Hi, I recently bought a 1984 Subaru GL Station wagon; what are the front bumper side lights? As far as I have seen, they are inoperable and my guess is that they may be signals because the running/park lamps are already visible.

hi,

  they are just running lights ( like park lights)  as far as I know.

Thank you ruparts. The corner lamps outside of the headlights seem to function solely as markers and so I have wondered if these may be turn signals for the respective side. I will crawl underneath and trace the wiring one day and repost.

The lamps next to the headlamps are only marker lamps.  The lamps in the bumper are the turn signals.

Thanks carfreak85. I am referring to the side lamps in the front bumper. I am aware of the turn signals in the the front of the front bumper but the lamps on the sides of the front bumper are the ones in question and it doesn't seem to make much sense for extra markers so close to existing markers, does it? I wish it was easy just to find another operable Soobi to compare to but they are way too rare here.

Ahhh yes.  The side-mounted bumper lamps are also marker lamps.  NHTSA regulations say something like "You must be able to see the lamps from a rear 3/4 view of the front of the car."

 

The marker lamps next to the headlamps don't really shine in that direction, hence the side-mounted bumper marker lamps.

Thanks again carfreak85.