So I just bought my 8 and tried to get inspected. Apparently I have aftermarket tail lights that aren't dot approved so I failed. Will someone the Baltimore/Annapolis area lend me your approved tail lights just to pass? I'm talking like 5 minutes. I'll even pay you a reasonable rental fee!

 

Wow, I lived in a lot of different states and have never seen or heard of someone failing for this reason.

 

I could have sworn these were stock oem, but apparently not.

 

These are stock series 1



These are stock series 2

 

Mine look exactly the same but are missing the dot stamping.

 

s1 or s2 ?

and what was the exact reason they wont pass the lights?

Only thing I can think of other then the lack of dot stamping would be the side marker LEDs are bad

 

Someone please open their trunk and take a picture of the inside corner. It won't show with the trunk closed. Mine has DOT stamped in the plastic right there.

 

The inspector is claiming there should only be one side marker and is saying there are two because the two strips present in every rx8 tail light. Guy is an idiot.

 

is it a mazda dealer? and show(tell) them that it does in fact have two LEDs from factory or go to another shop to get it inspected

 

It's an independent garage. I already tried to show and tell him that. He said I was showing him aftermarket lights. I can now agree that mine are probably aftermarket but they are modeled exactly after stock if they are.

 

Try to get it inspected elsewhere and they are most likely oem replacements.

 

That's all well and good but I'd rather not spend another $80 and risk the next guy being an idiot too.

 

Someone please look at this and tell me if they are OEM. Mine has all the same markings including DOT vertically in the inside corner and all the same markings on the top of the light.

 

Well then your going to have to try and convince him that it is stock or have him contact the local mazda dealer to confirm that they are in fact stock

 

looks oem to me. i would neck punch your retarded mechanic

 

yes they are. just like the ones I posted before


+1

 

They said I can go to the MVA registry and tell it to the state trooper there and he can waive the fail. It's just ridiculous. He looks at cars all day for a living and he should know these are stock, or at least be able to look at photos of actual stock ones and just agree when he figures out he's wrong.

 

Even though the maker isn't Mazda? Did Mazda source these lights from whatever that "K...." maker is?

 

Every car maker sources out for everything.


It sounds like you'll have to contest the fail for inspection

 

F&^$! These people are so dense. It's unbelievable. They even have the DOT stamping on the inside. He said because it doesn't say DOT on the lens itself like the headlights have, it wasn't real.

 

I would do what 200 said and then stop going to that shop

 

i haz answers

 

2 internet points for you good sir

 

This is insane..Makes me be thankful for living in MN We dont have any inspections here

 

I agree with you, of course. And I plan on doing just that but I already paid the inspection cost and I don't want to pay another shop just to get the right answer. I'd rather drive the 30 miles away to get the state trooper to tell me the inspector is an idiot then go back and throw the waiver in his face as he writes me the inspection certificate.