i got pulled over yesterday, not issued a ticket, for having green signals turn lights which i was told were illegal and i have a week to change them, also my HID headlights are kinda bluish and that i need to change those... so are hids actually illegal, could i just change the colors to more whiter? or actually revert to halogen? i'm in pierce county.... tacoma

Yeah, totally common! Here in Ohio it is supposedly illegal to change any lighting on and vehicle from factory style. That means the euro tail lights and 3rd eye breaklight covers colored bulbs, etc etc. I had a 2001 Celica with some chrome aftermarket tail lights. Got stopped constantly for it here. Also here you can not place red or blue lighting on any car other than an emergency vehichle. As far as colored bulbs H.I.D lighting and different color temps for them if you read the fine print they usually say for offroad use only. Here it isnt illegal to buy theese items, as they sell them at about any retail store, but it just depends on how jealous or bored the cop is. I got stopped a lot but never once was ticketed. Minor hassle for style. I would take the cops word on it but I would check your local laws, as they vary everywhere!

The cop is correct....

I'd get the chromed out turn signals, so at least when they are off, they are chrome, and they light up yellow... Anything other than that... you violate DOT regulations too far... although white may be ok in WA, not sure though.

HID's are illegal on any car that does not come stock with them, so he's got you on that definately... it sucks, but anything blueish is a magnet for them to get you.....

Sorry for the bad news....

The green lights definitely are illegal so you should replace those & just like the last guy said... sylvania makes some bulbs that are chrome/clear looking but illuminate amber which are legal. As for the HID's, that's a tough one. I know they weren't illegal for some time, but then within the last year (from what I hear) it was illegal to sell HID kits and as far as I know, it's still currently that way. I am not sure what kind of answer to give you on those, but I have a HID kit (10,000k) so it'e more white w/ blue tint. Wished I could help you on that one!!!

from my lawyer: (I had something like this tacked on to another case so I am familiar)

The cops CAN pull you over however they CANNOT issue a ticket for ANYTHING that appears to be stock. simulated HID headlights are safe as the ticket would never never hold up in court.

The green turn signals however are illegal and should be chaged ASAP. Silverstar sells a set, as Tim mentioned, of chromed out buls that look chrome/blue but flash yellow

thanks y'all, i will definatlely change my green turnsignals... i guess i'll also change out my green sidemarkers, but i'll leave on my headlights and see how that holds up in cort, cuz i think i'm gonna take ohcanada_00's advice... cuz i figure wise court judges woudn't give a crap that my headlight are a little bright and blue (only 8300k)... althought my fogs are 14000k purple.... but also i have helix tails and 5% tint, but wasn't told those needed to be changed...

does anyone know where i can find WA law on HID headlights?

i love you guys all, your input is super duper valued... i wass thinking of the chrome, but since i have helix, you can't see the bulb anyway, and it'll flash amber, but dimmer than regular ambers, i know, i have em on my car back home that my dad drives.... i still can't believe green is illegal, i've had them on my car for 9 months... thats long enought to make a baby.... stupid campus sheriffs....

lol..... eh.. i think the green blinking thing has somthing to do with fire dept i think... or somthin... one of the agencies around here i think has green as their "official" " IM IMPORTANT MOVE I CAN GO/PARK ANYWHERE" status... but forget which department that is...
then again.. i could be wrong

http://www.leg.wa.gov/rcw/index.cfm

Every law that is on the book in WA. Actually it seems daunting but its very easy to search and navigate. I've wound up using this several times to look stuff up and alwasy find what i need.

ive been looking through the laws, and can't find exactly HID are illegal... i was told by the sheriff that they have to be stock hallogen.... and btw, i found out that green is only for firemen private vehicles apparently... thanks again you guys...

btw, those superfa door locks are hot!

You can actually have a green light emitting from your car, provided that you do it right.

Every motor vehicle is allowed to have an auxillary lighting system that shows when the gas is pressed, when the car is not under power of the engine, when it's moving forward, etc.

The green light should be activated when the gas is pressed
*and*
Up to two amber lights to be activated when the motor vehicle is moving forward, or standing and idling, but is not under the power of the engine

They have to be mounted at the rear of the car and only one of the two colors can be illuminated at one time. They also must be seen at a distance of at least 1000 feet.


I think the law on the HID's isn't actually that HID's are illegal. I think it's more about changing the car's lighting system. You can change the normal bulbs to anything you want, provided you aren't adding or deleting wires. Because you have to have igniters and ballasts for HID's, you are adding/modifying the vehicles factory lighting system. I think that is what is illegal.

I don't have the time right now to look for it, but I know I've seen somewhere in there about it.

i see...

well update.. just an hour ago, i got pulled over again for having green signals... no ticket, just another warning... but i went to the store yesterday... they don't make 7443 bulbs in amber that they had in stock... just white....

and about that HID law, would it hold up in court?

You can actually have a green light emitting from your car, provided that you do it right.

Every motor vehicle is allowed to have an auxillary lighting system that shows when the gas is pressed, when the car is not under power of the engine, when it's moving forward, etc.

The green light should be activated when the gas is pressed
*and*
Up to two amber lights to be activated when the motor vehicle is moving forward, or standing and idling, but is not under the power of the engine

They have to be mounted at the rear of the car and only one of the two colors can be illuminated at one time. They also must be seen at a distance of at least 1000 feet.



does anyone know where in the rcw this green info is in?

nevermind RCW 46.37.210

HIDs are only legal if and only if they were issued stock with the car............for instance Saab,BMW,Lexus.............any modifaction to the headlights putting them in is illegal........

In Washington blue is gonna get you pulled over..........even more so if it is in a standard housing...........for those of us with 08s we have projectors and get away with it a little easier,as we can aim them down so they do not glare and get less attention.

If you don't have projectors expect to get pulled over even with a 4300-6000k bulb.......the glare is a big givaway............

change out the blinkers as they are also a violation........here is something to chew on...........all aperson has to say is they did not see your blinker and you can be found liable in an accident.........same for tinted tails............it depends onthe judge........my judge asked the person if they would drive into a wall if it was in the road.......they said no........so he found them still liable fro hittign me.............but other judges will side with the person.........