Failed vehicle inspection due to incorrect replacement headlight color.

Checking the lighting on a car is one of the important items in the vehicle inspection process. If the lights installed on the car are not the correct color as prescribed, the car will fail the inspection.

The Traffic Newspaper's hotline received a question from a reader asking if it's possible to replace a broken headlight on their personal car with a blue-white one.

Car owners should note that when replacing headlights on their vehicles, they must comply with regulations regarding the light color to avoid traffic safety risks and failing the vehicle inspection (illustrative image).

Regarding this issue, a representative from a vehicle inspection center in Hanoi stated that Circular 30/2024, which regulates the inspection of motor vehicles, clearly stipulates that checking the lighting of car headlights is one of the items in the motor vehicle inspection process.

At the same time, each type of light will have its own regulations regarding light color in accordance with national technical standards on technical safety and environmental protection for automobiles, in order to ensure traffic safety.

Specifically, for the front headlights (high beam and low beam), the light color of both lights must be white or yellow.

Signal lights such as marker lights, brake lights, reverse lights, and license plate lights must emit white or yellow light.

Turn signals (for requesting to change lanes) and hazard lights are regulated to have yellow headlights, while rear lights are either yellow or red.

For brake lights, the light color must be red, while the light color for reverse lights and license plate lights must be white.

Specifically, fog lights, if added later, must have a white or yellow light color to meet technical requirements.

If replacement headlights are installed but the light color does not comply with the regulations, the vehicle will fail the headlight inspection and will fail the vehicle registration test.

Therefore, in the case of the reader of Giao Thong Newspaper, having headlights that are blue-white, instead of both sides being white or yellow, is not in accordance with regulations. The car will not be issued a vehicle inspection certificate or inspection sticker. The owner must have the car repaired, install different lights that comply with regulations, and take the car to any vehicle inspection center for re-inspection.

The vehicle inspector will also simultaneously issue warnings about malfunctions and defects such as incorrect vehicle headlight type or incorrect light color on the Vietnam Registering Authority's warning software to alert other inspection units when they inspect this vehicle.

Regarding the blue-white lights that a reader of the Traffic Newspaper inquired about, a representative from the vehicle inspection center stated that these are likely xenon lights. These lights have a very high intensity, 5-6 times brighter than normal lights. When switched on, this light strip emits a bright white light, causing glare and significantly increasing the risk of traffic accidents.

Therefore, it is recommended that vehicle owners not install this type of light as it does not ensure the technical safety of the vehicle, may fail the vehicle inspection during periodic checks, increases the risk of traffic accidents, and may also result in being inspected and fined by traffic police for altering the vehicle's structure.

Specifically, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP stipulates a fine of VND 800,000 - VND 1,000,000 for the act of driving a car with improperly installed headlights while participating in traffic. In addition, the driver will have their driver's license suspended for 1-3 months and will be required to restore the vehicle's original headlights as prescribed.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/truot-dang-kiem-vi-mau-den-thay-the-khong-dung-quy-dinh-192241105192137055.htm