Brightest backup light for my daughters car?

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BobsArmory

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So my teenage Daughter has a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. At night she has a hard time seeing behind her when backing up out of dark driveways. Last night she actually backed onto the grass and almost got stuck in the wet grass (we have lawn repair in our future) at one of her friends house.

The current backup lights are 3157 bulbs and probably original factory. Any ideas on what I could put back there to light the night up?
 
Does she have rear window tint per chance?

If I have a hard time seeing while backing out, I hit the brake, and then the world is flooded with red light. Perhaps she needs some non-technical help?
 
Thanks for the post. I might try the light. I live in a rural area with long driveways. People who have a fence put a reflector on the posts, visible when backing up. Also, some put solar lights along the driveway. They work great but usually are out of juice by the morning ( unless someone out there has found a model that goes all night.)
 
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Grand Prix of that vintage have a high trunk so would be kind of lame to back up. (I had a cutlass ciera with curved rear window that was hard to pin a frame of reference against.) One would have to swivel to look rear then swivel around again to check mirrors, repeating as backing. Perhaps some convex stick on mirrors or (shudder) an aftermarket backup camera would help.

Stuff like reflectors and lights along the driveway don't help OP when woman driver is not at home.
 
Originally Posted by BobsArmory
So my teenage Daughter has a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. At night she has a hard time seeing behind her when backing up out of dark driveways. Last night she actually backed onto the grass and almost got stuck in the wet grass (we have lawn repair in our future) at one of her friends house.

The current backup lights are 3157 bulbs and probably original factory. Any ideas on what I could put back there to light the night up?


Checking - 3157 are dual filament bulbs. Are you sure her back up lamps are not dedicated single filament. However, this is one option if truly dual filament:

Zevo 3157

Here is a popular dedicated back-up bulb; might not be compatible, but FYI:

Zevo 921
 
Reverse lights are an indicator to those around you. Blasting super bright light everywhere while in reverse will do little to alleviate the problem.

If it's that big an issue, I reccomend installing a backup camera.
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
Grand Prix of that vintage have a high trunk so would be kind of lame to back up. (I had a cutlass ciera with curved rear window that was hard to pin a frame of reference against.) One would have to swivel to look rear then swivel around again to check mirrors, repeating as backing. Perhaps some convex stick on mirrors or (shudder) an aftermarket backup camera would help.

Stuff like reflectors and lights along the driveway don't help OP when woman driver is not at home.
A spoiler helps a lot in determining where the car ends. I think that's why a lot of GPs have them. I can get really close to things because I know my bumper is about four inches behind the spoiler on my car.
 
An '07 probably has some cloudiness to the lenses. In addition to adding a brighter bulb, either clean or replace the lenses.
 
I have a back up camera in my Camry but it still needs light to work. I replaced the OEM reverse bulbs with brighter LEDs. I think that's the best way for the OP's daughter. Not going to rewire lights when it's easy enough to just put in brighter bulbs.
 
superbrightleds

diodedynamics

I just purchased the brightest "street legal" reverse lights available. Hopefully they work out well.
 
Originally Posted by aba4430

Checking - 3157 are dual filament bulbs. Are you sure her back up lamps are not dedicated single filament.


They do that sometimes-- makes it go together faster on the assembly line. Rock auto has them for 28 cents so you know GM paid even less. It would have been cool if GM wired them for both filaments on so you had a back up (pardon the pun).
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
Does she have rear window tint per chance?

If I have a hard time seeing while backing out, I hit the brake, and then the world is flooded with red light. Perhaps she needs some non-technical help?


No tint but a good question.
 
I did a full LED retrofit on my 98 LeSabre and 97 Regal and they work great. I got the bulbs from Amazon and aside from replacing a flasher to work with the LEDS nothing else was an issue. If you want bright light, go with the LED reverse bulbs. Probably the same as my cars. Mine puts on the reverse lights when you unlock the doors as most GM cars of that time did. If my neighbors across the street are having a get together in their driveway, at night, and I unlock my doors, they scream,lol. They do a pretty good job lighting up the garage, and everything in front of it across the street from my driveway. I bet that would make it a lot easier for your daughter to see. Backup camera retrofit probably would be a good idea as well. They make them where they display the cam in the rearview mirror nowadays if she doesn't want to replace the radio.
 
Originally Posted by JLTD
An '07 probably has some cloudiness to the lenses. In addition to adding a brighter bulb, either clean or replace the lenses.


Good idea the lens is a bit cloudy.
 
Originally Posted by aba4430

Zevo 3157


That's the best suggestion in this application, as the shape of the reflector and the orientation of the original bulb's filament appears to suit it.

Skip the typical Xmas tree junk, which, if not already probable of dubious quality, tries to skirt the principles of focused optics by compensating with excessive amounts of light.

Like a razor blade vs. an axe, or a pressure washer vs. a bucket.
 
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