Do some reserch hate to see someone hurt, ticked or bankrupted your insurance can be voided.


NHTSA prohibits "HID conversion kits" Understand there is a $10,000 fine per kit sold. There is no way to control the light output or direction when you drop a HID into a halogen headlight. My own car has factory HID's and it has an auto levelling system and headlight washing system. It does NOT blind oncoming vehicles.

NHTSA 43-04
Contact: Rae Tyson, Telephone: (202) 366-9550
Tuesday, October 19, 2004

NHTSA ILLEGAL LIGHTING CRACKDOWN CONTINUES

Continuing its crackdown against manufacturers and suppliers of illegal lighting equipment, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced its decision that high intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits produced by a Texas company do not comply with federal safety standards.

The owner of ASTEX USA, a supplier of aftermarket HID kits, was ordered to conduct a recall campaign and provide a no-cost solution to the customer. The company is based in Dayton, TX. When installed in a motor vehicle, the HID kits “can be expected to produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists and others,” NHTSA said in its decision.

To date, NHTSA has investigated 24 HID conversion kit suppliers; all investigations have resulted in recalls or termination of sales.

“These illegal lights are a potential hazard to those who share the road,” said NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey Runge, MD. “And we will continue to pursue those offering them for sale and violating the law.”

Companies that sell, import or manufacture non-compliant equipment could face substantial civil penalties, NHTSA said.

Update: May 3, 2007:
NHTSA Cracks Down on Aftermarket HID Conversion Kits

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is targeting high-intensity discharge (HID) conversion kits for enforcement actions. NHTSA has concluded that it is impossible to produce HID conversion kits (converting a halogen system to HID) that would be compliant with the federal lighting standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108. The noncompliant kits frequently include a HID bulb, a ballast, an igniter, a relay and wiring harness adapters. The NHTSA believes this equipment presents a safety risk to the public since the kits can be expected to produce excessive glare to oncoming motorists. In one investigation, the NHTSA found that an HID conversion headlamp exceeded the maximum allowable candlepower by over 800%.

Under FMVSS No. 108 Section S7.7 (replaceable light sources), each replaceable light source for headlamps must be designed to conform to the dimensions and electrical specifications for the headlamp source it is intended to replace. For example, if an HID kit is marketed as replacing an H1 light source, then it must match the H1's wire coil filament size and location, the electrical connector size and location and the ballast design for use with an H1 light source (which is impossible since there is no ballast). Consequently, companies that are manufacturing HID light sources (e.g., D1S, D1R, D2S, D2R, 9500, etc�) with incandescent light source bases (e.g., H1, H3, H7, H8, H9, H11, H13, HB1, HB2, HB3, HB4, HB5, etc�) should be aware that this light source design would not be one that conforms to FMVSS No. 108, and could not be imported and sold in the United States without violating Federal law. (The importer is treated as the manufacturer and subject to the same fines and penalties that apply to a domestic manufacturer.)

NHTSA has also determined that a commonly used disclaimer "for off-road use only" has no legal meaning and is not recognized by the agency as the manufacturer, importer and retailer are not in a position to control use once a product has been sold. Any equipment offered for sale which is covered by FMVSS No. 108 (headlamps, taillamps, side markers, etc.) must comply with the standard.

 

A good HID replacement headlamp kit will include s new lens assembly specifically designed for HID lighting so that the HID light pattern can be properly adjusted.

Simply putting HID lights in a factory lamp housing will not work. This is where you can get a scattered light beam, not to mention a lot of people buy a kit and never attempt to adjust the light pattern at all.

And lighting enforcement is done by local law enforcement according to state law. Unless there is a specific state law that defines what is illegal in terms of replacement lighting, a LEO is probably not going to make it a priority to stop somebody just because a car has HID lighting.

So if this is the case, why are there a number of CF Supporting vendors selling HID kits?? Not to mention the large number of flea bay vendors selling HID lights without replacement housings. The dates of the document shows 2004 and 2007. Has the NHTSA made later changes, especially that HID lighting is now much more common in newer vehicles?

 

Yes they can be done right but not for $50 to $200 and true they do not enforce the laws just look at the boarder but if you blind some old lady and she hits your car and is found you did a illegal mod your insurance will hang you out to dry and you could lose everything it's your choice.
I spent alot of money to make my lights right becuase the factorys do suck but if I save one person from this it was more than worth my time The info I put up was just to get you started I am not here to start a fight do your own research and make your own choices

 

I have tried different housings and lights on my 89 and 94 corvettes and the best I have found is the Sylvania silverstar headlights. Really lights up the viewing area

 

I used them for years good light good price and legal!!!!!!

 

If your looking for great headlights check out Cibies it's going to cost you more than the Flea Bay stuff floating around but well worth it

 

Personally, I believe if it doesn't have "DOT APPROVED" stamped on it then it should be an automatic inspection failure and a fine with impound.

What I don't understand is how vehicles are passing inspection with after market HID bulbs when law requires high and low beam lights?

 

They make some hid with high and low or can put two bulbs in and china can spell DOT

 

You have a good point there....

 

 

Not just because someone has HID headlights. If your headlights are blinding other drivers then yes you can be pulled over. This does not apply only to HID headlights, but remember with out the correct projectors it will be extremely hard to prevent HID headlights from blinding other drivers.

There are no aftermarket housings or projectors that fit the C4 that are for HID headlights. They are ALL for halogen bulbs.

 

I forgot I had emailed a website that sells a decent fixed headlight kit for the C4 with an option for HID lights. The reply I got is that they are not DOT legal, but they are trying to get them through the DOT process.

AFAIK the site is not a vendor so no links.

 

Could not find it

 

Bump

 

Just found GE nighthawks LED on sale on Amazon for under $500 bucks a bit cheaper than my Cibies I wonder how they stack up

 

I spent about $100 on my H4 conversion, I would be around $130 if I added relays.

 

Good bang for the buck

 

Found Truck-Lite LED a bit cheaper.........any good?

 

But a well made hid system with shutters on the bulb actually blind LESS than the crappy factory headlights and put more light on the road where needed even in normal headlight enclosures.

My F250 has hids in the stock headlight housings and has a nice clean cutoff line. I used to get flashed with the stock headlights. With the heads I don't.

The first pic is hids with normal housings on my truck.

The second pic is from the vette on low beam also.

 

Truck-lite is GE. They just re label