LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and VA State Inspection

Time to buy a used OEM grill that you'll use every X years when it's time to get an inspection.

 

Or get an OEM color matched grill and bulge!

 

Correction: disconnect and remove lightbar

 

I worked for toyota for 7 years and seen some odd things. Sometimes the dealer/sales, install items and call it a “special edition” and claim it’s OE. Sometimes these accessories are port installed and vary by ports to boost sales. I don't think they are OE but things may have changed. If they say toyota on the leds they are genuine toyota parts and if they don't they may or may not be toyota parts.

 

I was wondering to myself....how are lights in the grill okay on them Fords? I realize that they've already gone through whatever process with the DOT, but is it the color? Is it calling them "clearance lamps"?

 

It's annual here.

The problem with lights is, if you have any non DOT approved or non compliant, they have to have acceptable covers. Doesn't matter if they're switched and home made covers won't cut it.

There's no money in an inspection if everything passes, but most places will do them because there's good money if something fails. The flip side is if they fail something that should pass, the State Police will pull their license and fine them. I know because I met with a State Trooper at a place that failed my wife's brakes about 25 years ago. So, to pass something that should fail may bring the state's wrath down. Especially if they're on probation.

I have three items that won't pass VA inspection, rear bumper lights, fogs and front window tint. Some places say my cooler holder is a headlight obstruction too. Fortunately I have a family member that's a licensed state inspector. Local Leo's can pull your for inspection violations, but being an old fat guy, I'm not profiled much, and if asked, I added that stuff after the inspection.

Sadly, the only options in VA are to comply with the code, or find an inspector with common sense and don't get him fired, or worse.

 

it was a grill offered by south east toyota dealers
https://www.amazon.ca/TOYOTA-TUNDRA-BILLET-LIGHTING-00016-34088/dp/B00SX3QV7C

 

Turn them off. Just because they can be turned on shouldn’t matter. If that is the case any lightbar would cause an infraction. Right? Crazy. I’m so thankful I’m in a state that did away with the worthless annual inspections.

 

I say you plastidip them really good black go to the inspection and then just peel off after it! Simply

 

Man, so glad I live in a state where we don't have to deal with inspection BS.

 

Unfortunately, VA has pretty strict inspection laws. I simply can not just disconnect them. If they are installed, then they are required to function. If they were not labeled DRL's, then I could just turn them off and it would be fine. Because they are labeled DRL's, they must deactivate when the headlights come on. Stupid semantics.

 

Can they be turned off when the headlights are on? If they can be, just get a new plate for your switch and call it a day.

 

I usually take my vehicles to a local guy that I have used for years. I purchased the truck used last year and that guy was going to fail it because of the LED's but then he looked at them and they have the DOT label, so he passed it. This year I took it to Tread Quarters only because it is right across from my office and more convenient. I will not be taking it back to them again.

 

Yes. The original owner purchased the truck in Florida.

 

What is crazy is that if I had a light bar without a cover and it is separately switched, it would pass. That is legal in VA. They relaxed the law last year about requiring a cover for those fixtures. Because it is labeled as DRL, they must deactivate when the headlights turn on, even though they do dim when the headlights come on and it does have a switch to override and turn them off completely. I asked him what the difference between those LED's and a light bar LED with a switch? No common sense.

 

have you thought about replacing the switch that is labeled with aux lights or light bar
https://www.aironboard.com/online/products/switches/toyota-push-switches.html

 

Or just put some black electrical tape over the DRL label on the switch. Now they are just offroad lights, not DRL's.

 

More random thoughts that occured to me this morning. If an inspector starts regurgitating "general illumination" again. Ask for specifics, like where the light intensity threshold is, exactly how many lumens, is there a light pattern standard and can you describe it? No? Then it sounds like a pass, let's ask your supervisor, run fetch them. These other people waiting in line won't mind....

 

Yes, I thought about replacing the switch, but the light fixtures themselves have DOT/DRL stamped on them.

 

I don't really have anything to add here other than my employer is the manufacturer of this system.

https://auerautomotive.com/product/...num-grille-w-led-drls-black-finish-2014-2017/

 

I did ask him to define what the definition of "general illumination" was, specifically the whole phrase "...general illumination ahead of the vehicle." I am an electrical designer for building design and lighting design is part of what I do so I was asking him to provide me specifics of exactly what you said (lumen output, light patterns, etc.) but he could not define it for me. I ended up calling the VA State Police to get clarification. A trooper came out to the location to look at the vehicle and he could not provide me with any specifics on what the his, or the state's, definition of "...general illumination ahead of the vehicle." was.

The trooper's solution was to take a video of the lights and send it to an inspector at one of the local Toyota dealerships and ask him if he would pass it or not. That inspector said that he would fail it. It seems to me that the trooper should be the one to decide that and not be asking some other inspector. I told the trooper that if he was not the one to make the decision and he is leaving it up to a survey, then he should call and ask the inspector that passed it last year and get his opinion.

 

Haha! Nice! So what's your move? Take it back to the inspector that passed it in the past (see what I did there)?

This blows! Heck, where I live I don't even have to have fenders on my truck. But no inspections...

 

@incredibillhulk - Thank you for your response. Maybe you could add something here. I tried calling a toll free number on a website that I found but got no answer. Do you have a contact number that you could send to me so that I can ask someone some technical questions?

I checked out the link that you provided and it says the product:

• "SAE Certified to Meet or Exceed All OEM Quality Standards and D.O.T. Regulations"

 

Nice......I may end up just taking it to the other inspector. The problem is that VA is so anal about inspections that when something fails, they enter it into a statewide computer system that all other inspector's have access to and can see what has failed. I still think that it is subject to interpretation of the individual inspector.

 

You can reach that division of the company at (904) 374-6110.

 

I encounter this scenario in my job. A state regulation can be more strict than the federal regulation but not more relaxed.

 

I'm sure that's to prevent owners from hitting all the inspection locations until they get one that'll pass them. Not unlike what has already been suggested, and what you're essentially going to try.

 

This.

These lamps are compliant with FMVSS 108 specs but not necessarily all state functionality regulations.

 

Yeah I was going to buy one of those grills until i saw the price!