Are FFEs and Xenons legal?

[ak916]

Hey guys,

Have a question about FFEs and Xenon lights... Are they illegal? I know, the cops are busy booking people for the "offense" but is it really illegal? If it is illegal, then why are companies like automech and remus registered in India to sell FFEs.. same goes with Philips crystal vision. It is like saying pot is illegal however, they sell pot at .. lets say, "reliance POTworld"... but you cant buy it and if you do, you will be arrested... I cant seem to understand this. Can someone please help out? Why are they letting XYZ company sell something that is clearly going to be used illegally.. it is not like you would add a Remus to the tail end of a Gilma Exhaust in the kitchen... it will obviously go under the car and you will most definitely replace the car's cat con... and I would really appreciate an answer other than "This is India my friend". Thanks

[pingping]

Originally Posted by ak916

Hey guys,

Have a question about FFEs and Xenon lights... Are they illegal? I know, the cops are busy booking people for the "offense" but is it really illegal? If it is illegal, then why are companies like automech and remus registered in India to sell FFEs.. same goes with Philips crystal vision. It is like saying pot is illegal however, they sell pot at .. lets say, "reliance POTworld"... but you cant buy it and if you do, you will be arrested... I cant seem to understand this. Can someone please help out? Why are they letting XYZ company sell something that is clearly going to be used illegally.. it is not like you would add a Remus to the tail end of a Gilma Exhaust in the kitchen... it will obviously go under the car and you will most definitely replace the car's cat con... and I would really appreciate an answer other than "This is India my friend". Thanks

AS far as my understanding goes... Xenon lights are not illegal, but they are illegal to use inside city limits and cops tend to catch u up there.... Again in the highways i guess xenons can be used with projector setup to avoid blinding the oncoming traffic, without projector setup its considered to be illegal. So its both illegal and legal... For dealers and distributors its legal and for cops its illegal ... By the way its practically tough to use headlights of the car only on highways right....

And to add up BMW and few other high end cars come up with xenon lights and projector set ups.... if its illegal how can they be sold..

And by the way if u want to use xenons in ur car do this... put up xenons also add simple driving lights (say fog lights) and use this one for city use and xenons for highway... .... it'll be legal then

Friends correct me if im wrong....

[tsk1979]

Lights and exhaust should confirm to regulations given in the Motor vehicles act. AFAIK this act talks about wattage(60/55W).
So technically speaking xenon's are below this wattage so are legal!
I am not sure whether this law has been changed, but in recent times there have not been any updates.
That said in India the traffic police and some court dude decides what to do.
So even though motor vehicle act says sun film of certain transparency is legal, an order was given by which all sunfilms were declared illegal. Only when the matter went to supreme court, it reversed the order, since the rule of the court is not to write laws, but enforce existing laws.

Coming to the subject of free flows, the system should meet emission, and noise regulations. Thats what the act says. Most "pipe" type free flows which do not have a Cat con are illegal.

[viper]

Hi,

They are as legal as fitting fog lights, horns body kits etc. Had a recent encounter with a traffic cop who stopped me for my H.I.D's. I argued that why is the discrimination when they come factory fitted on some cars, either they are allowed or they are not. Eventually he let me go.

As per the RTO anything that does not meet a factory car specs is considered illegal.

Viper

Viper

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by viper

Hi,

They are as legal as fitting fog lights, horns body kits etc. Had a recent encounter with a traffic cop who stopped me for my H.I.D's. I argued that why is the discrimination when they come factory fitted on some cars, either they are allowed or they are not. Eventually he let me go.

As per the RTO anything that does not meet a factory car specs is considered illegal.

Viper

Viper

I'm sorry I do not agree with you. Go through the motor vehicles act. It does not say "Factory specs".
It lays down some clear guidelines.
for example there is a section called "Fog lamps on SUVs". It just says they should meet BIS standards (I forgot the standard number) and should be at a height not greater than some number which is again in BIS standards.
I forgot the standard number which deals with automobile lighting.
So as long as your headlamps/Fog lamps/etc., meet those BIS standards, its okay.

The section also says that having blue or green lights in front or back of the vehicle is illegal, and indicator lights should be yellow in color etc.,

I tried to find what the BIS standard says, but you have to pay to get the standard.
Next time you get stopped, whip out a copy of the motor vehicles act and tell to cop you meet BIS standard 8XXX.
I am sure he will have not idea, and will let you go .

Since you are connected to the industry, it would be a great help if you can arrange for the BIS standards in the Motor vehicles act, so we actually know whats legal and whats not legal.

[theMAG]

Originally Posted by viper

As per the RTO anything that does not meet a factory car specs is considered illegal.

True.



@ak916: Most aftermarket mods/add-ons for street use are illegal not only in India but also abroad. But then there are us auto buffs who will have it if they cant help it. A very human weakness for materialistic desires - Hari Om.

[BUSA]

The reason why HID's equipped high end cars are not caught compared t to HID equipped low end cars or aftermarket fitted HID's is that high end cars come with a projector setup which doesnot blind the on comming traffic. So HID without projector setup can/is illegal.

Just my 1 dollar(rates have gone down)

[viper]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I'm sorry I do not agree with you. Go through the motor vehicles act. It does not say "Factory specs".
It lays down some clear guidelines.f

Buddy,

You need to get real in life which constable even knows the actual rules leave asides the MV Act. They recently announced that they will catch all cars retrofitted with horns and those that are not factory fitted horns. Do you really think they can distinguish between OE and aftermarket.

Once they stop you you only have 2 options argue with them and either win or go to court or either bribe them/pay the fine they ask. Am not getting into the nitty gritty but talking about real life scenarios. If you try talking rules all that they will do i get angry and tell you argue in court. Do you really have the time to do that. You may be right but the fact is its your word against theirs at that moment.

Viper

[srishiva]

Are HIDs legal for both low and high beam. I remember initially when they came out they could be only on low beam

[low_bass_makker]

HID in a projecter setup which work also only low beam and does not blind traffic that is why they are legal. In a normal setup HID blind traffic that is why they are illegal.

[viper]

Originally Posted by low_bass_makker

HID in a projecter setup which work also only low beam and does not blind traffic that is why they are legal. In a normal setup HID blind traffic that is why they are illegal.

Hi,

FYI it is illegal to even change the headlights to projector setups, H.I.D'S come later on.

Viper

[low_bass_makker]

Originally Posted by viper

Hi,

FYI it is illegal to even change the headlights to projector setups, H.I.D'S come later on.

Viper

Hai what ? where how when ?

[pingping]

Originally Posted by viper

Hi,

FYI it is illegal to even change the headlights to projector setups, H.I.D'S come later on.

Viper

BMW, Volswagen Passat how come they are sold then ????

[swathyd]

What about ffe s ? everybody is talking just about xenons.

[viper]

Originally Posted by swathyd

What about ffe s ? everybody is talking just about xenons.

Hi,

Read Post no #4. In a nutshell the answer is NO.

Viper