I've read some posts that say the clear corner lenses are illegal? I wanna order some tonite, anyone know if they are legal in FL?

Also are there any other bulbs that would be better than the Polarg M4's?

 

What Ive heard is that they are NOT illegal themselves, its the bulb you use that can cause a law enforcement problem. If you use Amber bulbs up front, and Red in the back.. You should have NO PROBLEM.... Get LED bulbs, they look awesome !

 

do clear corners with orange and red LEDs look good?

any pics? Where can i order these LEDs?

 

do clear corners with orange and red LEDs look good?

any pics? Where can i order these LEDs?

 

I think clear corners are illegal. Doesn't matter what bulb you use. I think regulation says all corner markers have to be reflective - front amber and rear red, so that other drivers can recignize the vehicle and tell which is front and which is rear. Although they are illegal the law is rearely enforced. Cops have better things to do than stop you for clear corners.

 

BINGO! You are correct on all counts, HKMax.

If you run clear side markers . . . and I do . . . make sure you have amber bulbs in front and red bulbs in the rear. If you run clear bulbs in those lenses, you'll stick out like a sore thumb at night. And while the cops may not bust you in FL, they'll have a field day with you in Orange County, CA.

 

Really ! I go to Tustin and Newport Beach a lot. I will make sure I change my front bulbs. I already have RED bulbs in the rear....Thanks for the info Y2KSE!

 

 

aside from the color, any lens on your car has to have dot/ sae approval. the clears for the 5th gen maxima are not approved, and therefore not legal.

 

it is going to look like pink.....
clear corners are illegal depends on the cop's decision....as kloogy said, dun use any aggressive color (even though I have purple-white)

 

MaximaZero touches on the real issue here. The SAE never approved any BULB's color for use on the road. They approved the color of the reflectors themselves. So, no colored bulb can be SAE/DOT approved. They are not explicitly illegal, in other words I have never seen a state regulation (and I've looked) which says directly that clear corners with colored bulbs are illegal. What you will see, rather, is a definition of what is legal and that definition includes the colors of only the reflectors which require various colors of Amber and Red reflection and emission. They do not mention the bulbs at all, but most require that the color standard be met in sunlight even while the lights are not powered on.

Regarding Florida specifically. The below link is a link to the motor vehicle laws in Florida. They have not adopted FMVSS Title 108 which is what the DOT recommends. They have there own regulations. From what I read, you could use white turn signals on the front, but everything else is as we assumed. Clear corners would be a violation of the law. Note the requirement that the side markers emit a Red or Amber light "in sunlight," in other words even when they are turned off they must be Red or Amber.

Read sections 316.220 through 316.237 in the following PDF. 316.220 starts on page nine of the PDF.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/data/stat...00/sl00313.pdf

 

I'm not so sure my original assertion was correct about Florida. It appears that there is no explicit law about side markers. There is a clearly defined regulation about turn signals, brake lamps, and headlamps. It appears that only the brake lamps have explicit requirements to be Red or Amber during the day. The Florida regulation clearly states that the front turn signals can be White or Amber, although the rear must be Red or Amber...but only when illuminated...so clear covers over rear turn signals could be deemed legal.

What I would check is whether or not Florida has adopted FMVSS Title 108 for residents...if they have not, then the actual Florida regulations don't appear to cover side markers at all. The FMVSS Title 108 only applies to manufacturers and businesses at a national level, so unless Florida has specifically adopted that Title to apply to its residents/owners or has a regulation in the state code specifically to cover side markers, then I would say you are good to go. My only disclaimer is that I am not a lawyer.

 

If a cop wants to be a real harda$$ he can give you a "Fix-it" ticket for clear side markers. On two separated occasions I was issued tickets for clear markers. The thing that got me ****ed is I was pulled over for something other than the markers but the officers notice them and it was "hey pal you do know those clear makers are illegal in NYC" and here comes the tickets, (one for each side). So they do look nice but not worth the hassle (IMO).

 

a police officer i talked to said that for the front, it is ok to have blue bubls as long as the rear ones are either red or amber..

 

Don't some cars come with stock clear corners?

 

You know, I thought the same thing...but every car which has the little white side-markers (VW's and Audi's mostly) have front parking lights which wrap around the side of the fenders. I haven't found one which has no amber or red on the sides.

 

I've noticed the same thing. Every current make and model of passenger vehicle has a lens that reflects amber in front and red in the rear. The lens either wraps around to produce a reflection on the side of the vehicle or it's a separate lens like the kind we have on our Maximas.

 

Where do you get these led bulbs?

 

www.autodynamic.com
www.terrshop.com

or just do a search for "194 led" on google or ebay

 

www.midnightmoose.com has all colors except amber.

i got 2 red LEDs from them early last week.

and

www.streetbeatcustoms.com for the amber LEDs.

and they are slow as hell. im emailing them now cuz i still havent gotten them even tho i ordered the same day as the red 194s from midnightmoose!

 

yeah everyone that i know that got "fix-it" tickets were given it to them AFTER they were pulled over for something else (speeding mostly )


- Trunksu

 

there are auctions going on right now on ebay that are selling sets of 4 led bulbs for 6.99/ set. pretty damn good price.

 

damn cop pulled me over just because of the clears.

 

I think I have come up with a way to make the clear side markers legal.

Auto Parts stores sell this red and orange tape to put over broken taillamps/signals to keep white light from getting through. (broken taillamps are illegal) You could use a small amount of this tape (maybe 1") on the end of each side marker. Put orange on the forward tip of the fronts and red on the rear tip of the rear markers. Make sure that you follow the shape of the marker...don't just make a square or something.

Make a template out of a piece of paper and keep test-fitting and trimming them to the shape of side markers.

When the paper templates are all cut out the way you want they could be used to then cut the tape in the specific shape for each side marker. Spread out some of the red/amber tape onto a piece of (clean) glass and trace the templates onto the tape with a pencil. Then cut out the shapes you have traced onto the tape.

Make sure that each side marker is very clean. Rubbing alcohol could be used to make sure there are no oils on them to keep the tape from sticking.

Just an idea.

 

lcf, let me know if those bulbs are more red than pink when installed

thanks

 

I see autodynamic has 194/168 LED Red with 4 Bulbs Type *EXTRA BRIGHTNESS* but in the picture they even look pink. Anybody have
these?

 

Most state regulations require that the marker "reflect" or "illuminate" red or amber. Colored tape wouldn't meet that requirement, although it may prevent you from getting pulled over since it will be hard to tell visibly.

 

even though there are laws, it's just up to the cop to decide In the day, the cop has to be really bored to pull you over just because your markers are clear. At night if you have the amber/red bulbs combo, a cop will not be able to tell if you have clear markers or if they are the stock markers anyway.


- Trunksu

 

Yes, I thought about this. It would just be a little harder for the cop to determine. And if he sees just a hint of amber and red (in daylight) they would at least be less likely to pull you over.

I have only seen the very dull/opaque tape. There might be better translucent/clear colored tapes out there for this that would be more attractive. Someone might know.

 

A lot of high end German/Japanese cars come with clear side marker lights with amber bulbs. BMW/Audi especially.

 

Any so-called extra bright RED bulb will look pink at night. You must got to a RED LED bulb to get a true RED bright color. I bought a set of LED Ambers at Autozone for 9.99..That guy on Ebay selling Amber LEDS..is charging 8.99 shipping, which is OUTRAGEOUS !

 

I got my clear corners with piaa extreme white and it really good at night.

 

Thats how I had them. They looked great ! But that is a COP Magnet in RICER land, here in Southern Calif... ! I just put amber LEDS today !.. I would preffer the Piaas, but I dont want any problems, my Powertech and the soon to come custom 2.5 will give me enough problems....

 

let's take the m3 for example:



clear corners, yes. but they still have the amber refector on the side.

 

I saw one of those M3's in that exact color with dual REMUS exhaust ....AHH ! Dare to Dream !

 

Every car sold in the US with those clear side markers (like the VW's and Audi's out there) have amber and/or red corner lights which wrap around to the side. Nothing says you can't have 50 clear lights on the side of your car, you just have to have at least one which is amber or red.