Colouring rear lights = Illegal?

1. rusty-94 L-plater Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 43

   #1 7th August 2012, 15:23

   I want a set of jewels, but I want the bottom half to be red so I will have colour them.
   Does this make them illegal?
   Ones like this:
   http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAXO-CLEAR...#ht_500wt_1414
2. Pricklep Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 31279 Citroen Saxo VTS, S60 D5

   #2 7th August 2012, 15:27

   Few people have dont that on here iirc. No problems?
3. user_51379 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 plymouth Posts: 2921 mk2 VTS

   #3 7th August 2012, 15:31

   they only become illegal when the brightness of the light is effected
4. user_15989 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: May 2007 Posts: 4857

   #4 8th August 2012, 18:04

   There is some misinformation above. There are several regulation that cover vehicle lighting so the answer to any such question is normally not so strait forward.
   
   Vehicle that are legitimately E marked and are fitted as per regulations are perfectly legal. So buy the look of it fitting the ones in your link with the correct bulbs should be fine as long as you inform your insurance company.
   
   However you do find that many aftermarket lights even though they are E marked are not actually a full lighting set. So you may have to add other lighting systems such as rear fog light, reversing light or reflectors if there not part of the lighting setup you are fitting.
   
   Also to modify any light as in tint then, fit covers over or anything like that would not be considered road legal unless said modification are also E marked for this application.
   
   The fitting of none approved parts to a vehicle that require them is an offense however as to what the police would do you for can often be a little less clear. The normal would be failure to maintain the vehicle however there are several other things they could potentially pull you on.
5. Saxo_Mick666 L-plater Joined: Jul 2012 Staffordshire Posts: 81 MK6 Escort 1.8Si Saxo 1.6 VTR

   #5 8th August 2012, 18:10

   I had tinted rears on my previous cars, neither would pass an MOT, failed on rear reflectors not being red and product on the lens, I think one place stated there was not enough light shining through too. Old bill never pulled me over for them, but they would follow me and I assume see for themselves if the light was clearly visible, then turn off once they were happy.
6. Xplodee Regular Poster Joined: Dec 2011 Rochester, Kent Posts: 493 Saxo VTR

   #6 8th August 2012, 23:23

   You cant tint lights much if you want too keep them legal. Will probably cause problems at MOT time as said.
7. Manu Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned

   #7 9th August 2012, 10:27

   You can't spray e marked lights, it's a void. I have perfectly legal ones on mine yet the car failed the mot for one slightly dim lightbulb.

   1 user thanked this post: user_15989
8. StealthSteve L-plater Joined: Jan 2012 York Posts: 66 1.5D 106 1.9TD 306 - current.

   #8 20th August 2012, 01:57

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by AXracing There is some misinformation above. There are several regulation that cover vehicle lighting so the answer to any such question is normally not so strait forward. Vehicle that are legitimately E marked and are fitted as per regulations are perfectly legal. So buy the look of it fitting the ones in your link with the correct bulbs should be fine as long as you inform your insurance company. However you do find that many aftermarket lights even though they are E marked are not actually a full lighting set. So you may have to add other lighting systems such as rear fog light, reversing light or reflectors if there not part of the lighting setup you are fitting. Also to modify any light as in tint then, fit covers over or anything like that would not be considered road legal unless said modification are also E marked for this application. The fitting of none approved parts to a vehicle that require them is an offense however as to what the police would do you for can often be a little less clear. The normal would be failure to maintain the vehicle however there are several other things they could potentially pull you on.

   The reality is that barely any coppers know the actual law, and if you get a jobsworth that does then he's doing you for everything he can so rear lights won't be a priority.
9. user_32315 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2009 Uppingham, Rutland Posts: 9569 mk1 JP4'd VTR, '16 Fabia Monte Carlo

   #9 20th August 2012, 23:54

   iirc the only lights on the bottom half are brake, tail lights and the fog lights all which shine red so by tinting the light red it won't effect the color output, whether the brightness is effected is a different matter, but I had clear rear jewels with the bottom half tinted red and passed three mot's