Anyone got caught with non-amber sidemarker?

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I have aftermarket LED tails, LED turn signals and clear side markers (with amber bulbs) in my Subaru. I have European E-code headlights (not DOT compliant) on my Jeep. Both passed Texas inspections twice with no objections about lighting at all.

I keep all my OEM parts, so if it had been a problem, I would have just swapped them long enough to get inspected and put them back.

In what part of the state are you?

It's very much a roll of the dice here, particularly if you don't know someone.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

In what part of the state are you?

I was in Austin, but now I live in sunny Florida, where there are no inspections.

[Sarlacc]

Those sidemarkers are clear and set up as turn signals from the factory on all GT86 and BRZ in Japan, Europe and most or all markets except North America.
So I always assumed it was some US legislation requiring the amber lens and different wiring. Same as with the smaller diameter exhaust tips. (Which are 86mm in the rest of the world.)

[Adam_L]

make sure you have a amber bulb in there, led , if going to clear sides.

I'm leaving mine stock, I like the amber/ Orange, as I have a orange/yellow theme happening.

[BaatLuk]

Originally Posted by Sarlacc

Those sidemarkers are clear and set up as turn signals from the factory on all GT86 and BRZ in Japan, Europe and most or all markets except North America.
So I always assumed it was some US legislation requiring the amber lens and different wiring. Same as with the smaller diameter exhaust tips. (Which are 86mm in the rest of the world.)

Exactly right! I was going to do the full JDM conversion - JDM OE clear lenses, amber bulbs and turn signal conversion. However, I just realized that would turn off the side markers completely when turn signal is not activated. This might be a little dangerous at night and catch the wrong kind of attention from cops. I am still contemplating about this mod. Just don't want to give the cops another reason to pull me over.

Btw, technically US federal regulation requires amber lenses on side markers and side markers must be lit with parking lights/low beams. Usually in other cars, the amber side markers are integrated into the headlights.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by BaatLuk

Btw, technically US federal regulation requires amber lenses on side markers

I've seen this thrown out there a few times, and I don't think it's correct. Vehicle lighting is governed at the federal level by FMVSS 108. I've been through it, and I don't see anywhere that it says that amber lenses are required. S7.4.2 says that the "color of light" must conform to Table 1-a. Table 1-a requires two front steady burning amber side markers and two rear steady burning red side markers. If you have amber bulbs in your clear front side markers, the color of light would be amber, and you would be in compliance. Plus using amber lamps to avoid impairing other drivers' night vision is just simple courtesy.

By that same regulation, JDM tail lights, which lack the red rear side markers, would be illegal.

Originally Posted by Sarlacc

Those sidemarkers are clear and set up as turn signals from the factory on all GT86 and BRZ in Japan, Europe and most or all markets except North America.
So I always assumed it was some US legislation requiring the amber lens and different wiring.

Table 1-a of FMVSS specifically states:

Side Marker Lamps

2 Amber

On each side as far to the front as practicable

Steady burning except may be flashed for signaling purposes. Must be activated when the headlamps are activated in a steady burning state or the parking lamps on passenger cars and MPVs, trucks, and buses less than 80 inches in overall width are activated.

So it's legal to have side markers that flash with your turn signals, as long as they also conform to the other requirements.

[BaatLuk]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I've seen this thrown out there a few times, and I don't think it's correct. Vehicle lighting is governed at the federal level by FMVSS 108. I've been through it, and I don't see anywhere that it says that amber lenses are required. S7.4.2 says that the "color of light" must conform to Table 1-a. Table 1-a requires two front steady burning amber side markers and two rear steady burning red side markers. If you have amber bulbs in your clear front side markers, the color of light would be amber, and you would be in compliance. Plus using amber lamps to avoid impairing other drivers' night vision is just simple courtesy.

By that same regulation, JDM tail lights, which lack the red rear side markers, would be illegal.



Table 1-a of FMVSS specifically states:

Side Marker Lamps

2 Amber

On each side as far to the front as practicable

Steady burning except may be flashed for signaling purposes. Must be activated when the headlamps are activated in a steady burning state or the parking lamps on passenger cars and MPVs, trucks, and buses less than 80 inches in overall width are activated.

So it's legal to have side markers that flash with your turn signals, as long as they also conform to the other requirements.

I hope you are right about the legality of using clear lenses in the US. I'd love to convert the side markers to turn signals but I don't know of a way to make them lit in steady state with low beams AND blink in sync with the turn signal. The DIY here shows that the side markers alternate with the turn signals (think Pontiac Sunfire from early 2000s ). To make the side markers blink in sync with the turn signal, they would be off when turn signal isn't activated.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by BaatLuk

I'd love to convert the side markers to turn signals but I don't know of a way to make them lit in steady state with low beams AND blink in sync with the turn signal. The DIY here shows that the side markers alternate with the turn signals (think Pontiac Sunfire from early 2000s ). To make the side markers blink in sync with the turn signal, they would be off when turn signal isn't activated.

I wonder if there's a two-way turn signal LED and socket that could be adapted to the side marker housing so that half the LEDs stay on all the time and half are connected to the turn signal relay. That way it would behave as if there were two separate bulbs in there, one that came on with the lights, the other than only operated with the turn signal.

I wonder if the folks at @Diode Dynamics might have an answer for that.

[Beachin86]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I wonder if there's a two-way turn signal LED and socket that could be adapted to the side marker housing so that half the LEDs stay on all the time and half are connected to the turn signal relay. That way it would behave as if there were two separate bulbs in there, one that came on with the lights, the other than only operated with the turn signal.

I wonder if the folks at @Diode Dynamics might have an answer for that.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41027

I bookmarked this thread last week as I'm planning on a custom version. The thread itself is outdated but the OP mentions he still has the videos on his instagram. Also, switchback bulbs can be found here:

http://www.autolumination.com/switchback.html

[BaatLuk]

The switchback bulbs flash amber/white but with the JDM clear lenses, I only want the bulbs to flash amber. Is there a way to make the side markers lit with the low beams and flash in sync with turn signal?

[86Ryan]

I have had the clear side markers with bright white bulbs and have not been pulled over since installing them. about 5 months