JDM Tail lights Options

[Drew-887]

Are JDM tail lights legal to have on your car in the US? I need to know because I was thinking about putting them on my Celica.

[Defgeph]

They arent legal. But, Nobody except most celica owners will know that they are JDM. You'll be fine, I had mine for a couple of years.

DEF

[madmods]

I know a guy who got caught with them. hes serving a ten year sentence.

[jayi12-15psi]

mua ha ha, they should have given him the chair!

[Drew-887]

Damn, I really wanted to get those tail lights. Why aren't they legal? Do you think that ill get pulled over with them on?

This post has been edited by Drew-887: Mar 10, 2005 - 2:39 PM

[Supersprynt]

No he's joking. Nobody will know they have amber in them so your not going to get pulled over. You'll be fine.

[SinisterWhisper]

anybody been caught with projectors on their car? jdm tails are different but not radicaly different, projectors on the other hand aren't that common (but so sexy)

[Mynzeyes]

Tuesday, November 19, 2002 <== That's when i got my projectors.

never had a problem in 2.5 years. also, never had a problem w/ the JDM taillights. neither are DOT approved, but no one notices. i think the only time someone would notice is if your state/county has visual inspections. the tails are great though, they are 10x brighter than the stock USDM taillights..i don't know what it is about them that allows this...

summary: i have both head and tails, and never had a problem. .

-John-

[Drew-887]

COOL!!! I just have one more question. What color will my turn signal be and will cops notice it?

[Drocay]

it all depends on type of bulb u put in

[Blakout16]

if a bmw can have projectors... dont u think we can? most cops know jack about celica's... if u dont have a body kit, he'll usually think its a stock setup. i talk to cops often round here, its too small of a town not to... 1 light town

[Mynzeyes]

it all depends on type of bulb u put in
[right][snapback]255913[/snapback][/right]

actually, stock, no matter what color bulb you use, it'll be amber, because there is a little amber box inside the taillight, under the clear lens. there's a how-to thread somewhere about removing it, so that you can use any bulb you want.

you may be able to see what i'm talkin about in this pic..vaguely...


-John-

[Batman722]

link to removing the amber lense. I have the one posted on the UK site, little better description IMO I will be doing it his summer

[shin]

i've got mine installed for awhile now... nvr got pulled over for that... only thing i was pulled over for was my muffler.
here's how mine looks like

[Drew-887]

Thanks guys you were all a great help to me.

[HaRv3sTeR]

mine with clear signal

[Jaws4God]

So why are the JDM's not legal? are you allowed to have clear turn signals??

[Mynzeyes]

So why are the JDM's not legal?  are you allowed to have clear turn signals??
[right][snapback]256614[/snapback][/right]

i'm pretty sure the taillights aren't legal because they don't have the accent side light, or the reflector on the side as well. i'm not sure if there's anything else to it. because of that, and because of them not being available in the united states, they are not DOT approved.

the headlights aren't legal, because of the same reason, they weren't available in the US, so they aren't DOT approved. also, with the projectors, they are designed for RHD vehicles, so the courtesy cut in the beam is the wrong way. on an american car, driving on the right side of the road, the beam is cut off of the bushes, and there is extra light shining over to the left side of the road into on-coming traffic. again, other than the fact that they aren't DOT approved, because they weren't available here, there's nothing wrong with them. (other than that courtesy cut problem, but it can be corrected.) .

but...then there are people like me...who a) don't care. and b) know that no-one is going to be able to tell the difference, or check them. so i have both head and taillights. .

hope that helps.

-John-