to you by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week between 7AM-9PM. We currently cover over 2,000 cities and have 100k+ 5-star reviews... LEARN MORE

SEE PRICING & SCHEDULING

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Recent Vehicle Body Electrical and Lighting Inspection reviews

Excellent Rating

(4)

Rating Summary
4
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0

Matthew

34 years of experience
1438 reviews
Matthew
34 years of experience
Pontiac Firebird V8-5.3L - Vehicle Body Electrical and Lighting Inspection - Newport News, Virginia
Arrived on time, very professional and knowledgeable - especially about my old car.
Kia Sportage - Brake Rotor/Disc Replacement (Front) - Hampton, Virginia
Matthew is Great!!!straight forward, dependable,and very friendly.

Marco

30 years of experience
329 reviews
Marco
30 years of experience
Ford F-150 V8-5.4L - Vehicle Body Electrical and Lighting - Highland, California
Great experience! Marco showed up right on time and was very polite and pleasant. He got right to work and assessed my problem quickly and made recommendations for repair which I was able to take care of myself later. Very good experience and would definitely use Marco again!

Chris

7 years of experience
105 reviews
Chris
7 years of experience
Chevrolet Cavalier L4-2.2L - Vehicle Body Electrical and Lighting Inspection - Jonesboro, Georgia
Genuinely seemed to care about meeting the expectation of me (the customer) with a corrective remedy to my automobile's electrical issue. Genuinely seemed to want to deliver long-term issue-free results.

Kris

17 years of experience
97 reviews
Kris
17 years of experience
Chevrolet Cavalier L4-2.2L - Vehicle Body Electrical and Lighting - Acworth, Georgia
Kris was awesome. He listened to my issues and experiences and efficiently diagnosed my car's problem. Kris is the real deal!

Need Help With Your Car?

Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 2,000 U.S. cities. Fast, free online quotes for your car repair.

GET A QUOTE

Related articles

How to Clean Headlight Covers
Car headlight covers get dirty with time and use. Cleaning car headlight covers can make your headlights brighter and easier to see for safer driving.
How to Replace a Tail Light on SUVs, Vans, and Hatchbacks
Tail lights are vital for safety on the road. Over time, a tail light may burn out and require you to replace a bulb or the whole assembly.
How to Replace an Electronic Control Relay
Electronic control relays are tied to many components in your car. When an electronic part doesn't work in your car you may need to replace a relay.

Related questions

The display on my car went out
The display should have a function button that allows the menus to be changed. If the display does not work in any of the menus, it is possible that the display is failing. The displays generally do not last the...
Abs tracking lights randomly goes off and on
The ABS will need to be tested to see if you have a problem with one of the wheel sensors (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-abs-speed-sensor). The only way to tell what sensor is having a problem is to have the computer scanned and diagnosed....
Battery light stays on and overnight battery drain. 2006 Land Rover LR3
Hello - this problem can be diagnosed by connecting an ammeter to the positive (red) battery cable, observe the current drain (likely less than 1 amp), then, one at a time, remove each fuse, check to see if the current...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com