Is xenon prohibited in fog lights?

In 2019, you will be deprived of your license for xenon, how to install xenon correctly so as not to get caught

Vehicle headlights must be equipped with bulbs only provided for by the design of the vehicle - traffic police officers closely monitor this. Many car owners who have independently installed xenon have questions regarding what fine for xenon for 2019 is provided for by the legislation regulating road safety.

It’s no secret that unadjusted xenon headlights greatly blind drivers of oncoming vehicles, constantly creating emergency situations on the road.

It is clear that punishment for drivers whose car “shines” on the road brighter than a Christmas tree should be provided for by law. However, neither the list of traffic violations prohibiting the operation of a vehicle, nor the Code of Administrative Offenses directly says anything about the installation of non-standard xenon lamps . But drivers should not calm down, since the traffic police has adopted an official unambiguous interpretation of this offense.

There is no direct ban on non-standard xenon, but rights will be deprived for this

Moreover, these clarifications were published a relatively long time ago - in 2010, and have not changed since then. This will certainly be of interest to drivers who are interested in what fine they will have to pay for xenon in 2019. Let us immediately note that for such a violation, if detected by a traffic police officer, a protocol will be drawn up under Art. 12.5 Part 3 of the Administrative Code, according to which the driver is deprived of his license for a period of six months to a year in the following cases:

1. If red headlights or reflective devices of the same color are installed;
2. Lighting devices whose operating mode and color do not comply with the rules for admission to vehicle operation.

In accordance with the list of malfunctions of external lighting devices, according to which operation of the vehicle is prohibited, operation of the vehicle is not permitted in the following cases:

1. If the operating mode and type of headlights do not correspond to the design and are not provided by the vehicle manufacturer (there is a note according to which lighting devices from other cars can be used on discontinued models);
2. If the headlight adjustment does not comply with GOST;
3. If the lenses and lamps do not match the type of lighting fixture.

There are no more provisions of interest to us in this article, but those already presented above are enough to deprive the rights of a driver who has unauthorizedly installed unadjusted and not designed xenon headlights for the entire next year. Therefore, we will repeat it especially for those motorists who are wondering what kind of fine they can receive for xenon - administrative punishment is provided exclusively in the form of deprivation of rights.

Fog lights are also headlights, the same prohibitions

The same applies to installing xenon in fog lights. The same requirements apply to them as to headlights. That is, if the design does not provide for the installation of xenon, then the punishment for this administrative violation will be the same - deprivation of rights.

However, a fine is not always provided for xenon in fog lights, as well as in the situation with headlights. It all depends on the type of lamps provided by the manufacturer, as well as the correspondence of the markings of the lamps and headlights. And for xenon headlights, the markings may be as follows:

• DC – xenon lamps can be used for low beam;
• DR – for high beam;
• DCR - gas discharge sources are used in both modes of headlight operation.

If the marking contains letters, for example, HСR, then only halogen lamps are installed in the headlights - in this case, the use of xenon lamps is already prohibited. The simple C, R and CR markings indicate that only incandescent lamps are used.

Exceptions to the rules

Sometimes, at the time of purchasing a car, it was not equipped with xenon headlights, but today the manufacturer produces this model with xenon. If you also want to install xenon lamps in such headlights and hope not to get fined for xenon in 2019, then it is better to purchase new special headlights.

They should already be equipped with an automatic light beam corrector and washer. This way, you won’t be able to get caught by a traffic police officer by accident. But only a technical supervision inspector and exclusively at a stationary post can determine the presence of xenon bulbs in the headlights of a car.

Video: How to install xenon so as not to be subject to deprivation of rights

So, if the headlights of your car were originally designed to use xenon lamps, you can safely communicate with any traffic police officer, since he will not be able to fine you or deprive you of your license for this. If you installed xenon lamps in the headlights without permission, then remember your rights when talking with a traffic inspector - he has the right to stop you to check the compliance of the headlights with current standards exclusively at a stationary post, and the inspection can only be carried out by a technical supervision inspector with the appropriate certificate.

Is xenon in fog lights allowed or not?

For several years now, car enthusiasts have been using xenon lamps in fog lights. However, it turns out that this is not entirely legal. This year, you may even be deprived of your license for using xenon in foglights. Let's look at these issues.

Legality of installation

If the manufacturer has standardly installed gas-discharge light in these headlights in a car, then no one will have any questions. This is completely legal and provided for by law. No one will be fined for such tuning.

The law also requires the installation of xenon in fog lights if these headlights can be used with gas-discharge lamps, and there is a corresponding marking on the housing. Usually this is D, DC, DCR. Thus, the symbol “D” indicates that the optics can be used in conjunction with a xenon lamp. If the fog lamps are marked H, then gas-discharge lamps are prohibited in such optics. These PTFs are intended only for halogen lamps.

From this, an elementary conclusion is drawn that you will not have to pay a fine for xenon in fog lights if there are markings on the headlights. Such tuning is illegal only when it is absent. The requirements here are the same as for the head light.

The legislative framework

If you look at the list of faults and conditions under which vehicles cannot be operated, you can read article 3.4 there.
It says that light fixtures must have lenses, and lamps must fully match the type of headlight.

Therefore, if the fog lights in the car are not designed to work with xenon, you can get a very serious punishment.

Responsibility for xenon in fog lights

According to Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code, it is strictly prohibited to drive vehicles that are in a faulty condition or have conditions under which the use of such vehicles is prohibited. For this, the driver may be deprived of the right to drive a car for a period of 6 months to 1 year with confiscation of lamps and headlights.

Quite a severe punishment, isn't it? After all, it’s just light bulbs in the bumper. If everything goes well, you can get away with a small fine of 500 rubles in this situation.

"Collective farm" xenon

If this is exactly the type of xenon installed in fog lights without markings, then you can lose your rights on completely legal grounds. But practice shows that this happens quite rarely. Such coverage is more difficult to prove. After all, the PTFs themselves are not the main lighting.

Inspectors are very, very rarely interested in fog lights. Few people have heard or seen anyone who would check the markings. You can only be deprived of your rights if you are very unlucky.

Now motorists cannot even make changes to their cars, because according to the order, it is prohibited to make changes to the design.

Xenon in foglights: legal?

Does it make any sense to install xenon in headlights not intended for these lamps? Definitely illegal. But to bet or not to bet - everyone must decide for themselves. After all, xenon light is installed only for two reasons. It is appearance and practical use.

The first group of people are those who use xenon lamps to make their cars more attractive. They only need them for this. Often in such cases, the light is installed illegally.

The second group are those who really need a bright beam. Such lamps make driving safer. After all, the sooner the driver notices an obstacle on the road, the sooner he will be able to react adequately.

Nuances of xenon in PTF

If you install xenon, then you need to install the lamp in a special headlight with lenses.

If you install xenon in a halogen headlight, the car enthusiast will not see a powerful and bright effect. This flow will hit in different directions, but not where it is necessary. This glow will also blind oncoming drivers.

In foggy conditions, a defocused beam will only get in the way. To see this effect, turn on your high beams in fog. The road will not be visible at all. Therefore, before looking for information about xenon in fog lights, whether it is allowed or not, it is better to decide right away whether it is needed at all.

If you can't, but really want to

If the situation arises that you really want such light, then it is better to buy a car with gas-discharge lamps already installed. Today this is the best option.

Previously, before the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of December 22, 2014, it was possible to obtain a certificate for various changes in the design of the vehicle. The owners purchased good and high-quality xenon kits, bought a headlight with lenses, installed a washer for the lamp, and then all this was certified. Before this order, it was possible to obtain the appropriate certificate, and no one had any problems.

But if you really want to, then you can. This applies to “collective farm” xenon light.

Legal literacy is the key to safety

In order not to argue with inspectors about whether xenon is allowed in fog lights, it is advisable to learn almost by heart all the wording of orders and acts, as well as the relevant laws. Then there is a chance not to lose your license and not receive a fine.

If a report has been drawn up against you for “collective farm” xenon in fog lights (VAZ-2110, for example), you should not expect that the situation will change for the better on its own. In this case, you will need the help of a competent lawyer who specializes in these cases.

Xenon is very good. These lamps are bright and provide excellent illumination of the road.

Xenon: is it needed in fog lights

Gas-discharge lamps, called xenon in automotive parlance, have the ability to emit light that is dazzling in every sense of the word. This circumstance leads many drivers to a logical conclusion: the brighter the light, the more successfully it fights fog. And from here it’s half a step, or rather half a wheel, before installing xenon in fog lights on a car. But not everything is so simple in the xenon world. The excessive brightness of gas discharge light most often turns from one driver’s ally into the worst enemy of another driving in oncoming traffic. There are other nuances that force representatives of the traffic police to strictly regulate the installation of xenon in fog lights (PTF) and to suppress in every possible way all sorts of libertines in this matter.

Why might a driver need to install xenon in foglights?

The bright light that gas-discharge lamps provide attracts many drivers who are not satisfied with the lighting power of their PTFs in foggy weather. They think that simply replacing halogen or LED lamps with xenon lamps in fog lights will immediately solve this problem.

Another category of motorists who are affected by the fashionable craze of installing xenon in PTF want to emphasize its “coolness” with the dazzling light emanating from their car. The low-beam headlights, coupled with xenon fog lights, give the car an aggressive look in the daytime, which is considered chic in a certain automotive environment. In addition, turning on low-beam headlights and fog lights at the same time, which is prohibited by traffic regulations during the day, better identifies a moving vehicle and, therefore, increases its safety.

However, all these hopes and calculations are instantly destroyed if you put xenon lamps in PTFs not intended for this and then use them for their intended purpose, that is, to fight heavy fog. Each type of fog lamp has a characteristic cut-off line and is capable of distributing illumination within the light spot in its own way. If xenon is installed in a fog lamp with a banal reflector, then such a headlight will blur the cut-off line, turning the fog in front of the windshield into a luminous wall. In addition, excessively bright light shining in all directions blinds oncoming drivers and those moving in a parallel course ahead through the rear-view mirrors, which is fraught with dangerous consequences.

That is why xenon lamps must be installed only in headlights with special lenses that direct the light flux down to the road surface and sideways to the side of the road. There are main markers that help the driver navigate correctly in poor visibility conditions. A properly focused stream of light does not break through a wall of fog, but snatches from it the section of the road that the driver needs at every moment of movement, and at the same time does not blind oncoming vehicles, since it shines no further than 10–20 m in front of the car.

After I installed xenon in the headlights and PTF, configured it, I decided to check for myself how it turned out. I put my friend behind mine with the headlights and PTF on and drove towards him - it dazzles well. Result: I installed lenses in both the headlights and the PTF: the light is excellent, and no one is crooked.

Serega-S

https://www.drive2.ru/users/serega-ks/

This aspect of the use of halogen in fog lamps is a disappointment for another group of motorists who expect to use the bright light of gas-discharge lamps to improve, in their opinion, the insufficient lighting properties of their existing headlights. In addition, the low location of the PTF gives a light flux creeping along the road surface, which, even with slight unevenness in the road, creates long shadows that create the illusion of deep holes ahead. This forces drivers to constantly slow down without any real need to do so.

Is xenon allowed in fog lights?

A car equipped with gas-discharge lamps in the headlights at the factory clearly has the right to drive, shining xenon, legally. Standard xenon fog lights provide a wide and flat luminous flux, reliably snatching the side of the road and a small section of the roadway in front of the car from the fog. They clearly indicate the presence of a vehicle to oncoming drivers without blinding them.

What does the regulatory documents say about this?

From a legal point of view, the presence of xenon in fog lights is legal if they have the following markings:

And if, for example, the car’s foglight is decorated with the letter H, then only halogen lamps should be installed in such a PTF, but in no case xenon ones.

And although the traffic rules do not say anything about the use of xenon, paragraphs 3.4 of the Technical Regulations clearly state that only lamps that directly correspond to the type of headlights should be installed in any automobile light sources.

Will there be a fine, deprivation of rights or other punishment for installing them?

From the above, it should be concluded that fog lights are subject to the same requirements as headlights, and that failure to comply with these rules entails a ban on the operation of the vehicle. For violation of this prohibition, Part 3 of Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation provides for deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle for 6 or even 12 months. It seems like a fairly severe punishment just for the fact that the driver inserted the “wrong” bulbs into the headlights. But if you imagine the tragic consequences of blinding an oncoming driver, then such severity will no longer seem excessive.

I bought a car with PTF and immediately realized that 90% of drivers who drive in the dark with normal visibility (in the absence of rain, snow, fog) with 4 headlights on are not entirely healthy! And the xenorast pre-urs with the collective farm xenon that shines all around except the road must be exterminated!

Chernigovskiy

https://www.drive2.ru/users/chernigovskiy/

What is the actual situation with xenon?

As usual, the severity of the laws is mitigated by the possibility of non-compliance due to the presence of loopholes. The main one is manifested in the difficulty of detecting illegal (“collective farm” in the popular interpretation) xenon in PTF. The fog light does not belong to the main head light of the car, being an additional one, and therefore the driver has the right not to turn it on at all at the request of the traffic inspector, if it was not turned on before, citing a purely decorative or even fake, but in any case, non-working purpose .

If the fog light was noticed by traffic police officers working, then proving the presence of xenon in it is often problematic. The driver may refer to his inability to remove the lamp from the PTF, and the traffic inspector himself does not have the right to violate the integrity of the car. Moreover, an unauthorized change in the design of a car without approval from the traffic police, for example, replacing the standard headlights on a car with others, is considered a gross violation. And if the headlights remained intact and only the lamps in them were replaced, then formally there is no violation.

It should be borne in mind that traffic police officers can brake a vehicle and check whether its optics comply with legal standards only at stationary posts. Moreover, only the technical supervision inspector has the right to establish this. But if these rules are followed, and the markings of the xenon lamps and headlights inserted into the PTF are in conflict, the driver will have to go to court for penalties.

Video: how drivers install xenon

The high intensity of the luminous flux created by gas-discharge lamps seems to be designed by default to combat dense fog. However, for this to actually happen, a number of mandatory conditions must be met, the main one being headlights with special lenses. Without them, a xenon lamp can turn into a stupid and dangerous assistant for the driver.

Is it possible to install xenon in fog lights?

Xenon in PTF is a separate topic for discussion about its feasibility and, of course, permission under traffic rules, as well as the conditions for such permission. Generally speaking, the situation here is largely similar to low and high beam headlights. Now let's find out whether it is possible to install xenon in foglights according to traffic regulations in 2019, what is the fine for xenon in the PTF and what are the conditions for its installation.

In the previous article, we already looked at the nuance of installing gas discharge lamps (which is called “xenon”) in the head external lighting devices. In particular, we found out that he is subject to deprivation of rights, and it is illegal. But it is only legal to fine the driver 500 rubles, but in some cases to cancel the registration of the car.

Is xenon legal in PTF in 2019?

Just like in the previous material, here we will turn to the main Technical Regulations of all motorists for help. Although there is no direct reference to it in the traffic rules, it only contains the rules for installing xenon in fog lights. But let's take it in order!

We must know and follow the traffic rules. Clause 3.4 of the Basic Provisions for the admission of a vehicle to operation tells us that:

3.4. Light fixtures do not have lenses or use lenses and lamps that do not match the type of light fixture.

And in this case, such cars are not allowed on the road.

But the types of lighting devices, including fog lamps, and lamps corresponding to them are determined by the above Technical Regulations.

1.3.8. The markings of high and low beam and fog headlights and the classes of light sources installed in them must correspond.

All external lighting devices, which include fog lights that allow the installation of xenon in them, are of a type whose abbreviation begins with the letter “ D ”. On the other hand, almost no type of fog light that does not have xenon installed from the factory starts with it. The only exceptions are the old “Japanese” and the Audi Q7 of stale generations.

This means that xenon in fog lights is not provided as standard for almost any PTFs that are not equipped with gas-discharge lamps from the factory. And you can’t install it in them.

Do you need headlight washers and auto-corrector for xenon?

The second point is the mandatory presence of an auto-corrector and a headlight cleaner for xenon. However, the point here is not the xenon itself, but the power of the luminous flux, which for almost any xenon lamps is more than 2,000 lumens. This number is the limit of what is permissible without auto corrector and headlight washers.

But the main thing here is that it makes no difference whether xenon is in the fog lights or in a regular head light with that amount of luminous flux. The Technical Regulations separately list fog lights with xenon:

1.3.7. Adaptive front lighting systems that perform the function of low beam, regardless of the light source used, low beam headlights with light sources of the LED class, as well as low beam and fog with light sources of any class having a nominal luminous flux of more than 2000 lumens, must be equipped with an automatic headlight leveling device .

And the most interesting thing is described in the note to paragraph 1.3.7 of the Technical Regulations:

Note: Replacement HID light sources of categories D1R, D2R, D3R, D4R, D1S, D2S, D3S, D4S and halogen incandescent lamps of categories H9, H9B, HIR1 have a luminous flux rating of more than 2000 lumens .

Under what conditions are auto-corrector and washer not needed?

But there is still a small number of types of gas-discharge lamps, which sometimes have a luminous flux power of less than 2,000 lumens. They do not require PTF washer and auto corrector.

Such lamps include, for example, types D8S and D6S. In general, lamps rated less than 25 watts often (but not always) produce less than 2,000 lumens.

However, the disadvantage of such lamps is that if you set out to increase visibility from fog lights with xenon, then it is practically impossible to achieve this with lamps with a power of 25 watts or less - they do not shine.

Why is xenon in fog lights useless?

To begin with, xenon should always be in lenses that focus the light beam in one direction. The main advantage of the fog headlights we are considering is their light dispersion. Yes, xenon in the PTF can be installed without lenses so that it scatters the light, but this will not help either, and below you will find out why.

Light from halogen lamps from foglights is scattered downwards, while xenon is scattered in all sorts of directions, which are not limited to its shadow frames. The problem is that in the case of xenon, due to its physical characteristics, it is impossible to set the upper limit of the direction of the light beam, but in PTF it is the clear location of this boundary that ensures visibility in the fog due to the fact that it does not blind the driver. In the case of xenon fog lights, in heavy fog you will simply see a white wall in front of you.

However, we must pay tribute - in light fog or cloudy weather, xenon with a yellow beam of light in some cases illuminates the road better than halogen lamps in just such headlights.

That is why today, 2019, many automakers that install xenon in fog lights from the factory stop even calling these headlights fog lights, but call them “additional headlights.”

And in any case, almost every “happy” owner of home-made xenon fog lights is almost guaranteed to be subjected to regular curses from oncoming cars. After all, gas-discharge lamps in such a light source, trying to scatter the light, dazzle much more than low-beam headlights.

Fine or imprisonment for xenon in fog lights?

In the context of the punishment for xenon light in the PTF, everything is similar to the ban on it in head lights. As we mentioned above, legislation often does not directly separate PTFs and headlights, and the Administrative Code is no exception. It provides for punishment for non-compliance with the Basic Provisions of the Traffic Regulations, paragraph 3.4 of which we cited above.

But what punishment is provided for xenon in fog lights: a fine or deprivation of rights? The question is ambiguous, because on the road you may well be deprived of your license in almost 90 percent or more of cases. Moreover, even in higher courts. You can be left without a license for xenon for a total period of time from six months to 1 year for violating the correct color of the light emitted by the headlights and their operating mode, the Basic Provisions of the Rules (Part 3 of Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code). And this is also why fog lights will be confiscated.

But why are we talking only about practice?! Because in theory, neither the color of the headlights when installing xenon in foglights (if it is white, yellow or orange), nor even their operating mode is affected. According to the Technical Regulations, there are only two modes:

If your xenon lights do not blink, then the mode is also not broken. And it should also be taken into account that in order to form a criminal offense for such an offense, both conditions must be met.

The legal punishment (unfortunately, in most cases only in theory) is a fine of 500 rubles under Part 1 of the same article, which provides for any violations of the Basic Provisions of Traffic Regulations, with the exception of exceptions (listed in the following parts of this article of the Administrative Code).

Cancellation (termination) of registration for xenon in PTF

Separately, a very important point should be noted - the cancellation of registration for the installation of xenon xenons in the PTF. This is quite possible, including in practice. The fact is that vehicles whose design has been amended are not subject to registration (clause 3 of Order No. 399).

At the same time, paragraph 51 of the same Order prescribes that in case of violations identified in already registered cars, in the form of changes in design, the registration of such cars is subject to termination (cancellation) until the reasons for cancellation are eliminated.

Is it possible to install xenon in PTF according to the new law of 2018

A responsible car owner, when choosing headlight bulbs, strives to ensure comfort and safety on the road. Therefore, it is so important to know whether it is permissible to install xenon in a car in PTF according to the 2018 law. This question is ambiguous, because, despite all the advantages of gas-discharge lamps, if installed incorrectly, they can be dangerous. By blinding drivers of oncoming vehicles, these light sources can lead to accidents. And traffic police officers are doing everything possible to prevent this.

You can avoid problems if your car is equipped with special xenon fog lights. In this case, the use of gas-discharge lamps in PTF is not a violation of the law. To prevent trouble, take a close look at your optics. The standard marking for xenon fog lights contains the letter “D”. If the abbreviation contains “H”, these PTFs are intended for halogen lamps. And by installing gas-discharge light sources in them, you will break the law.

Punishment for xenon in foglights

In 2018, the requirements for vehicle registration certificates became more stringent. And although information on the ban on the use of xenon bulbs in foglights cannot be found in the list of violations of traffic rules and the Code of Administrative Offenses, if you give them preference, you may encounter serious problems.

In particular, answering the question of whether people are deprived of their rights for using xenon in fog lights, it should be noted that such a possibility is provided for by law. If the PTFs are not adapted to the use of the light sources in question, the traffic police inspector has the right to confiscate them from the car owner. The driver is also deprived of his license for a period of 6–12 months or is subject to administrative liability.

However, speaking about whether there is a fine for xenon in fog lights in 2018, it should be noted that not any conversion of optics is a violation of the law. Problems will arise only if the design of your vehicle does not provide for the use of gas-discharge light sources. But if the car’s headlights have standard xenon lamps, the law allows their installation in the PTF. In this case, the traffic police inspector conducting the inspection has no right to make any claims against the driver.

Is it possible to install xenon in PTF?

In order not to lose your rights and avoid fines, strictly follow the letter of the law. Remember that the answer to the question whether xenon can be installed in fog lights will be positive only in one case - if the headlights are adapted to it. Before installing gas-discharge bulbs in PTFs, pay attention to their markings. It will tell you whether xenon is allowed or not in this particular case. There are three standard options:

— DC – xenon bulbs can be used for low beam;

— DR – xenon bulbs can be used for high beams;

— DCR – xenon bulbs can be used in both modes.

In all other cases, installing gas-discharge lamps is prohibited by law. Be careful to avoid violations and avoid troubles on the road.

Speaking about whether it is possible to drive with xenon lamps in PTF, we should mention the so-called “exception to the rule”. There are situations when, at the time of purchasing a car, it is not equipped with xenon headlights, but in a new configuration that appeared on the market later, they are already present. What should the driver do in this case? According to experts, the best way out of the situation would be to buy new fog lights, adapted for xenon light sources, and install them in place of the old ones. This way you can comply with the law and ensure maximum comfort on the road.

Is xenon allowed in fog lights? conclusions

Summarizing the above, it can be argued that the answer to the question whether it is allowed to install gas-discharge lamps in fog lights should be positive. But only if the car owner acts legally - the design of the car provides for the possibility of using these light sources, the PTF marking contains the letter “D”, and the quality of the light bulbs is beyond doubt.

A car enthusiast who is interested in whether xenon is allowed in PTF should study the new laws. They do not contain direct prohibitions on the installation of gas-discharge lamps. However, it is possible to revoke the rights of drivers who re-equip the optics of vehicles without permission, without understanding the specifics of the issue. Therefore, there is no need to take risks - first make sure that you are acting within the law.

The answer to the question whether it is allowed to use xenon lamps to ensure visibility in bad weather conditions will be positive in the following cases:

— if the vehicle is equipped with standard gas-discharge light sources;

- if its headlights are designed for the installation of such lamps and are marked accordingly.

Knowing exactly whether xenon is allowed in the PTF in your particular case, you will feel as confident as possible on the road. Remember that traffic police officers have the right to stop cars and check the compliance of their optics with the standards established by law only at stationary posts. And this should be done by a technical supervision inspector (you have the right to ask him to present a certificate confirming the appropriate status).