Legal Headlight/bulb questions

[USClight]

Without consulting GAOC first, I bought the following headlights and following headlight bulbs. Now I'm thinking I may have been stooped into believing these things are legal.

Chrome Clear Headlights (http://www.kgsengineering.com/specd-pontiac-grand-am-headlights-chrome-p-15402.html)

Headlight Bulbs (http://www.ebay.com) (item #250056849691)



My question for the GA mod experts, are these two things really legal?

[Vampyrate]

with cars above 1970 the legal colors for lights are amber, orange and red for the rears, same minus red in the front for turn signals. as far as headlights themselves go, as long as they are stamped with the DOT seal then they are legal. if a cop has any issue with them, make sure you know how/where to find the DOT stamp. and chrome bulbs are leagal as long as they emit the above colors.

the headlight housing is legal to a certain degree. they have to have some for of deflector for the sake of other drivers. many newer european cars over here have clear headlights but they have colored deflectors in them to meet the DOT standard

[LittleWhiteGT]

Nice, I have been looking for headlights like that for some time, I think friday I will order those crome headlights.

[USClight]

don't buy from the people I bought from (kgsengineering).

I'd been wanting them for a while now and they stopped having them on eBay. I found kgsengineering as the only place at the time (11/15) that had them (I paid 269.00 + 30.00 shipping).

A few days later they started showing up on eBay again for $199.99 + $39 shipping. The worst part about the ones I got was it took 3 weeks to deliver. So I ended up paying over $300 for mine when I could have gotten them for $60 cheaper and quicker if I'd just waited a few days for them to show up one eBay.

Plus kgsengineering has a TERRIBLE return/cancellation policy.

[USClight]

Vampyrate,

Thanks. The Headlights have SAE and DOT enscribed on them. I'm not worried as much about them as the headlight bulbs I bought off eBay. They are supposedly street legal based on the ad but when I got them there was no SAE or DOT marking on them.

The thing is these bulbs are 50% brighter than regular halogens as advertised. So I'm wondering if the seller made the SAE/DOT approved stuff up as well.

Today at work a buddy of mine asked "Don't you know your headlights (bulbs) are illegal?" I told him I didn't think they were illegal, then came here to find out if in deed they were.

If they are illegal or will at least draw attention from law enforcement, what would law enforcement typically do? Would they give me a warning or a ticket? If a ticket, how much it be for?

[LittleWhiteGT]

typically if the light bulbs r not street legal it will say some thing like "For off road or show us only" some where on the package

[Nighthawk243]

If pulled over, just say you bought them from a parts retailer and it did not state that they were not street legal and promise to change them out asap. If you're pulled over by a Veteran officer, he'll probably let you off... Recruits on the other hand have a tendency of being ticket-happy.

[VanishingImage]

before you start thinking its safe because it says D.O.T. on them,don't think it'll get you out of a ticket. A member here,believe it was Bouchie, had the black housing ones with an AMBER bulb,she got a ticket,went to court to fight,brought up the fact they were D.O.T legal,she still lost.

With these things,seems to be at the police's descretion on whether or not they are legal and how well your prepared to prove they are legal.

[insane4speed]

yea it was katie i asked her what happend and she told me in a pm i still have it unless she is willing to tell u her self but this was in mass so it might be different in ure state

[carfreak666]

Its a federal requirement to have an Amber/orange reflecter in the front of the car. With these headlights, the clear corner makes them "Illegal" since there is no other reflective (amber) piece. The "DOT" stamp is misleading and that is why AutoDynasty (I believe they introduced the black headlights) went of the market for a while so they could re-do them and are now sold as "For Off-road use only".
Now its up to the cops to enforce this, if you do get caught for that and go to court, you are going to lose.... Lookup Katies Thread and it has the whole story in it...
You bascially take your chance with those headlights

Here is one of those threads:
Link (http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59566&highlight=black+headlights)

[coupe]

When it comes to things like this its hard to say.
Like here in michigan the only law i can find about headlights says that i can have either amber or white. So i have all white LED's in my headlights, no amber reflector or amber light. Even if there is a law saying i cant have that since i live in michigan it wouldnt be enforced by hardly any officer nor would they even know there is a law. You would be suprised how many cops dont know all the laws there is. Hell most would think that its stock.

I wouldnt worry about what the law is anyways. Out of the THOUSANDS of members who have these headlights or vinyl covering there amber reflector only 1 got nailed for it. So go ahead and put them in and enjoy.

[carfreak666]

Originally posted by coupe
I wouldnt worry about what the law is anyways. Out of the THOUSANDS of members who have these headlights or vinyl covering there amber reflector only 1 got nailed for it. So go ahead and put them in and enjoy.

That is what I was trying to say... You take your chance.. most cops may not know all the Federal Regulations.. but just wanted to say that IF you get caught and go to court you lose... Just like vinyl overlays, tint, etc...

PS: It may not be stated in any of the documentation you read about Michigan, but since it is Federal Regulation all states have to comply....

[coupe]

Originally posted by carfreak666
PS: It may not be stated in any of the documentation you read about Michigan, but since it is Federal Regulation all states have to comply....

Dosent mean its enforced

[carfreak666]

Originally posted by coupe
Dosent mean its enforced

Agreed!!

[GaSe05]

ok so on my car my headlights have a blur tent and i have them head lights sorry i did get mine off ebay tho but i wated like 3 weeks for them i hade hyper whites in the front they just blow so i put in white leds ther bright as shit and yellow led under the coners so i hope i dont get in troble idk yet i have pics on here of mine and what i have done

[pyro]

Originally posted by GaSe05
ok so on my car my headlights have a blur tent and i have them head lights sorry i did get mine off ebay tho but i wated like 3 weeks for them i hade hyper whites in the front they just blow so i put in white leds ther bright as shit and yellow led under the coners so i hope i dont get in troble idk yet i have pics on here of mine and what i have done
http://forumspile.com/WTF-Cat.jpg

[coupe]

^^X2

[Tommy00GT1]

If that Marlborough is the Marlborough here Mass, then you'll soon be finding out firsthand. Not sure what Marlborough your from....
If it is Mass, then just tell the cop that you got 'em off E-bay and somebody misled you with incorrect info; worth a try anyways....

If you're from a different Marlborough, disregard....

[GaSe05]

haha sorry it was late at night when i wrote that ...well yesterday i got puled over for speeding and didnt get in troble for my lights so haha katie.......yes i live in marlborough mass........

[GaSe05]

ok so on my car my headlights have a blue tint. i have them head lights sorry i did get mine off ebay tho. but i wated like 3 weeks for them. i hade the hyper whites " blue bulbs" in the front they just blu. so i put in white leds ther bright as shit and yellow led under the coners so i hope i dont get in troble idk yet i have pics on here of mine and what i have done.

[coupe]

Originally posted by GaSe05
ok so on my car my headlights have a blue tint. i have them head lights sorry i did get mine off ebay tho. but i wated like 3 weeks for them. i hade the hyper whites " blue bulbs" in the front they just blu. so i put in white leds ther bright as shit and yellow led under the coners so i hope i dont get in troble idk yet i have pics on here of mine and what i have done.


technicaly they arent legal. Like i already said, dont worry about it, just enjoy your mod. Some people are just panzies and worry about these things.

[TayCole03]

Are there any LED tail lights available for a 94 Grand Am??

[coupe]

There's LED's available for anything

[TayCole03]

I can't find any that'll fit my car. What's a website where they have them to fit mine??

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by coupe
When it comes to things like this its hard to say.
Like here in michigan the only law i can find about headlights says that i can have either amber or white. So i have all white LED's in my headlights, no amber reflector or amber light. Even if there is a law saying i cant have that since i live in michigan it wouldnt be enforced by hardly any officer nor would they even know there is a law. You would be suprised how many cops dont know all the laws there is. Hell most would think that its stock.

I wouldnt worry about what the law is anyways. Out of the THOUSANDS of members who have these headlights or vinyl covering there amber reflector only 1 got nailed for it. So go ahead and put them in and enjoy.
^ :agree:

As long as there is a white or amber reflector on the front of the car you should be fine. Some early 80's Buicks had white reflectors up front from the factory.
Originally posted by coupe
There's LED's available for anything
Bulbs yes, tail lights no.

[Lowizle37]

Originally posted by carfreak666
Its a federal requirement to have an Amber/orange reflecter in the front of the car. With these headlights, the clear corner makes them "Illegal" since there is no other reflective (amber) piece. The "DOT" stamp is misleading and that is why AutoDynasty (I believe they introduced the black headlights) went of the market for a while so they could re-do them and are now sold as "For Off-road use only".
Now its up to the cops to enforce this, if you do get caught for that and go to court, you are going to lose.... Lookup Katies Thread and it has the whole story in it...
You bascially take your chance with those headlights

Here is one of those threads:
Link (http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59566&highlight=black+headlights)

if it is illegal to not have an amber reflector on the front of the car by federal law, how is it that we 96-98 guys arent getting pulled over left and right?

[carfreak666]

Originally posted by Lowizle37
if it is illegal to not have an amber reflector on the front of the car by federal law, how is it that we 96-98 guys arent getting pulled over left and right?

You guys have the reflectors in the bumpers... So that meets the federal law... And as discussed many times... Even though its the law, its up to the local cops to enforce it...

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by Lowizle37
if it is illegal to not have an amber reflector on the front of the car by federal law, how is it that we 96-98 guys arent getting pulled over left and right?
It's not the front, it's the side that is important. And on your bumper cover you have side reflectors correct?