When it comes to enhancing your vehicle’s performance or appearance, it’s easy to get carried away with modifications. However, not all car upgrades are legal, and some can land you in serious trouble with the law.
These certain tweaks and enhancements can violate regulations and lead to hefty fines or even impoundment of your vehicle.
1. Lifted Suspension
Lifted suspensions can significantly alter a vehicle’s handling, stability, and visibility. A higher center of gravity can increase the risk of rollovers, and modified suspensions can affect braking and steering performance.
These changes might not be accounted for in the vehicle’s original design, which can lead to unsafe driving conditions.
In states like California (ref) and Michigan,(ref) lifted suspensions are allowed, but there are strict regulations. These states permit lift kits as long as they are designed or approved by the original vehicle manufacturer and installed by a professional mechanic.
This ensures that modifications meet safety standards and do not adversely affect vehicle performance.
2. Lowered Suspension
Lowering a vehicle’s suspension can lead to problems with ground clearance, making it more likely to bottom out on obstacles. This can cause damage to the vehicle and increase the risk of accidents.
Additionally, lowered suspensions can affect the vehicle’s alignment and handling, potentially leading to unsafe driving conditions.
Many states restrict or regulate lowered suspensions to ensure that vehicles maintain adequate ground clearance and do not compromise safety. Regulations often require modifications to be inspected and approved to ensure they meet safety standards.
3. Flashing Neon Body Lights & Underglow
Flashing neon lights and colorful underglow can be distracting to other drivers and may cause confusion on the road. They can also be mistaken for emergency vehicle lights, leading to potential safety hazards.
Such modifications can violate laws related to vehicle lighting and color regulations, which are designed to ensure that vehicle lights are clearly visible and not misleading.
In many states, including Arizona, California and Kansas, regulations may allow the use of flashing or colored underglow lights on vehicles with restrictions on a certain color or location.(ref) In states like South Carolina, red, blue, or flashing lights are not permitted on any part of your vehicle, whether visible or not.
4. Removing Catalytic Converter
Catalytic converters reduce harmful emissions from vehicles. Removing them increases the amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and violating environmental regulations.
Catalytic converters also help vehicles meet federal emissions standards, and removing them can lead to legal penalties.
In The Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that it’s illegal to use any pipe to replace a catalytic converter. This rule applies to both repair shops and private individuals, who are not allowed to install “converter replacement pipes.”(ref)
5. Engine Swaps
Engine swaps can affect a vehicle’s performance, safety, and emissions. When an engine is replaced with a different model, it may not be compatible with the vehicle’s existing safety systems and emissions controls.
This can lead to unsafe driving conditions and non-compliance with emissions standards.
In states like California, engine swaps are regulated to ensure that the new engine meets emissions standards and safety requirements. California requires that the swapped engine be tested and approved, and that the vehicle remains compliant with state emissions laws.(ref)
6. Blinding Headlights
Blinding headlights can impair the vision of other drivers, increasing the risk of accidents. Headlights that are too bright or improperly aligned can create dangerous driving conditions by reducing visibility for oncoming traffic.
Most states have laws about how close you can drive with your high beams on. If your bright headlights are even stronger than high beams and you can’t turn them off when other cars are coming, you might get pulled over.
7. Removing & Modifying Mufflers
Mufflers and sound control units are designed to reduce vehicle noise, which helps to minimize noise pollution and maintain public peace. Removing these components can lead to excessively loud vehicle noise, disturbing the community and potentially violating local noise ordinances.
Some states like Virginia, it’s illegal to drive a car with its pollution control system or device removed.(ref) In New York, the governor recently signed a law that increases fines for people, drivers, and repair shops that illegally modify mufflers.(ref)
8. Loud Pipes/Aftermarket Exhaust Kits
Loud exhaust systems can create excessive noise, disturbing the peace and potentially causing disruptions in residential areas. They can also lead to hearing damage for the driver and affect overall road safety by masking important sounds like sirens or horns.
In many states, there are strict noise regulations for vehicles. Vehicles with aftermarket exhaust kits that exceed these noise limits can be cited and required to install quieter systems to comply with state regulations.
9. License Plate Frames
Certain license plate frames can obstruct the view of the license plate numbers or other required information. This can make it difficult for law enforcement to read the plate and enforce laws.
Some frames might also contain reflective materials that can interfere with the visibility of the plate at night.
License plate frames must not cover any part of the license plate’s numbers or letters. In New York, the sale and distribution of materials that obscure license plates is prohibited.(ref)
10. Light Bars/Offroad Lighting
Offroad light bars and other high-intensity lighting can be very bright and cause glare for other drivers on the road. They can create unsafe driving conditions by impairing the vision of oncoming drivers. These lights are generally intended for offroad use, where they do not affect other road users.
Each state has specific rules about when and how offroad lighting can be used. In Alabama, state law says you can only have one extra driving lamp on the front of your vehicle. It must be mounted between 24 and 42 inches above the ground.(ref)
11. Nitrous Oxide Systems
Nitrous oxide systems can significantly increase a vehicle’s horsepower and speed, which can lead to dangerous driving conditions. They can also strain vehicle components beyond their designed limits, potentially causing mechanical failures and increasing the risk of accidents.
Although nitrous oxide is popular with racers and car enthusiasts, using N2O boosters on public roads is illegal. In Colorado, for a vehicle to be street legal, nitrous kits must be disconnected and all tanks removed.(ref)
12. Coal Rolling & Excess Smoke
Modifications that cause diesel engines to produce large amounts of black smoke, known as “coal rolling,” are illegal because they significantly increase air pollution. This practice not only harms the environment but also poses health risks to people exposed to the smoke.
Excessive smoke from diesel engines also reduces visibility on the road, creating unsafe driving conditions.
The EPA’s Clean Air Act makes it illegal to use aftermarket performance modifications that disable pollution control systems. When you’re stuck behind a diesel truck modified to “roll coal,” it’s clear that some of these diesel engine mods go too far.
13. Tinted Windows
Tinted windows can reduce visibility for both drivers and law enforcement, making it harder to see inside the vehicle and increasing the risk of accidents. Excessive tinting can also interfere with the ability to see and be seen, which is crucial for safe driving.
Many states ban aftermarket window tints, especially on windshields and front windows. Other laws prohibit tints that block a certain percentage of visible light transmission (VLT), which refers to how much light the glass reflects.
14. Radar Jammers
Radar jammers interfere with law enforcement equipment used to measure vehicle speed. Using these devices is illegal because they obstruct traffic enforcement and can lead to unsafe driving conditions by encouraging speeding and other traffic violations.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned the installation and use of radar jammers and also made it illegal to sell or advertise these devices.(ref)
15. Studded Snow Tires
Studded snow tires can cause hefty damage to road surfaces, especially when used on non-snowy roads. This damage leads to increased maintenance costs for road repair and can create uneven driving conditions.
In most states, driving with studded tires is only allowed during specific months of the year. Additionally, some states have regulations that mandate the use of rubber studs rather than metal ones. Using metal studs can result in a ticket.
Always check local laws and regulations before making modifications to keep your car on the right side of the law and enjoy your upgrades without hassle.
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Martha A. Lavallie
Martha is a journalist with close to a decade of experience in uncovering and reporting on the most compelling stories of our time. Passionate about staying ahead of the curve, she specializes in shedding light on trending topics and captivating global narratives. Her insightful articles have garnered acclaim, making her a trusted voice in today's dynamic media landscape.
