CLEAR TAIL LIGHTS, are they legaL????? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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CLEAR TAIL LIGHTS, are they legaL?????

Kial

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Dear Message Board,

Ok I went to the sweedish site, auto syndicate and they have clear TAIL lights and front clear corner thingeys.
I live in the beautiful state of California (souther actually) and everyone has a cool this or that so of course im giving into the world and im going to try to dress up my 91 explorer. I want to replace the rear RED tail lights with clear ones, and do the same for the front yellow tinted peices. I am thinking about puttin blue bulbs in both the front and rear blinker lights. Do I need a specific RED BULB FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT TO MAKE IT LEGAL? IF SO WHICH ONE? I dont want to get pulled over for the clear corners and tail lights, but I have seen numerous amounts of cars with them. I need some legal info please, and thank you.

Kial
zeke180@yahoo.com
 



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Stick with the red and yellow bulbs. I have clears all around on my 92 and would never think about putting blue in there. I think that you would just be asking to be pulled over. Stick with the bulbs that auto syndicate sends you. Hope that helps.

------------------
Brian Green
92 2wd Explorer w/
6 inch Suspension lift
92 2wd Ranger w/
5.5 inch suspension lift
Trckmagik@aol.com
 






Would you have auto syndicate's web site address?

Dead Link Removed


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Brian
'93 XLT 4x4
 






So when you order the TAIL clears, what comes in the package? Thanks magic

Kial

zeke180@yahoo.com
 






When you order the tail kit, you should recieve: Lenses, and all necessary bulbs. Make sure you ask them to make sure, but mine came with everything. Hope this helps.....

------------------
Brian Green
92 2wd Explorer w/
6 inch Suspension lift
92 2wd Ranger w/
5.5 inch suspension lift
Trckmagik@aol.com
 






Hey Kial,

Unless the have DOT or SAE stamped on the lense itself they will not be legal anywhere in the US. Most of the sites that I have been to that sell the clear lenses also say that they are not for street use. However depending on the vehicle and color they look cool.

Stick with the red and yellow bulbs or you will be begging the local PD (OCSD)or CHP to pull you over. From the amount of work you are doing on this rig you should either paint a big bullseye on the back or become a season ticket holder for the policemans ball.

Best regards.
hg
 






Well I can't speak for California but clear lenses are illegal in MD/VA/DC. Although almost everything is illegal in MD/VA/DC, including clear lenses, aftermarket tint, vehicles lowered over 2 inches, vehicles raised over 5 inches, those loud annoying exhaust systems, music you can hear outside the car, fake HID headlights, you name it......there's a restriction on it. Now, thats good for old codgers like me that don't understand mods like this, but you guys really should be able to do anything you want to your cars. Anyway sorry for the long post. To get info about California, just ask a cop. I know a MD State Trooper, thats where I got my info.

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Stephen Withrow
StephenLS400@aol.com
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97 Explorer Limited 4X4 SOHC V6
98 Lexus LS400
 






Kial
i have clears on my 94 explorer and live in Huntington Beach. Well i have clears in the front. I havent had any problems with cops, but i'm positive you will have problems with cops with clears in the rear. EVEN with colored bulbs. At night you wont have a problem, because they look close to stock with colored bulbs. during the day they dont even with colored. My friend got a nice ticket with having clears in the back. 75 dollar fix it ticket, you can have it signed off and pay 10 bucks. But if you get pulled over again for the same thing it goes to points. Not good. I would stick with clears in the front..Truthfully i want clears for the rear, but still might buy them and put them on for shows. But for everyday driving stick with stock.
Brian
94 2wd 4.0
4" Fabtech Lift
265/75/16
 






thanks for all the info.

Im gonna do it when I have a buck fifty to spend on this accessory. Cops can just sit on there sirens when I come by, I wont get caught (famous last words) I could care less. THats so funny b/c all those things that guy read off for being illegal I have, like 5 inch lift, hid look alikes, VERY loud exhaust, Very loud stero, its funny.
lol
thanks

Kial
 






Kial,
I really wouldn't worry about it. I've never seen anyone get stopped for stuff like that. It would take a cop having a VERY bad day.

------------------
Stephen Withrow
StephenLS400@aol.com
------------------
97 Explorer Limited 4X4 SOHC V6
98 Lexus LS400
 






What's the URL for the auto syndicate?
I live in MD to and am thinking of going for it. See you around Stephen!
 






You guys have been writing the URL every time you talk about them. It's www.autosyndicate.com. Hope that helps.

------------------
<<MaiNFRaiM>>
-'91 Explorer EB
-'94 Explorer EB
-'95 F150 EB
 






Question. Why would you want these on your truck in the first place? I can see the point with the front ones since it does not matter much. All original Euro cars come with clear parking lights in the front but the taillights look kind off odd. Don't you think?
Just my 2 cents.


------------------
 






I live in California and I have clears all around. I want a clear third brake light. I've never ever been close to getting pulled over. I wouldn't worry about it. These things are coming stock on cars now. In five years you will probably be able to get them on every car as an option.
 






How does one know if they've "never ever been close to getting pulled over"? Does the cop catch up to you at a light and say "I wasn't even close to pulling you over for your clear lights"?

Anyway, if they do not have a DOT stamp on them then they are not for legal use on a public road. It depends on the Cop and the situation at the time. If they are itching to pull you over then the lights that they feel are illegal may be all the justification they need to pull you over. If they pull you over and feel that you are being an a$$ to them, they may write you up for the lights as well. I read about a guy on a Lightning board that got pulled over by a power-tripping Cop right after he got his '01 Lightning which came standard with the clear "type" rear tail lights. He actually had to go to court with a brochure to show the Judge that the lights came standard on his '01 Lightning. He got it dismissed, but it was a PITA.
 






Well, to answer your question. The cops pull up behind me and drive behind me for blocks and don't pull me over. I've even had conversations with them after they were behind me and pulled along side of me. They say, "nice truck". I think they have better things to do than pull people over for clear taillights, don't you think?
 






Here is a link to California Vehicle Code Section 24600 Taillamps

Dead Link Removed

Paragraph e says that the taillamps must be red in color.

So, no matter what other people have on their cars or trucks, the clear ones are not legal in CA.

Robert has a good point: If a CHP suspects you of any offense, having clear taillights (or illegal tint, etc) gives the CHP a free shot at pulling you over to investigate further. If they suspect that you have been drinking, they can pull you over. If it turns out that they were wrong, then they can give you a fix-it ticket instead.
 






The ones I have do have red in them. I didn't know they made all clear ones. my bad!
 






It's possible that the ones you have are legal. If they are, then that is why the cops don't hassle you for them. Yes there are all clear ones that look like crap. On those, the people use a red light bulb. They are illegal although I do see a few of them once in a while. If yours are legal, the somewhere on them they will have a DOT approval code.
 



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