Are Xenon Conversion Kits Legal

Spare parts dealers continue to defy regulations by promoting dangerous and illegal High Intensity Discharge (HID) conversion kits as safety improvements. However, Trading Standards has finally taken action after a year-long Auto Express investigation. If you are unsure of your vehicle and it would be legal for you to have a HID conversion kit assembled, please call us on 0871 2887 666 and we will review it with you and give our honest opinion. California only allows headlight bulbs that emit white or yellow light. Because the light from the high-intensity HID lamp is blue, these lights are not allowed on vehicles in the state. Cars sold with INSTALLED HID lights are allowed because manufacturers make sure the lights are low-intensity, but aftermarket HID kits usually offer high-intensity blue light and are illegal. Xenon ring150. With up to 150% more light, these are by far the brightest bulbs you can get right now. They are fully homologated for the road, marked with a D`E and have a guarantee. Yes, they are all illegal. By installing the 8000k, you stand out even more and attract more attention from the wrong people.

Many people swear by headlights with HID lamps, short for High Intensity Discharge. These types of lights can improve visibility because they emit a bright blue-white light that approximates natural light. On the other hand, they can dazzle other riders with the glare they create. So why not just change the light source from a normal halogen system to one that works with xenon or HID lights? Federal Customs agents have seized millions of dollars worth of shipments of high-intensity landfill (HID) conversion kits since 2009 because the kits do not meet federal standards, according to the Specialty Equipment Market Association, a trade group that represents companies in the automotive aftermarket. You may have heard that it is acceptable to install a HID conversion kit if it includes a DOT logo, but the fact is that this sign only means that the company that manufactured the product has itself certified that it meets federal requirements. NHTSA, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is responsible for setting the requirements, but it does not actually certify that a particular product meets those requirements. So, while there is such a thing as DOT compliance, there is no DOT-approved lighthouse. Since NHTSA has officially stated that it is not possible for a HID conversion kit to comply with FMVSS 108, any “DOT approved” label on HID lamps for the aftermarket must be taken with a grain of salt. As always, it`s important to investigate exactly what the product is and whether it`s actually legal or not, rather than just taking someone`s word for it.

And since the driver is responsible for ensuring the road safety of a vehicle (under the Highway Traffic Act), there could be prosecution under the Regulation respecting the construction and use of road vehicles (1986) and the Regulation respecting the lighting of road vehicles (1989). In addition, selling a conversion kit could lead the driver to commit a crime, which could lead to wider legal problems. To save the cost of converting to xenon or HID, some drivers choose to buy blue-tinted bulbs to simulate the effect of real HID lights. But some states explicitly stipulate that headlights must emit white light. Check with an experienced traffic lawyer to make sure your car lights are legal. I recently installed a HID headlight conversion kit and several of my friends told me that I could be arrested and had to pay for an expensive ticket. Then I have others who already have HID lights who tell me they have never had a problem. Maybe it`s just because they haven`t been caught yet? Many state laws comply with these federal standards. This gives law enforcement the power to stop and cite vehicles that they say contain illegal xenon lamps or HID from the aftermarket. First, many consumers seem confused by the “DOT” symbol on replacement lights, including xenon or HID conversion kits. Some of the cars you see with blue headlights come with HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights from the factory and are completely legal.

Other cars you see with blue headlights have illegal modifications that can often lead to a ticket or worse. It`s a pretty complicated topic if you go straight into it, but the simple answer is that you should check the specific laws you live in before putting anything other than a standard replacement headlight in your car. Our research has shown that conversion kits must be removed from sale for road traffic “DOT” does not mean that the Ministry of Transport has approved the lights; Rather, it is the manufacturer`s own certification of compliance with federal standards according to NHTSA. Just because a xenon or HID conversion kit is labeled “DOT” doesn`t mean the federal government has certified it as legal on the road.