Under what condition would reverse lights fail during inspection?

Reverse lights are safety features designed to illuminate when a vehicle is in reverse gear, alerting others of the vehicle's movement in that direction. For an automobile to pass inspection, all safety features must function properly, and reverse lights should only activate when the vehicle is indeed in reverse.

When reverse lights remain on in any gear other than reverse, it indicates a malfunction. This condition can blur the signal to other drivers, who rely on these lights to understand the vehicle's intent; consequently, this poses a safety risk. Therefore, this malfunction—where the lights are not restricted to functioning exclusively when in reverse—would lead to a failure during the inspection process, ensuring that the vehicle meets safety regulations.

In contrast, flickering lights suggest a connection issue or bulb problem but may not be as immediately concerning as lights that remain constantly activated in all gears. Dim lights can also present a problem; however, as long as the lights activate when in reverse, they could be considered functional and might pass inspection despite their brightness.

Thus, the failure condition of reverse lights is most clearly defined as their improper operation when they remain lit while the vehicle is in any gear other than reverse.