Clear Corners: Legal???

[scootboot69]

Does anyone know where i can find a place to print off vehicle regs that say clear corners are legal with yellow lamps? If not, thank you anyway.

[DevinSixtySeven]

search for "clear corners california" on the site, there were some links posted a while back.

or ask one of our resident officers, there are a few guys from cali...although honestly nobody's going to hassle you unless you put a light in there other than yellow or white, unless you're also driving like a nutcase ...

-sean

[peid]

Can anybody provide something that says it is illegal?

Older Pontiac Grand Am's have factory clears, so do the previous models on Honda CR-Vs. Same with the Lexus IS300.

Clear Corners are legal as long as you have Amber/Yellow in the front, and Amber/Yellow OR Red in the rear.

[Bbbutch]

Originally posted by DeepStealth
or ask one of our resident officers, there are a few guys from cali...although honestly nobody's going to hassle you unless you put a light in there other than yellow or white, unless you're also driving like a nutcase ...

-sean

I'm not a officer but I do work with them all day every day. In Calif. (laws maybe different in your state) either amber or clear (white) bulbs are legal in front clear corners. This I know for sure.

I beleive only your back up lights can be clear for the tail lights. Brakes are always red and turn signals can be either amber or red. There must also be a side reflector built into the tail light for our model of truck.

I park my truck inside the CHP Northern Division parking lot and get inspected by different officers trying to find something wrong with it at least once a week. I have clear corners with clear bulbs and the so called smoked tail lights from Carson's Toyota which are actually just blacked out. If they were a true smoked lense I would be asked to replace them with a legal tail light or receive a ticket.

[nhparrot]

Not in New Hampshire.

[beemerphile]

I doubt you will get a hassle with clear or yellow bulbs, but the thing that probably makes them illegal is that they are not DOT approved. The box mine came in said I should only use them off-road, so when I get back to the highway I always swap them out for the OEM yellow ones. NEVER DISOBEY LAWS! - Lee

[TundraBear]

Originally posted by beemerphile
I doubt you will get a hassle with clear or yellow bulbs, but the thing that probably makes them illegal is that they are not DOT approved. The box mine came in said I should only use them off-road, so when I get back to the highway I always swap them out for the OEM yellow ones. NEVER DISOBEY LAWS! - Lee

i agree! since i am never off highway all my turning bulbs are yellow in my non-DOT approved cornders & rears. i think the reason they are not DOT approved is because the mfg never took the time or money to get their product approved. i think it has something to do with amount of relevctive surface and angles of plastic. notice how altimas & lexus have clear parts straight off the dealer's lot?

FYI: I did some research on Altezza style lamps and this is what I found. I little too much info but it does explain those SAE numbers on the lenses.


Altezza analysis

[gedenke]

I'm running clear corners (which, btw, look exactly like OEM minus the amber) and altezza tails here in the Bay Area and haven't had any problems. I've even gotten pulled over for a b.s. pedestrian ticket and the cop didn't say anything about my lights. Oh, yeah, I've got xenon white bulbs in the corners.

[tansu]

Any information on which states permit or do not permit clear corners?

[Gilley]

I believe Federal requirements mandate amber corners/turn signals in front. If the lens is clear then it's OK to use an amber colored bulb. That's why they come that way from the manufacturer. All states agree with the Federal DOT rules as a minimum but can also have more or less restrictive laws.

If you use the clears, use an amber bulb and you should be fine all over the US. However, there may be reflector requirements that are not met by the clear corners that might also get you into trouble with a stickler or inspector.

[tansu]

Originally posted by Gilley
I believe Federal requirements mandate amber corners/turn signals in front. If the lens is clear then it's OK to use an amber colored bulb. That's why they come that way from the manufacturer. All states agree with the Federal DOT rules as a minimum but can also have more or less restrictive laws.

If you use the clears, use an amber bulb and you should be fine all over the US. However, there may be reflector requirements that are not met by the clear corners that might also get you into trouble with a stickler or inspector.

I need the "legal/inforced" information regarding the clear corners in eastern US. I too often have an open can in truck.

[Johnny Law]

Originally posted by tansu
I too often have an open can in truck.

Your fellow motorists thank you!