Can fog lights modified to golden light pass the annual inspection?
2 Answers
Fog lights modified to golden light can pass the annual inspection. Here are the relevant details: Legal modification: It is legal to change car fog lights to golden light, but modifications must not alter the vehicle's exterior appearance, structure, framework, or performance. Fog lights, typically installed at the front and rear of a car, are used to illuminate the road and provide safety warnings during rainy or foggy conditions. Purpose of fog lights: In foggy or rainy weather where visibility is significantly affected, fog lights help other vehicles see your car. Therefore, fog light sources need strong penetration capability. Most vehicles use halogen fog lights, while xenon fog lights are a more advanced option. Fog lights must be installed below the bumper, at the lowest point of the vehicle body closest to the ground, to ensure their effectiveness. If installed too high, the light cannot penetrate the fog to illuminate the road (as fog is generally thinner below 1 meter), which can easily lead to hazards.
I've specifically researched the regulations on headlight modifications, and changing fog lights to golden yellow basically won't pass annual inspections. According to national standards, vehicle fog lights must use light of specific wavelengths - front fog lights must be white or selective yellow, while rear fog lights must be red. Golden yellow clearly deviates from these specified color temperature ranges. Last year when I accompanied a friend to the inspection station, I saw several vehicles fail because of modified light colors - the staff used color temperature detectors to expose the modifications immediately. What's worse, light modification itself is considered illegal vehicle alteration, and offenders are required to restore factory settings plus pay fines. If you really want to enhance penetration in foggy conditions, I recommend opting for factory-upgraded yellow fog lights, which are both legal and safe.
