AMBER SIDELIGHTS coded/programmed after manufacture legality
Discussion
Hello all,
I've seen a few cars on the road (mainly BMWs and VWs) where the owners have coded/programmed amber side lights on their vehicle (most probably by setting the parameters in their lighting modules to mimic those of North America), which generally use the front turn signal bulbs on a constant lower light output setting (and then flash at full brightness when that side's turn signal indicator is applied). I realise there are vehicles sold in the UK that have similar things from factory (usually by using separate amber bulbs/LED strips), but this post is specifically about vehicles that did not have it from factory for UK specification.
I do personally like the look of these, however I suspect that there may be legal issues surrounding it.
1. Is it road legal/would it pass MoT?
2. Would it count as a modification for insurance purposes?
I've seen a few cars on the road (mainly BMWs and VWs) where the owners have coded/programmed amber side lights on their vehicle (most probably by setting the parameters in their lighting modules to mimic those of North America), which generally use the front turn signal bulbs on a constant lower light output setting (and then flash at full brightness when that side's turn signal indicator is applied). I realise there are vehicles sold in the UK that have similar things from factory (usually by using separate amber bulbs/LED strips), but this post is specifically about vehicles that did not have it from factory for UK specification.
I do personally like the look of these, however I suspect that there may be legal issues surrounding it.
1. Is it road legal/would it pass MoT?
2. Would it count as a modification for insurance purposes?
BMWs have a system where if the side light bulb fails (IIRC - it may be the dip beam, but I think it's side light), then the check system picks it up and the lighting ECU does what you mentioned - lights the indicator on low voltage - instead.
So there's a very good chance that you're just seeing people who have broken sidelight bulbs and don't realise/care about it.
So there's a very good chance that you're just seeing people who have broken sidelight bulbs and don't realise/care about it.
defblade said:
BMWs have a system where if the side light bulb fails (IIRC - it may be the dip beam, but I think it's side light), then the check system picks it up and the lighting ECU does what you mentioned - lights the indicator on low voltage - instead.
So there's a very good chance that you're just seeing people who have broken sidelight bulbs and don't realise/care about it.
Given the knowledge that the OP has and the way he has written his post I think that he knows what he has seen and it’s a modification rather than the car covering for a broken light. So there's a very good chance that you're just seeing people who have broken sidelight bulbs and don't realise/care about it.
I have seen this too and personally think it looks s
te, unless you want to look like a ‘stanced to fk’ scene boi or an ‘innit bruv’ just leave it alone.
The "not bothering with front numberplates" is obviously something people are not getting stopped for - far too many of them around. For three mornings in a row I've passed a BMW coming towards me with this absolutely tiny numberplate, to one side of the front on the bumper. Each morning I've smiled, and thought tt.
The amber sidelights - urgh, anything else these idiots want to do to make life difficult? Seen enough of them looking like they are about to make a turn before I've realised the amber light is constantly on.
This ranks along side the "making our lights as dark as possible so you cannot actually see them" trend. Idiocy at the highest level.
t.The amber sidelights - urgh, anything else these idiots want to do to make life difficult? Seen enough of them looking like they are about to make a turn before I've realised the amber light is constantly on.
This ranks along side the "making our lights as dark as possible so you cannot actually see them" trend. Idiocy at the highest level.
Stoofa said:
The "not bothering with front numberplates" is obviously something people are not getting stopped for - far too many of them around. For three mornings in a row I've passed a BMW coming towards me with this absolutely tiny numberplate, to one side of the front on the bumper. Each morning I've smiled, and thought tt.
The amber sidelights - urgh, anything else these idiots want to do to make life difficult? Seen enough of them looking like they are about to make a turn before I've realised the amber light is constantly on.
This ranks along side the "making our lights as dark as possible so you cannot actually see them" trend. Idiocy at the highest level.
They do get stopped but there are so many around. Every one I see gets stopped and issued with a £100 FPN.t.The amber sidelights - urgh, anything else these idiots want to do to make life difficult? Seen enough of them looking like they are about to make a turn before I've realised the amber light is constantly on.
This ranks along side the "making our lights as dark as possible so you cannot actually see them" trend. Idiocy at the highest level.
BMW...
I've recently sold my saab aero and purchased a 2015 120i bmw. (petrol 177hp) nippy enough for me, I only cover 4k/year
I enjoy the facebook sites and joined the 1 series groups..opps.
they recent carried out a survey and I fall into the 4% of the group...ie over 45.
most are under 25.
.
common conversations..
1. limo tint on front side windows.
2. coil overs.
3. tinted rear lights
4. HID kits
5. removing and sticking screwdrivers through the dpf
6. using Carley to programme the American indicator settings.
7. cheapest remaps..and do they show on the black box insurance box...
8. biggest alloy wheels and cheap tyres.
9. front number plates, and pressed steel plates.
10. insurance and do they declare mods.
.
oh an if any old duffer like me mentioned insurance...get told to errr jog on....or words like that....ive left that lot...
I've recently sold my saab aero and purchased a 2015 120i bmw. (petrol 177hp) nippy enough for me, I only cover 4k/year
I enjoy the facebook sites and joined the 1 series groups..opps.
they recent carried out a survey and I fall into the 4% of the group...ie over 45.
most are under 25.
.
common conversations..
1. limo tint on front side windows.
2. coil overs.
3. tinted rear lights
4. HID kits
5. removing and sticking screwdrivers through the dpf
6. using Carley to programme the American indicator settings.
7. cheapest remaps..and do they show on the black box insurance box...
8. biggest alloy wheels and cheap tyres.
9. front number plates, and pressed steel plates.
10. insurance and do they declare mods.
.
oh an if any old duffer like me mentioned insurance...get told to errr jog on....or words like that....ive left that lot...
defblade said:
BMWs have a system where if the side light bulb fails (IIRC - it may be the dip beam, but I think it's side light), then the check system picks it up and the lighting ECU does what you mentioned - lights the indicator on low voltage - instead.
So there's a very good chance that you're just seeing people who have broken sidelight bulbs and don't realise/care about it.
Go on any bmw enthusiast site like e46 zone and they are full of posts with people changing there light settings to mimic the usa lighting,So there's a very good chance that you're just seeing people who have broken sidelight bulbs and don't realise/care about it.
I think it looks s
te personally there is a few golfs near me with the same, no surprises there 
sonnenschein3000 said:
Hello all,
I've seen a few cars on the road (mainly BMWs and VWs) where the owners have coded/programmed amber side lights on their vehicle (most probably by setting the parameters in their lighting modules to mimic those of North America), which generally use the front turn signal bulbs on a constant lower light output setting (and then flash at full brightness when that side's turn signal indicator is applied). I realise there are vehicles sold in the UK that have similar things from factory (usually by using separate amber bulbs/LED strips), but this post is specifically about vehicles that did not have it from factory for UK specification.
I do personally like the look of these, however I suspect that there may be legal issues surrounding it.
1. Is it road legal/would it pass MoT?
2. Would it count as a modification for insurance purposes?
Meanwhile in the states BMW and other European brand drivers want to ditch the orange sidelights, lenses and fit 'eurospec lights' I've seen a few cars on the road (mainly BMWs and VWs) where the owners have coded/programmed amber side lights on their vehicle (most probably by setting the parameters in their lighting modules to mimic those of North America), which generally use the front turn signal bulbs on a constant lower light output setting (and then flash at full brightness when that side's turn signal indicator is applied). I realise there are vehicles sold in the UK that have similar things from factory (usually by using separate amber bulbs/LED strips), but this post is specifically about vehicles that did not have it from factory for UK specification.
I do personally like the look of these, however I suspect that there may be legal issues surrounding it.
1. Is it road legal/would it pass MoT?
2. Would it count as a modification for insurance purposes?
AKA clear lenses...
As an aside for 12 years I owned a US import that had Orange front side lights that doubled up as indicators. It also had Red Rear Indicators. (I thought they looked cool too and hated bodge on stuff that most people had to get fitted)
It passed the MOT every year, apparently if asked they weren't there on the day of the Test, always good to have a friendly MOT tester. He did ask one year where the rear fog light switch was, when I said it had no rear fog lamp he told me to get one for next year which I duly did.
It wasn't a daily driver but I never did get stopped by the BinB.
Nickyboy said:
As long as you have the correct colour sidelights then you can have whatever colour marker lights as long as they're not red so yes it would pass an MOT
Correct.The Police were totally out of order and legally incorrect when they started dishing out tickets for those light up washer jets that everyone started fitting in the early 2000's.
Some were white LED and some where blue, and the police round here hated them. Stopped people constantly for them, and even made some pull the wiring out at the roadside before allowing the driver to continue.
But the law is very simple as I understand it, but I'm happy to be corrected. As long as you have the correct colour factory fitted bulbs, you can add any additional lights you want to the car as long as it isn't red to the front, anything flashing, and the rears must be red. (With some exceptions).
Which is why trucks covered in lights of various colours are legal.
jonwm said:
Quite a big thing in the vag world, along with “pace light” setting for the rear indicators on the new golfs, I’m a member of some groups on FB not done it!
I followed one a few weeks back that did this, thought it was a sort of follow on from the Audi style 'trailing' LEDs! Is it a 'mod' then?
WarrenB said:
jonwm said:
Quite a big thing in the vag world, along with “pace light” setting for the rear indicators on the new golfs, I’m a member of some groups on FB not done it!
I followed one a few weeks back that did this, thought it was a sort of follow on from the Audi style 'trailing' LEDs! Is it a 'mod' then?
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