Headlights and Auxiliary Lights

Published 2/14/02 Updated 2/14/02

This page was prompted by a thread on the Club GP Forum:
All Forums/Club GP - General/Legal Issue - Fog Lights & Auxilary Lighting???

Purpose:

You should know what the rules are before you do something which might break them. Only by being informed can you take a calculated risk. This page is to help provide you with information that will allow you to understand what the California motor vehicle code requires for headlights and auxiliary lighting. (Other states will be similar.)

Disclaimer:

I am not connected with law enforcement nor am I a lawyer. All statements on this page are my personal interpretation of California Vehicle Code articles governing headlights and auxiliary lights. Laws may vary in other states.

My Comments:

Like others, I was unhappy with the road lighting offered by my 1999 Grand Prix. It was not as good as my El Camino equipped with quad sealed beam headlights (currently running halogen extra vision headlamps). I found the Blazer 2200 fog lights quite soon. I am currently installing driving lights that meet the requirements of vehicle code.

It appears that some people are unaware that there are laws governing many aspects of lighting for their cars. These include requirements for mounting, aiming, color and number of lights that can be lighted. In addition, some lights cannot be combined, while others must be. I live in and my car is registered in the state of California. My references are to the current (as of 2/14/02) California Motor Vehicle Code. If you live elsewhere, your state's laws probably are similar, though they may differ on some points.

Pontiac has provided us with a vehicle that meets (presumably) the laws of all states in the United States. In addition to the headlights, it is equipped with auxiliary lighting in the form of foglamps. (Note that these are not officially referred to as "driving lamps".)

The Blazertech 2200 lights are SAE approved "fog lamps". As such, I had no problem in considering mounting them where the stock fog lamps are placed. The California vehicle code requires fog lamps to be mounted from 12" to 30" off the road. (The fog light location on the Grand Prix is approximately 13" off the road.)

Blazertech 3200 lights are SAE approved "driving lamps". Mounting them in the fog lamp position presents a problem, as California requires that driving lights must be mounted 16" to 42" off the road. (Passing lights, which I have not seen for sale here, must be mounted 24" to 42" off the road. As a matter of information, the Grand Prix headlights are about 24" off the ground.)

In addition, some people are rewiring their fog lights to stay on with the high beams of the headlights. The California vehicle code specifies that fog lamps must be used only with low beams of headlamps. Driving lights, on the other hand, must only be used with high beams. (If you can find passing lights, and get them mounted at the proper height, you may use them with both high and low beams.

My decision is to maintain fully legal lighting by using the Blazertech 2200 fog lamps in the stock fog lamp position which may be lit with the low beam headlights, and add a pair of driving lights which will be at the proper height for use with my high beam lights. (When this is complete, I will post instructions and pictures on this web site.)

Now that you know what you are up against, you can make an informed decision about how far you are willing to "push the envelope." I have included links below to selected parts of the California Motor Vehicle Code, as well as the complete table of contents for the same. If you live in another state, I urge you to check that state's vehicle codes for the appropriate information. I hope this page has been helpful.

California Motor Vehicle Code Links

The California Vehicle Code Table of Contents.

Section 24003, what the law says about vehicles with unlawful lamps.

Section 24012, Compliance With Lighting Equipment Mounting Regulations.

Section 24254, how to measure mounting height.

Section 24400, number and location of headlamps on motor vehicles.

Section 24402, height and use of auxiliary driving and passing lamps.

Section 24403, mounting and use of foglamps.

Section 24404, use of spotlamps.

Section 24405, maximum number of lamps lighted at one time.

Section 24407, designing and aiming of upper and lower beam.

Section 24409, Use of Multiple Beams

Section 24411, use and covering of auxiliary lamps off-highway.

Section 25950, allowable color of lamps and reflectors.

Return to the top of this page.

Go to the Auto Interests Page.

Go to the Willowhill home page.

Copyright ©2002 by Jim R. Van Scyoc

This page has been accessed times since .