Red LED Lights near headlights. Orange maybe? loophole?

[toyotafan]

Saw a dodge of some stripe today with LED lights near the headlights. I thought that a car had spun out and I was looking at their brake lights at first.

From the bare eye, these lights looked red to me. When taking a pic or video of them they look to be more orange.

Thoughts? Isn't this a violation of automotive lighting code and ordinances that all states have?

 

[toyotafan]

Here is what the TxDPS says.

Lighting
Colored Bulbs
The bulb must have a "DOT" or appropriate SAE stamp on it. Currently, there are NO DOT approved "Red" bulbs.

• Vehicles that are equipped from the manufacturer with approved lenses which are clear and lighted by red L.E.D. lights will pass state inspection.
• Vehicles that are equipped with aftermarket lenses which are clear and lighted by a red bulb will be rejected. (Currently, there are NO DOT approved "Red" bulbs.)

Vehicle lighting equipment is covered in Chapter 547 of the Texas Transportation Code, Subchapter D. § 547.3215 - Use of Federal Standard. Unless specifically prohibited by this chapter, lighting, reflective devices, and associated equipment on a vehicle or motor vehicle must comply with:

• the current federal standards in 49 C.F.R. Section 571.108; or
• the federal standards in that section in effect, if any, at the time the vehicle or motor vehicle was manufactured.

The CFR will refer you to Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) #J578, which will refer to several other SAE standards. Everything that complies with those standards is "legal".

Equipment manufacturers have to self-certify that they meet these standards. DOT does not test equipment unless they act against those who don't meet standards. You should insure that the equipment vendor is reputable and that all equipment has a DOT or appropriate SAE stamp on it (or if not marked, keep the box that it comes in which says it is "DOT approved") and under no circumstances use equipment that is for "off-road or show only".

References:

• 49 CFR Section 571.108
• NHTSA - Safety Standard

 

[tbplus10]

Doesnt seem to matter here in Texas any more.
If you read the Texas code and 49 CFR on blue lights all the construction vehicles, and for that matter any vehicle showing blue light at the back are in violation of state and fed regs but never seem to get pulled over.
Ive seen more than one non-emergency vehicle running blue and red at the front that run up behind traffic with
Lights on right in front of the police and its ignored.
For that matter many illegal driving transgressions committed in front authorities seem to be ignored.
It would appear you have to work at getting pulled over or get caught by a red light camera.
I almost think they did away with patrolman quotas since red light cameras provide so much revenue.

 

[tbplus10]

Did you see that Challenger in Arlington?
Id swear I saw the same exact car on I20 a few weeks back.
The headlights give it away.

 

[toyotafan]

Yeah, Mansfield actually. Like I said I thought that I was looking at brake lights at first.

 

[jazz]

I know if Wisconsin authorities saw that he would be making a $400 donation to the state. I saw big trucks getting dinged for pimping their trucks with "blue love lights" up front. Likely most other states are the same. Most any province does not allow red up front,,only orange front ,,red on rear..makes sense.

 

[Britanica]

Those are considered red where I am. I think it depends on how strict the state laws are. Clearly they look orange but law says red. Something like this would be grounds for a ticket because it is too close to red so it would confuse others on the road.

 

[DunkinDog]

I have seen those before so they must be okay here but I can see why some areas don't allow it. The orange is very close to red.

 

[TDave]

Those aren't factory lights? I had an old '77 Monte Carlo that I had smoke plexiglass in front of the headlights. Don't ask, it was a dumb idea. I ALWAYS got pulled over to removed them.

 

[TruckOn]

I can't recall what my friend said these were but they aren't stock and in most states, are banned so he may have just been getting away with it for now or he knows someone who is in charge of the area.

 

[georgebb]

While different states may not have laws against it, I can see why this can be confusing. If you aren't looking carefully, it might seem like a car headed towards you. It looks red at first glance, esp in the snow or rainy weather. I wouldn't recommend this kind of rear lighting.

 

[tbplus10]

TruOn theyre normally called Halo lights, the LED outer ring affects the color projected by the center Halogen light.
It all has to do with light refraction and bending lightbeams.
I read an article years a go before these lights became popular, at that time they didnt forsee these lights becoming legal due to light color issues, in basic form their more blue than white.

 

[TDave]

They don't look that cool to me anyway. A kicked up rock from a construction vehicle would probably knock them out pretty quick.

 

[toyotafan]

Again, the reason why they've been deemed against code is that people like me immediately assumed they were brake lights.

 

[TDave]

Was just up in MN and saw a camaro with purple "headlights" at dusk.

 

[geezala]

How are these being mounted, are they "around" the headlights, or inside them? I've seen a couple around my neighborhood, mostly chargers and camaros, but I haven't been close enough to see how they are being added.

 

[toyotafan]

I saw this car again, they're using colored halo lights for the turn signals too.

 

[tbplus10]

On the ones Ive looked at the Halo ring mounts along the outer edge of the headlight bucket and a projector lamp is used in the center.
I was slightly interested in one at the Harley dealer for my bike so I looked at the construction of it a little. the one I looked at changed out the whole headlight bucket and ring, they were plug ang play with everything wired into a harness that plugged into the oem harness with no splicing or extra wires to run.

 

[toyotafan]

This vehicle must have rewired their turn signals as they were clearly flashing their halo lights in a turn signal fashion. I think it looks neat, but it really does make you hit your brakes a you think you're looking at brake lights.