smoked tail lights and cops in LA

[Business Kat]

Hey guys. Ever since I was a kid I wanted to have a car with tinted tail lights and I'm thinking this is the car to do it with. I frequently go to West L.A./Santa Monica and work in Manhattan Beach. I want to get them painted but I'm affraid a cop will pull me over and then I'll be screwed. I don't know how hard gettings tints put on them are becuase the tail lights have a bunch of edges on them. And I potentially want to leave the white turn signal part not tinted. Depends what I ultimately end up doing with the car.

When I got my nav put in I inquired about this and the they wanted around $300 to paint them and said tints suck because they'll shrink in the sun and would need to be replaced after a while. Window tints don't shrink so I figured he was full of it.

So you people with darkened tail lights in the greater LA area. How has your luck with cops been? and tint or paint?

Thank you!

[dP3NGU1N]

There are several DIYs on the site to paint it yourself with about $20 worth of VHT nightshade. Sorry I don't have any insight on the ticket situation. Depends on your luck I guess. I've also seen several members who have had no issues with tint film.

[Tazicon]

I used a tinted clear coat and left the clear areas alone. It looks amazing. I cant help you with the law down there. As with most places I would assume if you run into an officer who is having a bad day or you do something stupid and he sees you may very well get a ticket for your tail lights. Just beware.

[chuckie311]

california law before i moved in 06 was if you can see the red brake lights from 500 feet then there is no issue...

[Masterbeatty]

When i lived in san diego till last january. My previous altima coupe was done with tail light spray tint and my Z with tint on the turn signals i never got hassled. I even got a speeding ticket with it that way and the cop diddnt say a thing. But with something that dumb for them to just pull you over for that is ridiculous, the only time i have heard of friends getting a ticket for that is when they were dong something else illegal and instead of a big fat speedo they gave them the $75 fix it for the lights to cut them a break.

[Cbtech]

Originally Posted by chuckie311

california law before i moved in 06 was if you can see the red brake lights from 500 feet then there is no issue...

Close.

its if they can see the red of your tail lense from around 500 feet.

got a ticket for mine a year ago. I would suggest getting them tinted with a film so you can remove them if need be.

[Wonka2581]

Check your local laws to see if it's illegal to have them tinted.

[Cbtech]

I believe traffic laws are based on state law not local laws

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[ParkStr8]

I live by the Beverly Center and have tinted my last 5 or 6 cars - both front and rear lamps.

I've never had a problem. BUT - I only go slightly darker and not murdered. With my G35S sedan I had cut outs around the four rear lights - for a great effect.

On shrinkage - they only shrank a few mm - but after that one instance I had the tinter's put a little extra around and it was never an issue.

Also depends on the color of the car.

There are so many colors it's easy to customize.

Oh - I'm about to my Z roadster front and rear tinted - but again, very light. You have to find a good tinter as the contours of the lights can be tricky.

1 last thing - I would l never paint as its permanent. Should you get rear ended - you would want to pull the tint off the rears before an adjuster inspects it to avoid any issues. I speak from first hand experience.

[roy'sz]

Had my dipstick of a supervisor get a fix it ticket for putting smoked lenses over his brake lights. Its against DOT to alter your lights from oem spec. Its not worth it bro.

[Business Kat]

I know it's illegal. I straight up asked a cop and he pulled out a little book and said it's illegal to tamper with them. I know motorcycle law says x00 feet has to be visible but cars have no mercy. I think I'm going to go for a light tint. I know I can't do it myself. I don't trust myself. I've seen precut strips online but I don't want to tint the whole thing, I want to leave the turn signal white. Do I just go to any tint guy and see if they can do it? What are ballpark prices you guys paid?

[Cbtech]

I paid about 130 for my Mercedes tail light tint

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[Wonka2581]

Originally Posted by Cbtech

I believe traffic laws are based on state law not local laws

sent via my hand puter-ma-jig

Yes this is correct. But for me being in TN local for him would be California.

[chuckie311]

California law

24600. During darkness every motor vehicle which is not in
combination with any other vehicle and every vehicle at the end of a
combination of vehicles shall be equipped with lighted taillamps
mounted on the rear as follows:
(a) Every vehicle shall be equipped with one or more taillamps.
(b) Every vehicle, other than a motorcycle, manufactured and first
registered on or after January 1, 1958, shall be equipped with not
less than two taillamps, except that trailers and semitrailers
manufactured after July 23, 1973, which are less than 30 inches wide,
may be equipped with one taillamp which shall be mounted at or near
the vertical centerline of the vehicles. If a vehicle is equipped
with two taillamps, they shall be mounted as specified in subdivision
(d).
(c) Every vehicle or vehicle at the end of a combination of
vehicles, subject to subdivision (a) of Section 22406 shall be
equipped with not less than two taillamps.
(d) When two taillamps are required, at least one shall be mounted
at the left and one at the right side respectively at the same
level.
(e) Taillamps shall be red in color and shall be plainly visible
from all distances within 500 feet to the rear except that taillamps
on vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1969, shall be plainly
visible from all distances within 1,000 feet to the rear.
(f) Taillamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January 1,
1969, shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than 72
inches, except that a tow truck, in addition to being equipped with
the required taillamps, may also be equipped with two taillamps which
may be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than the maximum
allowable vehicle height and as far forward as the rearmost portion
of the driver's seat in the rearmost position. The additional
taillamps on a tow truck shall be lighted whenever the headlamps are
lighted.

[Business Kat]