Amber fog lights illegal?

Color doesn't matter (white or amber) on fogs. Wasnt that long ago that some cars came from the factory that way.

However, they do have to meet SAE code as fogs, and be aimed as such.

 

I have amber ditch lights, cuts through the dust WAY BETTER than the whites, but more to the point, I don't drive around with them ON. I've passed by so many cops, CHP, etc and not s single one of them bothered me. Going on close to 8x years here soon with my OZ-USA Amber ditch lights. I just leave them OFF unless I'm actually wheeling.

 

^^^THIS TOO^^^ except I thought it was D.O.T.? But yeah, there is also a "certification" the equipment needs to meet.

 

It's both, but you are correct. DOT writes the regs, SAE is the agreed industry standard that conforms to regs.

 

Btw, I believe MOST packaging will even say, "NOT DOT CERTIFIED" or something like that.

Go to an AutoZone for example and the lights they sell, for example, will/should say as such on the packaging... in small-s$$ print, of course!!!

 

If you still want amber, Better off wrapping your OEM fogs with an orange film.

"its OEM" officer!

 

If the OP is referring to diode dynamics, by "DD," then his fogs are Not "amber," they are the legal selective yellow color.

And based on what I was able to find in Oklohomas statutes regarding fogs, I'd fight that ticket any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

Dude, it's supposed to be "ossifer" or is that only when you're hammered drunk?

 

I’ve never seen a state law cited specifying selective yellow is legal and amber is not. If you know of one, enlighten me with said law.
As far as SAE standard and DOT compliance goes Ive seen vendors selling selective yellow and amber fog lights claiming compliance.

 

Diode Dynamics makes SAE compliant Amber fogs too.

EDIT: 6" Stage Series 6 inch SAE/DOT Amber Light Bar (diodedynamics.com)
12" Stage Series 12 inch SAE/DOT Amber Light Bar (diodedynamics.com)

 

Did they cite a specific law? Ask them for that lol. Total BS.

 

For non-commercial vehicles, fog lights are regulated by the individual states.

SAE J583(F) is incorporated by reference in cfr49 for commercial vehicles, as is J581 for auxiliary highbeams/driving lights. J583 allows for either white or selective yellow light output for foglamps. Amber is a different color (significantly more green is filtered out resulting in the monochromatic amber color, versus the di-chromatic selective yellow). Amber is a specific color regulated by federal law for use as a signaling lamp color.

The only true "amber" fog lamp I think has been discussed on tacomaworld is the KC G4 fog.

Other companies have improperly/incorrectly referred to yellow/selective yellow filtered lights that they sell as amber, which makes for confusion.

@Puppypunter I believe DD's "amber" fog bars are still in the selective yellow range. Similar to the darker amber fog optic for the SS3 MAX pod, the bars use a high color temperature luxeon z-es chip, which has to have more blue and green light filtered out to result in a yellow/selective yellow color.

-Again, as I've posted, I don't think that trooper had a basis for his claim that the OPs fogs were illegal in color. I think he could be cited for running them under normal driving conditions when visibility was not reduced to "under 1/2 mile," but nothing I have seen indiciates any standard for what constitutes a fog lamp. My argument to the magistrate/judge/whoever would be that you selected a fog lamp which meets the federal standards which incorporate the SAE J583 standard by reference for commercial vehicles, and that J583 allows either white or selective yellow color for fog lamps. Being that there does not appear to be a state statute/reg/code that states what is the legal color for fog lights, then the court should side with [the OP] and drop the ticket. And then be prepared to deal with this with the next trooper/bored cop by having this information saved and accessible.

 

Did you give a cop a reason to stop you? Tint is illegal in Cali but wveryone has it, but they can stop you for it

 

Amber is just as legal as selective yellow in fog lights as long as SAE/DOT compliant, just admit it lol.

“Amber is a specific color regulated by federal law for use as a signaling lamp color” - this has nothing to do with fog lights.

“J583 allows for either white or selective yellow light output for foglamps.”
Pretty sure no where in J583 will you even find the words “selective yellow” lol.
https://www.offroadxtreme.com/engine-tech/other-tech/why-sae-j583-matters-for-your-fog-lights/

I did find “white” and “amber” is legal as long as they’re J583 fog lights in washington state laws:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=204-21-080
So much smoke and diversion in your post I had to turn on my fog lights while reading it.

 

This seems to be a law that you can ask 3 different officers and get 3 different answers.

I have 3 PIAA crystal ions on my bar. I have been told (in order) that they are legal, just needed to be aimed down more..they are legal in snow/rain/fog only..and that they're not legal. I have never been written any citation or warning for them so I cannot share a specific law though. I do keep them covered so not sure if that matters..

Not necessarily the question, but an example.

 

Well, you're incorrect, regardless of the supposed "gotcha."

There's been one person who is citing his findings to help the OP, and you aint him.

CFR 49, which is the federal code for vehicles, subsection 571.108, which regulates non-commercial motor vehicles regulates Amber for signal lamps. Indicators, turn signals and the like.

It does not regulate fog lamps for passenger vehicles, despite discussing them. This means that the regulation of fog lamps for passenger vehicles is left to the individual states. Which means that we are left with the shit-show that is Oklohomas motor vehicle standards, which appear to be from the 1960s, and are lacking in any useful detail. Which is why I asked if the state has vehicle inspections, as the inspection manual/standards may be more specific and/or different than the auto codes.

Now, federal regulations, which I cited, *DO* regulate the standards for fog lamps and auxiliary high beams/driving lamps for commercial vehicles. The standards are SAE J583 and SAE J581, respectively. J583 allows Either white (which is also a regulated range of color-space for passenger vehicles, under 571.108) or selective yellow light.

Amber is not allowed, because it is a signaling color.

Your vehicles lights are not allowed to interfere with other lights. Which is why there are rules that regulate how lights have to be spaced in relation to each other.

@ABA180 yes, cops are generally ignorant (excuse me, "have a working knowledge") of the laws they supposedly enforce. Who can blame them? Morons make new ones every day, and have for the past couple hundred years. Which is why proactively researching the applicable state and federal codes, and keeping them handy is useful. While you might end up with more tickets, if you're halfway articulate, and can cite your sources, you should have no problems arguing for your tickets to be dismissed by the magistrate/judge or whatever.

I had a state trooper in PA argue with me on the side of I79 that there was "no such thing as federal headlight regulation." And he only got pissier when I pulled them right up on my phone and began reading them to him. I've been hassled I don't know how many times over my "illegal aircraft landing lights" (cibie super oscars) because they were uncovered, or I was using them (they're wired correctly, can only trigger with the highbeams, and are compliant with SAE J581 standards). Cops get shit wrong all the time.

 

Please quote the J583 section number and exact wording where “selective yellow” is mentioned. Thank you.

 

I no longer have access to SAE's library, and I'm not going to go pay $90 for access to it now either.

How about you go ahead and cite where Amber is legal for fogs?

 

Same here lol. How about I give you the evidence? While I don’t have a copy either, I did find a revision list (click on “Related Info” at the link below):

https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j583_201103/
“R19.Included a note in 5.2.5 referencing the 13.2 V value.Restricted the color of a front fog lamp used like a bending lamp or cornering lamp to white and lamps without this functionality from white to selective yellow to harmonize with ECE.With these changes, SAE J583 and ECE R19 are harmonized for photometry requirements for an "F3" front fog lamp.”

So I have thus provided evidence to myself proving I was wrong. Won’t be the last time I prove my own self wrong lol.

As far as my evidence of a law where amber is cited as legal for fog lights I already did, the washington state link I gave you earlier. Didn’t you click the link?

 

Or college security guards who are given police-spec Ford Explorers and act like they just caught you dealing heroin when all you were doing was taking pictures of a customized and lifted Chevy Silverado in the student parking lot...

True story