White Signals

Quick question. If some of you are familiar with the 5th Gen Accords, a common DIY is to break the Orange box in the rear signals around the bulb resulting in a white turn signal. I have had plenty of cops see it and not even give it a second look. A few months ago I was pulled over for it by some dumb cop at the end of the month trying to fill his quota and he gave me a warning. I assumed it was legal because I have seen cars that come with white signals as OEM (For example the mid 1990s Hyundai's). I mean I don't really care about legality because my car is very illegal to start, with but I would just like some clarification. :] thanks!

White is illegal, use amber bulbs. Pictures of your car?

It is indeed illegal to have white bulbs/lenses.

If you check your state laws regarding lighting (they are available online) you will see a section regarding reflector devices and placement on the vehicle. By not having this reflector your vehicle is against state law and should not be on public roadways (according to law)

An option that people use for the FRONT turn signals is to use an orange bulb, although not legal in some states, it does produce an orange white that illuminates when a signal is made. This is good enough for most police officers and they will not hastle you for it, however it does not make it legal if they simply choose not to stop you.

The officer was not being dumb, he noticed a violation and stopped you for it. Officer's also do not have "quotas" if they did they would write a lot more cites as it would be more money for the department and thus more money in their pockets.

From your post it sounds like the issue is that you have split lenses in the rea of the vehicle, one being red for brake/parking lamps and the other orange for a turn signal indicator. I would recommend against modifying the turn signals in the rear to be white because if you are rear ended while turning, it could be stated that they were unaware you were turning and simply stopped in the middle of the road, this would make you liable for the accident and any injuries/damages resulting from it.

If anything you should not use a clear bulb in the rear of the vehicle, at least use Red or an amber bulb. Either way it will still be illegal so its really your choice. You run a high risk of being stopped for anything illegal on the rear of your vehicle as it is quite noticeable when a cruiser is behind you.

The only lights that are legal (such as the 90's Hyundai's that you mentioned, I am not aware of the stock light setup so cannot comment directly on that vehicle) are lights that are installed from the factory by the car manufacturer. Occasionally you will see a recall from automakers regarding lighting on some vehicle's. Such as the Lexus SUV's with the clear lenses that are legal in some states, but not in others.

Hope that helps answer some of your questions.

This might help you

Quote:

§ 22-219. Signal lamps and signal devices. (a) Stoplights.- Any vehicle may be equipped with and, when required under the Maryland Vehicle Law, shall be equipped with a stop lamp or lamps on the rear of the vehicle, which: (1) Shall display a red or amber light, or any shade of color between red and amber, visible from a distance of not less than 300 feet to the rear in normal sunlight; (2) Shall be actuated on application of the service (foot) brake; and (3) May, but need not, be incorporated with one or more other rear lamps. (b) Electric turn signals - In general.- Any vehicle may be equipped with and, when required under § 22-206 (b) of this subtitle, shall be equipped with electric turn signals that indicate an intention to turn by flashing lights showing to the front and rear of a vehicle or on a combination of vehicles on the side of the vehicle or combination toward which the turn is to be made. (c) Same - Front lamps.- The lamps showing to the front shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and, when signaling, shall emit white or amber light, or any shade of light between white and amber. (d) Same - Rear lamps.- The lamps showing to the rear shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, and, when signaling, shall emit a red or amber light, or any shade of color between red and amber. (e) Same - Visibility of signals - Vehicles 80 inches or more wide.- Turn signal lamps on vehicles 80 inches or more in overall width shall be visible from a distance of not less than 500 feet in normal sunlight. (f) Same - Same - Vehicles less than 80 inches wide.- Turn signal lamps on vehicles less than 80 inches wide shall be visible at a distance of not less than 300 feet in normal sunlight. (g) Glaring or dazzling lights.- No lamp may project a glaring or dazzling light. (h) Incorporation in other lamps of vehicle.- Turn signal lamps may, but need not, be incorporated in other lamps on the vehicle.

According to Maryland state law you can use white to amber on the front turn signals but rear turn signals must be between Amber and Red color spectrum.

I don't see anything about clear lenses. I know Indiana doesn't have anything against them either. Must only be states like California and the like where they're illegal.

PwrRngr wrote:

I don't see anything about clear lenses. I know Indiana doesn't have anything against them either. Must only be states like California and the like where they're illegal.

Different section of the state code states that white bulbs are permitted when the cover of the lense has not been altered from its original state and still emitts a red or amber color when illuminated.

maybe just passing the cops they were too lazy to pull you over for such a dumb law or think your gonna get that fixed soon.

knatebetz wrote:

maybe just passing the cops they were too lazy to pull you over for such a dumb law or think your gonna get that fixed soon.

May not have noticed them or may have been on another call.

or that too.

I dunno if it's pertinant, but I ran my Alero without amber reflectors for quite some time (orange bulb tho) and never was haslted, and thus far none of my other Alero buddies have been either.
Cleared the corners of a buddy's Regal too, and so far we ain't been hassled.

There's bulbs that are blue in color but light up orange you may want to look into

My Turn signals on my dodge are blue in the front and i've never been hasseled for them. I think it has alot to do with how the officer looking at your car views it.. Some are by the book and some might not care as long as its night some wierd crazy color like purple or green. I bet some are just glad your using your signal!

If the cop were to meet his "quota", He would have given you a ticket, not a warning. He was probably bored and hoping to find a teenager with drugs.

And early 90's hyundais you see with white turnsignals are probably faded bulbs. My monte's front turn signals started to turn white. The cheap paint started flaking off the bulb.

My buddy has RED turn signals in his G5 headlights. He's had them on for a while too, never had a problem. But in highschool my friend had red turnsignals in his saturn. He got pulled over within a week.

okay cool thanks so much.

But yeah they do make cars with white oem turn signals that aren't discolored.

i've seen a few but i'm not sure if they were oem, i thought it was odd especially coming out of my neighborhood who is full of really old people or pothead teenagers.. and it was a nice car couldn't remember what it was though.

the actual housing kinda takes away some of its brightness from whomever can see it, my foglight's housing is broken and disperses alot more light then my other. maybe theres some sort of law about that being illegal but i have yet to be pulled over yet.

Here is your answer

http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/Automo...ighPerformance/SilverStarSignal/

kornholio788 wrote:

Here is your answer http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/Automo...ighPerformance/SilverStarSignal/

chaging the lights to clear as long as they flash amber is legal. Modifying the housings to remove the reflector is not. The issue that he is having is his vehicle does not emit red/amber...its clear.

I can tell you that the amber bulb is not enough to comply with most state vehicle lighting codes.

My neon came with absolutely no amber reflectors on the front of the car. Non in the turnsignals, headlights, bumper, nothing. There was just an amber bulb in the turnsignal. I have used the silverstars since the first week I got the car and have never had a problem.

kornholio788 wrote:

My neon came with absolutely no amber reflectors on the front of the car. Non in the turnsignals, headlights, bumper, nothing. There was just an amber bulb in the turnsignal. I have used the silverstars since the first week I got the car and have never had a problem.

buy it used or new?

i have extremly bright white led bulbs in my corners for my turn signals, running lights and in my mirrors. I have never had a problem with cops even though it does turn many heads.