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Full lighting! What is actually legal in tuning?

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Recently updated on April 23, 2021 at 01:42 am

Have an LED installed at every corner of the car? The sub-floor shimmers in all colors and there is no longer a dark corner inside! Just what is actually allowed? Is it even allowed to drive a car like the crazy Japan-Tuning creations from the video below on Europe's roads? Headlights on the car are primarily used for road safety and not the appearance of the car, for this reason they must be clearly visible and of course emit sufficient light and meet the ECE regulations that are checked by the TÜV.

Reflective foil + signal foil only on commercial vehicles

What are lamps / headlights allowed to do?

  • Shine to the front only with white light (exceptions are indicators, fog lights)
  • only red in the rear (exceptions are, of course, turn signals, reversing lights)
  • Additional headlights (there are a few exceptions) must always be attached in pairs and symmetrically to the center of the vehicle and at the same height
  • Xenon headlights and low beam that produce over 2000 lm must be linked to a headlight cleaning system and automatic headlight range control (Tip: Everything about headlight range adjustment / retrofitting of headlamp levelers)
  • For accessories: test stickers (E-mark) must be attached
  • eg. LED Ambiente or LED Driving Kits from Osram are allowed
  • Spotlights and luminous decorations inside (footwell etc.) are permitted if they do not have an effect on the outside!

What is not allowed?

  • In principle, additional headlights that shine in a different color are not permitted, neither switched on nor switched off
  • Anything that does not comply with StVZO §§ 49a - 54 and 60 and some special EU directives, as well as the regulations of the ECE ("Economic Commission for Europe") is not permitted
  • Stickers in fluorescent colors are prohibited (exception: reflective films / signal films for commercial vehicles, etc.)
  • Neon lights as in many Japanese tuning cars in the substructure area, darkened (tinted) lamps, luminous paintings (graphics, pictures, etc.), name inscriptions, spotlights and light decorations inside the vehicles that show their effect to the outside must be permitted

About Thomas Wachsmuth

Thomas Wachsmuth - He has been an integral part of tuningblog.eu since 2013. His passion for cars is so intense that he invests every available penny in them. While he dreams of a BMW E31 850CSI and a Hennessey 6x6 Ford F-150, he currently drives a rather inconspicuous BMW 540i (G31/LCI). His collection of books, magazines and brochures on the subject of car tuning has now reached such proportions that he himself has become a walking reference work for the tuning scene.  More about Thomas

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