Euro tail lights - ever get pulled over?

[ramonesfreak]

Thinking of getting some. But I’m guessing they aren’t legal and I’m not a fan of getting pulled over by the 5-0. Have any troubles with them ?

[996AE]

Ran them on my 930 and my 76 911S for years in CA.

Never had an issue. Never heard of anyone with 5.0 stop.

Not running Front license plate yes.

Euro lights no.

[timmy2]

Likely not a concern any more, take a look around at vehicles nowadays, lots of yellow lenses on the back for turn signals.

[wareaglescott]

Hard to imagine getting pulled over for those.
Those fall in the category of an add on citation if you are being a real jerk to the officer and give him reason to look for more.

[Arne2]

Amber rear turn signals are OK in the US, so that's not an issue. The rear side markers and reflectors are required to be red though, that is why the RoW lenses are not DOT approved. You can put red bulbs or LEDs in to make the light red, but not much you can do about the reflector.

That said, no one is going to pull you over for amber rear side markers. Maybe if you have an annual state inspection with a really anal inspector who is having a bad day, he might flag that. But I doubt it.

[ramonesfreak]

Ok got it. Possible but unlikely. Now gotta decide if I really prefer the look

[Reiver]

I've had them for some years now.....with all of the different lights out there today can't imagine it being an issue.

[RWebb]

I know there are small town cops upstate, but are they really that bored?

[RSBob]

Yup I was popped while sporting Euro tail lights, but it wasn’t for the lights.

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I know there are small town cops upstate, but are they really that bored?

I’ve never been a cop so I wouldt know and if I was ide probably let everyone go anyway

My luck ain’t so great though. 20 years ago when no one cared about seatbelts and I lived in Manhattan where it’s hard to drive more than 10mph, a cop on a horse chased me down and pulled me over for no seatbelt so im a little weary

[Sebscst]

Just don’t go slow enough for them to see you.

[pete3799]

Never had a problem with them.

[tirwin]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Ok got it. Possible but unlikely. Now gotta decide if I really prefer the look

I swapped to Euro. Daniel Stern has some posts here. He is an automotive lighting expert. I believe studies have shown that amber turn signals are better noticed. I am a fan of taking every extra advantage for the old 911. I prefer the European lighting system anyway.

If you want to be legal buy a red “cel” that they use in stage lighting. They come roughly 12x12 inch squares. Just cut it to fit the side markers on the Euro lenses and boom - instant legal.

[ramonesfreak]

I ordered some Uro Parts euro lenses...I need to try new lenses anyway as I’m having a problem getting my lenses to seal properly

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/1036952-tail-light-lenses-not-sealing-after-new-seal-install.html#post10552334

[JTL]

Have had euro h4's and euro tail light lenses on the car for 15+ years. No one has ever had any issues with them. Thus I haven't given the legality issues on these much though...

[AG81]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Thinking of getting some. But I’m guessing they aren’t legal and I’m not a fan of getting pulled over by the 5-0. Have any troubles with them ?

^
I love getting pulled over by the 5-0, I give them the 1-4.

[ClickClickBoom]

If you have the misfortune of being rearended, your insurance may have issue. Regardless of color non DOT signage on the lenses would be the problem. My neighbor used to park his car on his side of the street, facing the wrong direction, drunk driver sideswiped the car and totaled it. The insurance company said since the car was parked in violation of Calif Vehicle Code 22502,
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a vehicle stopped or parked upon a roadway with adjacent curbs or class IV bikeways, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, shall be stopped or parked with the right-hand wheels of the vehicle parallel to, and within 18 inches of, the right-hand curb or the right-hand edge of the class IV bikeway, except that a motorcycle shall be parked with at least one wheel or fender touching the right-hand curb or edge. If no curbs, barriers, or class IV bikeways bound a two-way roadway, right-hand parallel parking is required unless otherwise indicated at the time they would not cover the damage.
Get the wrong adjuster and investigator and there may be problems if your car is the wrong year:
Vehicle Code
DIVISION 12. EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLES [24000 - 28160] ( Division 12 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

CHAPTER 2. Lighting Equipment [24250 - 26106] ( Chapter 2 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )


ARTICLE 15. Light Restrictions and Mounting [25950 - 25952] ( Article 15 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )


25950.

This section applies to the color of lamps and to any reflector exhibiting or reflecting perceptible light of 0.05 candela or more per foot-candle of incident illumination. Unless provided otherwise, the color of lamps and reflectors upon a vehicle shall be as follows:

(a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or yellow, except as follows:

(1) Rear side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show red to the front.

(2) The color of foglamps described in Section 24403 may be in the color spectrum from white to yellow.

(3) An illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall emit radiation predominantly in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Any incidental visible light projecting to the front of the vehicle shall be predominantly yellow to white. Any incidental visible light projecting to the rear of the vehicle shall be predominantly red. Any incidental visible light from an illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall not resemble any other required or permitted lighting device or official traffic control device.

(b) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from the rear of a vehicle, shall be red except as follows:

(1) Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1979, may show yellow to the rear.

(2) Turn signal lamps may show yellow to the rear.

(3) Front side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show yellow to the rear.

(4) Backup lamps shall show white to the rear.

(5) The rearward facing portion of a front-mounted double-faced turn signal lamp may show amber to the rear while the headlamps or parking lamps are lighted, if the intensity of the light emitted is not greater than the parking lamps and the turn signal function is not impaired.

(6) A reflector meeting the requirements of, and installed in accordance with, Section 24611 shall be red or white, or both.

(c) All lamps and reflectors visible from the front, sides, or rear of a vehicle, except headlamps, may have any unlighted color, provided the emitted light from all lamps or reflected light from all reflectors complies with the required color. Except for backup lamps, the entire effective projected luminous area of lamps visible from the rear or mounted on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall be covered by an inner lens of the required color when the unlighted color differs from the required emitted light color. Taillamps, stoplamps, and turn signal lamps that are visible to the rear may be white when unlighted on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1974.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 198, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2005.)

Sure, many have been doing it for years, if something really crappy happens, the details will emerge, especially if there are large amounts of money involved. Yeah, it's all good until it isn't....

[Canada Kev]

So I did some research. Regardless of the lens colour, in the US, lenses are supposed to be stamped DOT to indicate they comply with the Department of Transportation standards. So if you had turn signal lenses that are yellow and have the DOT mark permanently embedded into the lens, they would be legal. But you probably won't find any because 911s were never available new with those tail light lenses in the US market and an aftermarket company likely won't have the resources to certify new lenses in yellow to be tested and certified to comply with those standards. Plus, I believe DOT standards requires them show some portion or red light and reflector at the rear of the vehicle to be visible from the side.

Perhaps someone that has URO or another aftermarket lens that is all red can check to see if they are stamped with the DOT mark. Because to be officially, completely legal in the US, they should have it. I suspect that they will as URO (and others) probably just took an impression of existing lenses to create their casting molds.

As a side note, my URO replacement front signal lenses do have the DOT mark, so that lends some support to this supposition. The yellow signal URO replacement tail lenses I have, as well as my factory original Bosch Euro units (RoW car), do not show the DOT mark, but they have the E1 stamp.

In Canada, the DOT mark is accepted as proof they comply here, as are lenses with the E stamp indicating they comply with ECE standards. I also believe that lenses meeting DOT standards are, interestingly, also legal in European countries.

[speednme1]

Nope never had an issue. Keep in mind the brake lights still illuminate in red.

[ramonesfreak]

Insurance coverage issues are a good point !