Mariah

My son's '04 car just failed state inspection yesterday for having H.I.D.'s installed. They're 6k's and were professionally installed by a local stereo shop.

The "Inspection Rejection Receipt" states:
"Rejected for Defective: Headlamps - mounting, operation, and approved type. Vehicle cannot have HID lights."

The shop stated his car was "too old to have HID's installed" and it's a safety violation because the HID's run too hot and melt the housing, posing a safety issue.

Since when did this become law? The car passed last year with HID's at the very same inspection shop.

My '98 Corvette has the same installation and is due for an inspection next month. Have any of you run into this problem?

tommie

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/...nCriteria.aspx


Inspection/Rejection Criteria

20.16 Head Lamps

1. Motor Vehicles. Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with at least two head lamps, at least one on each side of the front of the motor vehicle, which head lamps shall comply with the requirements and limitations set forth in these regulations.

Every head lamp upon every motor vehicle shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 24 inches to be measured from the center of such lamp to the level ground upon which the vehicle stands when such vehicle is without a load.

2. Motorcycles, Motor-Driven Cycles, Mopeds. Every motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, and moped shall be equipped with at least one and not more than two head lamps which shall comply with the requirements and limitations of these regulations.

Every head lamp upon every motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, and moped shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 24 inches to be measured from the cen ter of such lamp to the level ground upon which the vehicle stands when such vehicle is without a load. The head lamp on a motor-driven cycle or moped may be a single beam lamp.

3. General Provisions. All motor vehicles including motorcycles sold new after January 1, 1948, other than motor-driven cycles (motor scooters and motorbikes), must be equipped with multiple beam head lamps. Single beam head lamps will be permitted on those vehicles sold new prior to January 1, 1948, and on all motor-driven cycles (motor scooters, motorbikes, and mopeds).

There shall be an uppermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 450 feet ahead for all conditions of loading (motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and mopeds at a distance of at least 300 feet).

There shall be a lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 150 feet ahead.

a. Single beam head lamp: A head lamp which provides only one fixed beam, which is not adjustable from the driv-er’s seat (usually on motor-driven cycles and mopeds only).

b. Multiple beam head lamp: A head lamp which provides more than one beam, which may be selected as required from the driver’s seat.

c. Dual head lamp system: Those vehicles using the dual or four head lamp system must be equipped with a combination of a #1 and a #2 type head lamp on each side of the vehicle. The use of any other type of lamp in those sockets is illegal and does not meet the inspection requirements for head lamps. The four head lamp system must be wired to burn as originally designed.

d. Other lamps: Fog lamps, auxiliary passing lamps, auxiliary driving lamps, backup lamps, and parking lamps are not required to be inspected.

e. Headlight identification: The 7-inch diameter 6000 series lamp, identified by the #2 on the lens, contains two filaments. One filament produces the upper beam, the other produces the lower beam. The original 7-inch sealed beam lamp can be identified by the absence of the #2 on the lens.

Composite 9,000 series head lamp, identified by bulb housing, lens, or lamp housing marking of DOT or SAE and/or series 9,000.

f. Retractable lamps: check if fully retractable and will fully open and lock in a rigid position.

g. Composite head lamps: These 9,000 series headlights are of a new composite design. They consist of a lens (usually contoured to the grill and fenders of the vehicle), a reflector, and one or two halogen replaceable bulbs. These lamps are not sealed beam. Some moisture may appear in these lamp assemblies when the vehicle has not been in use. The moisture will dissipate when the lamps are turned on for a few seconds. Slight moisture will not reject these lamps. Some types of the composite headlights have a single lens but two bulbs, one of which burns on low beam and one on high beam. Most will have a single bulb that will burn on both high and low beam. Either type will pass inspection as long as the bulbs are under one common lens and are of a type meeting Department standards.

h. Halogen lamps: Acceptable if they are of the type meeting Department standards.

Head lamps approved for use on motorcycles and motor- driven cycles cannot be used on an automobile or truck and vice versa.

On motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and mopeds without batteries, the engine should be run at high idle speed to observe operation of head lamp.

Refer to the Reference Section for further inspection procedures.

4. Preparation for Head Lamp Inspection

a. Clean head lamp lenses, if necessary.

b. Check for burned out head lamp and proper beam switching.

5. Inspection Procedure. Check operation and condition.

6. All head lamps will be inspected for and rejected if:

a. Lamp or lamp assembly is not securely fastened to the vehicle.

b. Lamp is improperly connected and does not light the proper filament for different switch positions.

c. Lamp lens is cracked, broken, discolored, or missing. (Exception: Composite or halogen-type lamps will not be rejected for being cracked, unless the reflector material inside the lamp is discolored or deteriorated.)

d. Lamp is not of a type meeting Department standards.

e. Wiring insulation is worn, rubbed bare, or shows any evidence of burning, short circuiting, or poor electrical connections.

f. Lamp lens is rotated, upside down, canted, or is marked "Right," "Left," #1 or #2 and not appropriately installed.

g. Lamp fails to function properly in any manner.

h. Lamp has dirt or any contamination or discoloration inside or moisture except condensed moisture in composite head lamps non-seal beam halogen lamps.

i. Lamp switch or dimmer switch does not operate properly and is not convenient to the driver.

j. Foreign material placed on head lamp lens, such as shields, half of lens, paint, tape, etc., that interferes with the light beam of the lamp.

k. Vehicle is not equipped with head lamps as required.

l. Lamp can be moved easily by hand, due to a broken fender or loose support.

m. Lamp is missing.

n. Lens is other than clear (white).

o. Any filament in head lamps fails to burn except composite lamps with more than one bulb when both upper and lower beam burn when selected.

p. Wiring is dangling or connections are loose.

q. A good ground is not made by the lamp mounting.

r. Lamp is mounted on vehicle more than or less than prescribed mounting heights.

s. Head lamp is covered by any lens or cover located in front of the head lamp which is any shade or color other than clear.

t. There is physical damage that would obviously cause a headlight beam to fail to illuminate the roadway ahead of the vehicle sufficiently.

tommie

are the bulbs colored??? orange, red etc?? are the hid bulbs mounted in the factory housings?

i used to do state inspections about 7 yrs ago and hids would not cause the vehicle to fail at that time... (unless they were an unusual color) or mounted in a non DOT approved housing

tommie

you can also contact DPS to ask about why your car failed and if it was a legal fail or a mistake....

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/contact/default.aspx


Contact us by mail:

Texas Department of Public Safety
Vehicle Inspection - MSC 0542
PO Box 4087
Austin, TX 78773-0001
Contact us by phone:

(512) 424-7293
Contact us by e-mail:

Mariah

Tommie:

Thanks for your response. They're clear bulbs, no color and they're mounted in the factory housing. Ballasts, wiring, etc. are neatly tucked out of the way.

I'm taking it to a different shop today to see if the same thing happens. If so, I'm going to contact the DPS, because reading through your criteria I can't find a reason for the fail.

Thanks again for the information.

tommie

i think that is a good idea....

did you pay at the 1st shop?

breecher_7

If failed because you cannot legally mount HID lamps in a reflector housing. It creates a scattered and non-directed light pattern and very often blinds other drivers.

It is very commonly done but if you look at any factory style HID setups, you will not find any in a standard reflector housing.

Just change the bulbs back to stock, HID kit SHOULD be plug and play.

Wheelman

I don't see any reason in the actual code posted why it would fail... Keep us updated.

Mariah

(The car passed inspection at a different station.)

I called the DPS office and spoke to an officer specifically assigned to inspection complaints.

He basically confirmed what "breecher_7" said, and he quoted FMVSS Standard 108. It's the Federal Safety Standard which supercedes anything found in, or omitted from, the DPS website. He mentioned the "Effective light emitting surface" as one of the problems associated with HID's which are installed in non-HID lenses.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-201...sec571-108.pdf

He said that he knows most 4k-6k HID's installed as mine are, usually pass inspection. But according to the FMVSS they are illegal. If I installed a HID projection/lens kit, they would be legal.

The shop my son went to had a new manager who'd only been there one month. During the past month, a DPS officer paid him a visit and loosely quoted Standard 108. Consequently, he's overly cautious and is failing all HID bulbs that are not installed in a projection/lens kit.

ysb02

I've found the shops getting more strict over the last decade on what they will allow. For mods like these just return it to stock to pass.

Mariah

Toque

That sucks....

I can see it happening though when you have a HID bulb in a stock housing.

Like said above... I would slip the original bulbs back in the stock housings to get it safety inspected.
It is all plug and play and quick to revert back. Leave the HID ballasts mounted.
After the inspection put the HID bulbs back in there. Easy Peasy !

My ACA HID projectors have a "DOT" logo stamped into them.
I have never had an issue with inspection in Dallas area.
These are REAL HID projector's.

Good luck !
Toque

davidnclearlaketx

I've never ever heard of HID's not passing inspection unless they were either too yellow or too purple 12K + and would not produce the proper amount of light output (lumens) to meet the 150/450 feet rule that tommie posted #2 above. I've heard that some inspection stations are cracking down on the window tint being too dark but not heard anything about HID's not passing. A friend has a shop and he fills me in on the latest gossip so just for grins I'll ask him about it tomorrow.
I'm sure since this post is so old you've taken care of everything but now you have me curious....

Tom/99

My daughters Cobalt failed the state inspection, due to having HID's.

Corvette_Ed

According to this part of the law the stock headlights don't even come close to meeting the requirement. I could barely see 30 feet ahead of me with stock lights, much less 150.

davidnclearlaketx

Wow! I'm shocked! All the pieces of junk you see on Houston highways; 15 people riding in the back of a work truck in front of Home Depot...etc... and they have to jack with people with HID's now! Such BS!
Did you take it around the corner to another shop and it passed fine?
Making me think now about putting HID's H4's in my little '84 Bronco II my father left me when he passed away.
Unbelievable!
Check this post out w/pics of my BII and '08 Vette.
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...=1#post2446337

Hope I don't get in trouble for posting links to other forums.... ??

Hope everything works out for you.

davidnclearlaketx

Very true! HID's vastly improve distance view and clarity!
What are these inspectors thinking?

In my '88 I put high dollar glass Hela (spelling?) housings for the H4 HID bulbs and never had an issue.

wjnjr

Same thing happened with my truck. It would not pass with HID bulbs in the stock reflector headlights. The bulb type is written on the headlight lens of factory headlights and has to match the installed bulbs to pass. For HIDs it has to be D1, D2, D3 or D4. The solution was to put the regular halogen bulbs back in, and it passed at the same inspection station the same day (!)

So for the last several inspections I've just swapped the bulbs before I go in. No problems.

davidnclearlaketx

Interesting.... I love this forum you learn new things every time you open it up and read, search, read.
Thanks for the info!

LoneStarZ06

WOW Really?????

I know right you see such pieces of sh** driving around and they pick on one the cars that is best maintained by it's owners.

OMG I could not see with the stock bulbs and housings much less the distance they required and changed mine and now I can see everything with my projector HID's with 5k bulbs(pure white).