NickTomsyc

The Wisco DMV site only mentions headlights laws reguarding when they should be on, and when you must dim them.

I have a state trooper going to call me back and let me know...

I'm sure thats what I'll end up doing, just didn't really think of it until today and that is when the new headlight should be delivered so I didn't want to run my old for another week.

I've been pulled over 8 times in 2 months for have one of my HIDs out... getting absurd.


***On another note - anyone know what size bolt holds the headlight housing in - my current car only has one in and was going to try and buy some more before I get home (don't know if the new housing comes with hardware ** this maybe a good question for a lexus service dept.

kumquatism

iTrader: (10)

IIRC it's 3x 10mm bolts and a small clip (that I broke when I took one of mine out) right underneath the hood liner. You don't have to take the housing out to change bulbs though...

NickTomsyc

One of my housings is completely trashed, so that one is getting swapped today - and figured it would be far easier to go these changes with it in open air instead of trying to do the reach around and whatnot

NickTomsyc

better idea of what I'm thinking with the colored light

NickTomsyc

Here is a re-sized pic

Sango

iTrader: (10)

From my understanding, if the light’s primary/majority color output is white, it will fine. It is other than that, as if the primary color is blue, then that will be trouble.

Oh yes, the paper test that can do it too!

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

Yeah that's too blue. Gonna attract police attention for sure at night! Get some white/6000k ones, still looks good and you wont get hassled by cops!

NickTomsyc

Well since the light was out last night and I was making the swa - I tossed the blue ones in just to see and I think I'll be fine.

You can really only tell they are then when the start button is pressed twice (NOT RUNNING) - as soon as the car is on and the high/9006 bulbs come on the blue is completely masked - and moreso when the HIDs come on.
So basically if I am sitting in a parking lot somewhere they'll have the blue to them - otherwise its almost invisible.


Sorry for terrible cell phone pic but here is what it looks like with the lights on when the car is off (parking lights)


and anything I took of it with the HIDs or 9006 bulbs on is just a blown out white photo (because of the cell phone)

chi123

iTrader: (12)

Is it really illegal to run blue lights? I live in Chicago and driving around at night, I see so many people with blue headlights somewhere in the 8000k to 10000k range. A friend of mine installed blue parking lights, puddle lights, and some interior lights and haven't gotten in trouble. I thought it was okay as long as it doesn't flash?

shadowman

iTrader: (2)

No... Any blue or redlight showing in front/side of car or inside on public street should be illegal. Even though it's not flashing... But it's up to the officer to decide whether to enforce it.

You can go to your the DMV site to get the vehicle law.

Blue/Red windshield washer nozzle LED used to be popular with the HONDA crowd... now they're dead for a reason. They probably got ticketed up the ****!

650IS350

iTrader: (1)

Blue/Red/ or any other color besides white/amber is a no no I believe. Plus height of headlight to road should be a certain height... In Cali.

NickTomsyc

I went out for lunch today and there was a state trooper at taco bell - so I pulled in and asked him, "I just bought this car not to long ago, do the lights look illegal in any way to you?" .... he eyed them up for about 20 seconds each and then said they looked just fine.

I shut the car off (so the blue was more obvious) and had him look again - and he said "I'm going to have to write you a ticket...." luckily he was joking....

he said if they were that noticable while in motion then yes - but since he didn't even know they were there before he said it should never be a problem. So I guess I consider that my checkup

kumquatism

iTrader: (10)

If you do get written up, I think it'd just be a fix-it ticket (at least that's how it is in Cali). More of an annoyance than anything. The bulbs are easily changed anyways, so it shouldn't be too bad.

calvin2376

iTrader: (2)

Fun story, but keep in mind this has no bearing whatsoever on how legal they are. This particular cop may think those lights look legal, but the next one may think differently and pull you over. They'd both be right, and the latter cop's ticket would still stand.

Also, that particular cop may not think they look illegal when you ask him politely in a parking lot whether theoretically these lights look legal. But his opinion may change if he saw you speed by or change lanes without signaling - it might just be that extra reason to pull you over, or an extra ticket he writes during a stop.

Just trying to stress that you're never going to get a 100% straight answer on this, because the law involves subjectivity and interpretation as to what's blue. Short of getting a signed affidavit from the Chief of Police and State's Attorney that your particular lights are legal, you'll be running a risk with blue lights.

tardorange

Your going to be fine. I wish blue lights were enforced. How many of you guys have been blinded by those annoying ricers with 10k hids or those god awful lifted trucks with bright blue fogs/headlights in reflector housings? I get blinded by them constantly....here in NY that law is NOT enforced at all.

Furthermore someone down the road has a 335i that has bright blue angle eyes. Very deep blue. I have also seen another 3 series running around with bright red angle eyes. Of course they can pull you over but most cops here in NY don't enforce it.