HID lights and TX state laws.

[Clockwork]

I am by no means a pro at finding the word of the law here in Texas.

I just bought a new car and I'm interested in getting those REALLY ANNOYING bring blue HID xenon lights installed in it, but I don't know what Texas law says about it.

Has anyone ever looked into this?

 

[MR Redneck]

Yes I have.
I actually even called the PD about them.
They said NO, You Cant Shoot Them Out!
What about running them off the road, I asked?
No! You Cant Run Them Off The Road Either!

 

[zembonez]

I feed em high beams every time I have one of them in my face. Most of the retrofit kits blind the hell out of oncoming traffic. Can't stand the jerks that add them to their vehicle like THEY are the only ones that deserve to see.

 

[txinvestigator]

Texas Transportation Code.

 

[Texas1911]

In a halogen housing they are horrible to oncoming traffic. I have them on my BMW but they are in a "projector" lens that has a cut-off, it makes a huge difference in how the light is distributed.

You can retrofit OEM HID lens and HID bulb setups to your existing car, but it's a DIY job and requires you to really put effort into properly mounting them to avoid blinding everyone.

 

[zembonez]

I don't have any problem with the OEM HIDs. They are set up so as not to blind oncoming traffic. The color is ugly, but that's not a real problem.

 

[Clockwork]

But are there any laws about the output level?

My car is pretty low to the ground... I hate it when some guy with a lifted F350 or something puts that crap on his truck.

Yes I have.
I actually even called the PD about them.
They said NO, You Cant Shoot Them Out!
What about running them off the road, I asked?
No! You Cant Run Them Off The Road Either!

 

[weiss27md]

You need projectors which have a built in cutoff to run HIDs.

 

[codygjohnson]

Found the law:

§ 255.39. HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE LIGHTING. A person may not install High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting in any vehicle:
(1) if that vehicle has been lowered as per definition in Section 4.2; and
(2) when the vehicle has other installed accessories:
(A) Curb Feelers as per definition in Section 4.2; or
(B) Gold Dayton wheels; and
(3) the operator has the stereo in the “on” position, listening to:
(A) Top 40 as defined by billboard ™; or
(B) Hip/Hop; or
(C) Rap; if
(1) The Rap is not Old Skool as per definition in Section 4.2.

Sounds like you're OK.




Disclaimer: I no found the law...

 

[majormadmax]

Found the law:

§ 255.39. HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE LIGHTING. A person may not install High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting in any vehicle:
(1) if that vehicle has been lowered as per definition in Section 4.2; and
(2) when the vehicle has other installed accessories:
(A) Curb Feelers as per definition in Section 4.2; or
(B) Gold Dayton wheels; and
(3) the operator has the stereo in the “on” position, listening to:
(A) Top 40 as defined by billboard ™; or
(B) Hip/Hop; or
(C) Rap; if
(1) The Rap is not Old Skool as per definition in Section 4.2.

Sounds like you're OK.

Disclaimer: I no found the law...

I gotta admit, ya had me going for sec there...well done!

 

[tenfeathers]

Those lites are crap they should outlaw them or fine the hell out of those using them. One death because of it.

 

[WadeP]

Found the law:

§ 255.39. HIGH-INTENSITY DISCHARGE LIGHTING. A person may not install High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting in any vehicle:
(1) if that vehicle has been lowered as per definition in Section 4.2; and
(2) when the vehicle has other installed accessories:
(A) Curb Feelers as per definition in Section 4.2; or
(B) Gold Dayton wheels; and
(3) the operator has the stereo in the “on” position, listening to:
(A) Top 40 as defined by billboard ™; or
(B) Hip/Hop; or
(C) Rap; if
(1) The Rap is not Old Skool as per definition in Section 4.2.

Sounds like you're OK.
Disclaimer: I no found the law...

Now I don't care who you are...that's funny.

 

[GunlessNot4Long]

my stupid friend got stopped by a Richardson Police officer, and told him that the lights impaired motorist's safety, he got a warning for not having his front license plate. So, I think they don't have the power to declare them illegal. But I do hate them, especially higher temp bulbs, like blues, purples, greens, pinks, etc.

 

[lalonguecarabine]

Whew!
Okay - I just looked this all up for you. And from what I've found, Texas says this:
TEX TN. CODE ANN. § 547.3215 : Texas Statutes - Section 547.3215: USE OF FEDERAL STANDARD


Unless specifically prohibited by this chapter, lighting, reflective devices, and associated equipment on a vehicle or motor vehicle must comply with:
(1) the current federal standards in 49 C.F.R. Section 571.108; or
(2) the federal standards in that section in effect, if any, at the time the vehicle or motor vehicle was manufactured.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 324, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.


So. Going further to the US Federal Transportation codes, I went to this page:
Section

There's a LOT of reading there, but you'll probably have to go through the whole damn thing!
I skimmed through it a bit, and...
Good luck!

 

[lalonguecarabine]

But are there any laws about the output level?

In the link I gave to 49 C.F.R. Section 571.108, there are multiple references to output levels and all kinds of other shit you probably never even thought about.

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

The brightest output shouldn't be more than 75ft in front of the vehicle if I recall correctly. A LOT of newer vechicles have the reflector in front of the bulb giving that clean cutoff. ddmtuning has HID kits that "drop in" the factory housings, just have to find a place to mount the ballast in your engine bay. they have typically two model lines for your application. One is the Raptor, don't recall the other. Raptor is the better. I'm going to get them for my Tundra. But, my Tundra also has a switch in the cab for raising and lowering my beam electronically. The problem with the earlier HIDs that were on the market was that they were more of a projection beam......Here's a pic of a set of their lights mounted on another person's truck:
HID kit installed - Toyota Tundra Forums : Tundra Solutions Forum

don't know if the link will work without being a member...but shows how nice and clean the lights are.

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

on above link, look at post #6. I believe those are his stock tundra lights as I couldn't find the actually ddm lights installed that I used to have. They look just the same with the same top cutoff too so you don't blind everyone.

 

[KAK]

You don't have to get blue they have colors ranging from a amber color all the way to the cool blue. I think the blue looks street racery. I would go with a very balanced bright white.

Im actually going to get the retrofit for my xterra.

 

[lalonguecarabine]

Yes I have.
I actually even called the PD about them.
They said NO, You Cant Shoot Them Out!
What about running them off the road, I asked?
No! You Cant Run Them Off The Road Either!

Maybe I'm getting to be an old fart, but I agree with this.

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

lol...Yeah, be sure to get the right spectrum. I think you want the 6-8k for a white, higher will be blue if I remember correctly. My wife's old mazdaspeed had HIDs from the factory. Night and day difference from our old 94 chevy, lol. Now I want HIDs on them all. They're not even that expensive. A full set for the tundra would be 75 dollars from ddm tuning(high beams, low beams, AND fog lights). It's cheap, but their lights for my truck have had excellent reviews on the TundraSolutions website.