Reverse Lights

[snodawg]

I'm just in the process of getting my CJ ready for a safety inspection after being in my garage for two years. I cannot find any reg.s regarding reverse lights other than IF you have them, they need to be white. I have switched to 4 inch round flush LEDs. Anybody know if reverse lights are mandatory?

[cLAY]

Here is the inspection report I use when doing an inspection.

http://prairievilla.com/pdf/vehicleInspectionReport.pdf

It does not specifically ask about reverse lights, but there is room for discretion by teh mechanic. He could write in that they are missing.

Personally if I was doing the inspection I would fail it for no reverse lights.

Put some on, its easy to do, and pretty handy if you get caught wheeling at night.

[Vinman]

I'm almost positive reverse lights are not necessary.
A lot of the aftermarket truck bodies (welding rigs, service trucks etc) have no reverse lights and if they were mandatory, they would also be required on trailers (which they are not)
FYI, the inspection form used by insurance companies has nothing to do with legality of vehicles, it is for insurance company purposes only.
Vince

[Jeepless]

This is the form used by dealers. As per AMVIC. It can also be used for an insurance inspection, Back up lights are on this form. also. I'm pretty sure ANY vehicle sold in Albera has to be able to pass a "mechanical fitness assessment" which is the the inspection in the link. I realize you are not selling yours but I think the mechanical fitness assessment is the same.

Mechanical fitness assessment form:


http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType41/production/mechanicalfitnessassessment.pdf

HOWEVER. After doing a bit more searching I found the motor vehicle regulations for Alberta anf there is NO mention of back up lights in the lamp section. I would just get the inspection  done and if they want them you could install them then.

(Lots of good info in here btw on other questions i've seen such as tint, mud flaps and mirrors)

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Regs/2009_122.pdf

Link came from here: http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/525.htm

[cLAY]

I'm almost positive reverse lights are not necessary.
A lot of the aftermarket truck bodies (welding rigs, service trucks etc) have no reverse lights and if they were mandatory, they would also be required on trailers (which they are not)
FYI, the inspection form used by insurance companies has nothing to do with legality of vehicles, it is for insurance company purposes only.
Vince

I've never seen a service body or service truck without some sort of backup lights. You would have a hard time passing a commercial inspection without them. Often the rear worklights are tied in.

[slimbeam]

I believe that if the vehicle came from factory with them, then they should be on it

[mike s]

So I'm thinking of adding more reverse lights to my jeep cause the factory one are almost useless. If it's a '20's vehicle that has to be stock for collector purposes, add more light.

Ever back up a dirty jeep on a trail in the dark without reverse lights? Maybe get some of those "cool" smoke headlight/tail light covers too...

[Evil-Jeep]

The only regs I have ever seen for vehicle lights is in regards to height of light, signals, markers, and license plate light. However reverse lights would be a good idea in my opinion.

[cLAY]

Oddly enough the safety inspection has nothing to do with provincial regulations. The saftey inspection is requested by you insurance company and the guidelines are set by AMVIC. You are pretty much at their mercy regarding the inspection and what is allowed or not. If they don't like something they just simply refuse to insure you.

As said above, original equipment is a pretty good guideline for what it must have or not. If it came with backups lights from the factory then I would want to see them.

ABS is a big grey area. If it is equipped with ABS from the factory but isn't working then I can't pass it. Personally I think its ok to drive without ABS and I do it all the time. However I'm not going to put my license on the line and risk some idiot suing me after getting in an accident because he can't threshold brake without ABS.

Its getting tougher and tougher to insure a modified vehicle. I know of a couple of popular 4wd shops in town that have stated they won't pass a safety on any YJ with a coil conversion thats bolted on yet they won't pass a Jeep with a long arm kit thats been welded on.

Funny thing is you could buy a 5 year old JK, put the crappiest lift kit on it with 40" tires have worn out ball joints and TREs and because its newer that 15yrs old you don't need an inspection.

[jeepjones]

^ But an inspection only applies to the condition of a vehicle at the time when it was inspected in the inspection facility, not the day after or a week after, just the day it was inspected. What damages or broken equipment it has after the fact is not your responsibility.

[cLAY]

Thats my point, you can have an older vehicle with broken ABS that is perfectly safe otherwise but the car next to you on Deerfoot has completely bald summer tires. To me a 5 year old car shouldn't be viewed any different than a 15yr old car. NOT that I think we should be getting inspections on 5yr old cars.

The whole thing is a rip off in my mind, vehicle inspections should be the gov'ts job, not private industry, too much conflict of interest in my opinion. You're paying a shop to find things wrong with your car and they know they've got you by the beans as you cann't get insurance till it passes. I'm not saying everyone is like that, there are lots of good places that won't screw you but the moment I decided to get my license was after being failed  on safety inspections for BS stuff. The last straw was having my truck fail because the signal lights blinked too slow....