DREYKO

in nc are tinted taillights illegal? mine have 20% limo tint on them and look almost black till i hit the brake then they are as clear as day. so is this ok or not?
thx
ben

Icemark

no

89gtufc3s

i think they are probobly legal, but if your in a rear end collision, insurance be stupid and make it an issue

RX7Dragon

I havent heard about them bein illegal anywhere, but I know for a fact that there not illegal here in GA.

89gtufc3s

ok nevermind then...icemark knows all lol

1987RX7guy

iTrader: (3)

All car light "tints" are illegal on public streets/roads. Thats why GTO headlight tint covers are "off-road" only.

Tournapart

iTrader: (4)

well alot of dumb stuff is illegal in CA, just because ppl talk on the ******* cell phones and crash into **** and blame it on pointless crap, i was distracted by this persons tinted rear lights, or i didnt know he was turning because his turn signal wasnt orange

******* idiots

1987RX7guy

iTrader: (3)

The reasoning is perfectly sound though. If you can't see someone's light well enough you might think its their parking lights and slam into them. The blinker is sort of dumb but they are supposed to be yellow. Its part of the law, that we are supposed to follow and its not stupid.

89gtufc3s

what about all these camaros i see with basically pitch black tail lights? are they all illegal?

mr0pistons

Most likely yes. Doing custom work to your taillights is definitely illegal, unless you take it to the DOT and have them approve it. But I'd say that would be pretty hard to do.

Makenzie71

Alteration of any DOT approved lighting assembly in any form renders it illegal and no longer in accordance with any DOT standard.

Syonyk

I don't think you'll have any trouble in day-to-day driving, but if you get rear ended, the other person can make a (usually successful) case that your tail lights were not legal, and therefore it's *your* fault.

Friend of mine's buddy (who has a thing about 'ricers in general) smashed one of his old land-tanks into a Honda or something with clear tail lights sitting at a stop light, deliberately. Totaled the Civic, dinged up the front of the land yacht, and because the Honda had clear tail lights (not red, as required by law), the accident was entirely the fault of the Honda driver.

Not something I'd want to mess with, personally, but as long as the lights are still brightly visible during the day, you can probably get away with it. I'm planning to do a LED conversion on my tail lights here at some point, and they'll end up MUCH brighter.

-=Russ=-

RETed

Please be careful with your statements.
They are straight-up illegal in Hawaii.
*ANY* obstruction of the headlights or tailights (even *clear* protective films and covers) are not allowed.
Spraying them even with a gloss or matte clearcoat is technically illegal.
Thus, ANY tinting or darkening is illegal.


-Ted

Icemark

The big key questions that one should be asking when tinting or even changing the taillights with a non DOT approved coating or light...would be how big of a law suit can you afford , or how much your passengers life is worth, when someone rear ends you because they couldn't see your brake lights as well as if they were still stock.

Most LED bulbs in tail lights fall under this same exact question....

But if you think that tinted or Altenza or LED tail lights look cool-- well that must be worth that risk... right???

idsigloo

dreyko, you got pics of your tails?

Tournapart

iTrader: (4)

well i was mostly ranting about how ppl drive in the bayarea. it sucks, in most cases around here it doesnt matter if all the lights were green or purple on your car, you still have to pay very close attention or the people around you will hit you. most ppl drive very uncatiously around here, it sucks

DREYKO

ill have pics soon, see the thing is they are perfectly visible, in fact even more visible in the daytime as they were when stock. they are completly black when not turning or braking ect, but when in use there really is no difference, even had a friend follow me at night just to be sure

Omixeo

iTrader: (1)

So are LED's illegal in tail lights too? Cuz it seems to me that they are pretty bright and they look like most of the stop lights they have here in town.

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

They may be brighter than stock, but if they aren't DOT approved, they are illegal.

Icemark

Most LED lights fill only a minimal amount of light to the whole lens

slpin

iTrader: (9)

stock fd taillights come to mind

Makenzie71

Come to mind for what?

SilverFire5

This thread reminds me of the racing seat & 4/5point harness debate in up here in Canada.

I don't pretend to know the rules there, but have a look at them yourself. If it's a lumen rating they specify or something else that talks about brightness, you're probably OK, if they say DOT approved, you're probably OK unless you **** off a cop or get rear-ended.

Call the DOT office and ask them either where you can get a copy of the rules or if they know off the top of their head. They'll tell you either way...

iSP33D-for-J3SUS

I'd like to see some pics of tinted FC lights. I was considering lightly smoking mine... may not now that I know they're so taboo.

NZConvertible

If you're saying that because FD taillights are tinted, you're completely missing the point. Factory-tinted lights are DOT-approved and hence safe and legal. Home spray-jobs are not.