Why does the Malibu have only one reverse light on?
2 Answers
The Malibu has only one reverse light, with the other being a fog light. According to Chinese national standards, the rear light design for left-hand drive vehicles is as follows: the red light (fog light) is on the left to alert vehicles behind that may be overtaking, and the reverse light is on the right to facilitate nighttime illumination when parking on the right side. For right-hand drive vehicles, the rear light design is the opposite. More details are as follows: 1. Since the reverse light is white and highly bright to illuminate the rear of the car, it can easily overpower the position lights. If two symmetrical reverse lights were installed, it could mislead drivers behind into thinking the car is approaching head-on, reducing their vigilance. Having only one reverse light not only avoids this misunderstanding but also leaves the other side's tail light visible. This way, when drivers behind see one red and one white light, they recognize the car is reversing. 2. Similarly, the fog light is installed only on one side. Because fog lights are much brighter than position lights to ensure stronger penetration in heavy fog, they are typically as bright as brake lights. If two symmetrical fog lights were installed, they could easily be mistaken for brake lights, making it difficult to distinguish when the brakes are actually applied, which could lead to dangerous situations.
When I first drove the Malibu, I also wondered why only one side of the reverse light was on. After checking, I found out it was designed that way from the factory. Many cars actually do this—they have a rear fog light on the left and the reverse light on the right. Manufacturers probably do this to save costs or for symmetrical design. If you notice the right one isn't lighting up, it's likely the bulb is burnt out or the wiring connector is loose. My neighbor's car once had an issue with oxidized contacts causing poor connection—just disassembling and cleaning it fixed the problem. Although reverse lights don't need to be as bright as headlights, they're crucial for illuminating the rear when backing up at night. If they don't work at all, it's best to get them fixed promptly. Checking them yourself is simple—just put the car in reverse and have someone check for you. The bulb model is H16, and a new one costs around 20 bucks.
