NHTSA Complaint #10872763 — 2017 MINI COOPER

I HAVE ONLY TWO WEEKS WITH MY NEW CAR, AND ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! HOWEVER, THERE APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS. ON TWO OCCASIONS, TRUCKS HAVE RODE UP ON MY TAIL AND HAD TO ALMOST SLAM THEIR BRAKES BEFORE WINDING UP INSIDE THE TRUNK/BOOT. AT THE TIME, I JUST THOUGHT THESE WERE INATTENTIVE DRIVERS. HOWEVER, I HAD READ ON A FORUM SOMEONE ELSE TOO POINTED OUT A SIMILAR INSTANCE. IF ONE LOOKS AT THE BACK OF THE CLUBMAN, THERE ARE LARGE RED LIGHTS ON THE REAR OF THE BARN DOORS. THIS IS WHAT APPEARS TO BE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE 'FOCAL POINT' THAT THE DRIVERS BEHIND YOU ARE WATCHING. HOWEVER, THESE ARE NOT THE BRAKE LIGHTS; THEY ARE MERELY THE RUNNING LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. THEREFORE, THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAS THEIR FOCAL POINT ON WHAT THEY THINK ARE YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS AND DON'T SEE THE TWO LITTLE LIGHTS IN THE BOTTOM REAR OF THE BUMPER UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. WORSE IS WITH TRUCKS, SUV, AND SEMIS WHERE THEY DON'T SEE THEM AT ALL - BECAUSE THEY ARE BELOW THEIR FIELD OF VISION. I TOO HAVE READ SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT INDICATING THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAN'T BE EXCLUSIVE TO THE OPENING REAR DOORS, HENCE NOT BEING THE BRAKE LIGHTS. MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE FOR BMW/MINI TO EITHER RE-CODE, CHANGE THE SOFTWARE, OR RE-WIRE TO MAKE THESE LIGHTS THAT ARE PRESENTLY THE TURN SIGNAL ALSO FUNCTION AS BRAKE LIGHTS, IN ADDITION TO THE TWO IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BUMPER. PLEASE ADOPT A SIMPLE FIX, WHEREAS WE CAN KEEP MOTORING AND ENJOYING OUR NEW CLUBMAN'S; PLEASE TOO UNDERSTAND BMW/MINI, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CAR AND I AM NOT TRYING TO COMPLAIN OR FIND FAULT. THE DESIGN IS EXCEPTIONAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS SAFETY CONCERN THAT COULD CAUSE MANY UNNECESSARY REAR END COLLISIONS, INJURIES, AND OR DEATHS. PLEASE JUST ADOPT A SIMPLE FIX, WHEREAS WE CAN KEEP MOTORING AND ENJOYING OUR NEW CLUBMAN'S.