Lighting

4-5 Direction indicator lamps

Reasons for rejection

Mandatory and permitted equipment

1. A vehicle of class LE first registered in New Zealand on or after 1 January 1978 is not fitted with one pair of lamps to the front and one pair of lamps to the rear.

2. A vehicle of class LE first registered in New Zealand before 1 January 1978 is fitted with more than one pair of lamps to the front or more than one pair of lamps to the rear.

3. A vehicle other than class LE first registered anywhere on or after 1 July 1967 is not fitted with one pair of lamps to the front and one pair of lamps to the rear.

4. A vehicle is fitted with more than:

a) two pairs of lamps to the front, or

b) two pairs of lamps to the rear, or

c) three pairs of lamps (including top-mounted lamps) to the rear if the vehicle is an emergency vehicle.

5. An emergency vehicle is fitted at the rear with:

a) more than one pair of top-mounted lamps, or

b) top-mounted lamps that are not mounted as close as is practicable to the top corners of the bodywork.

6. A vehicle is fitted with more than two side-facing lamps on each side of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle is fitted with a lamp that is not in a pair.

8. A vehicle is not fitted with a visual lamp indicator device that indicates to the driver that a lamp has failed ( only where one was fitted as original equipment).

9. A retrofitted lamp is not:

a) symmetrically mounted, or

b) mounted as far towards each side of the vehicle as is practicable.

10. A retrofitted lamp, other than a top-mounted lamp on an emergency vehicle, is fitted at a height from the ground exceeding 1.5m (or 2.1m where fitting below 1.5m is not practicable due to the shape of the bodywork of the vehicle).

11. A vehicle (eg avintage or veteran vehicle) does not meet standard direction indicator lamp requirements, and:

a) does not have a valid vehicle identity card with a lighting equipment endorsement, or

b) does not meet the conditions of the lighting equipment endorsement in its vehicle identity card.

Condition

12. A lamp is insecure or, if a mandatory lamp, contains moisture in the form of large droplets, runs or puddles.

13. A lens is missing, or has a hole, crack or other damage that allows moisture or dirt to enter.

14. A lamp’s reflector is damaged or has deteriorated so that light output is reduced.

15. A visual lamp-failure warning device is obscured from the driver in the driver’s seating position.

Performance

16. When switched on, a direction indicator lamp:

a) does not operate, or

b) does not begin flashing within one second of switching on, or

c) flashes:

i. faster than two flashes per second, or

ii. slower than one flash per second, or

iii. at a different rate from other lamps on the same side.

17. When switched on, a direction indicator lamp emits a light that is:

a) not substantially white or amber to the front, or

b) not substantially amber or red to the rear, or

c) not substantially amber to the side, or

d) not approximately equal in colour or intensity from the other lamp in a pair, or

e) not bright enough to be visible from 100m in normal daylight and from 200m in normal darkness, eg due to modification, deterioration, dirt or an incorrect light source, or

f) too bright causing significant dazzle to other road users, eg due to an incorrect light source , or

g) altered, eg due to damage or modification.

18. A non-OE mandatory lamp mounted outside the original position emits a light that is not visible within (Figure 4-5-1):

a) 15˚ above and below the horizontal, or

b) 45˚ inboard or 80˚ outboard.

19. An overlay has been applied that reduces or distorts the light emitted from the lamp (eg a tinted cover).

20. A modification to the vehicle has reduced the visibility angles of a mandatory lamp to less than (Figure 4-5-1):

a) 15˚ above and below the horizontal, or

b) 45˚ inboard or 80˚ outboard.

21. On a vehicle of American origin fitted with combined stop and indicator lamps, the stop lamp function is not overridden by the indicator function.

22. Where a lamp comprises an array of light sources (eg LEDs), fewer than 75% of these operate.

23. A visual lamp indicator device does not operate.

Note 1 Definitions

Modify means to change a vehicle from its original state by altering, substituting, adding or removing a structure, system, component or equipment, but does not include repair.

Repair means to restore a damaged or worn vehicle, its structure, systems, components or equipment to within safe tolerance of its condition when manufactured, including replacement with undamaged or new structures, systems, components or equipment.

Direction indicator lamp means a lamp designed to emit a flashing light to signal the intention of the driver to change the direction of the vehicle to the right or to the left.

Note 2

A permitted (ie non-mandatory) rear or a non-OE side-facing direction indicator lamp that does not comply with equipment, condition and performance requirements must be made to comply or disabled so that it does not emit a light.

Note 3

An original equipment (OE) lamp is one that is fitted by the vehicle manufacturer in the original position, or is an equivalent replacement or aftermarket lamp suitable for the position provided by the vehicle manufacturer for that lamp. All other lamps are considered retrofitted (ie non-OE).

Note 4

Vehicles first registered in New Zealand before 27 February 2005 may have rear direction indicator lamps that also function as reversing lamps.

Note 5

A vehicle originally manufactured with a direction indicator lamp arrangement that differs from what is required or permitted in this section may retain the original direction indicator lamps provided they remain fitted in their original position and perform as intended by the vehicle manufacturer.

Note 6

A forward-facing permitted lamp that does not comply with the equipment, condition and performance requirements must be made to comply or be removed from the vehicle.

Note 7

Some vehicles are equipped with OE or after-market daytime running lamps (DRLs) that also incorporate position lamp and direction indicator lamp functions. When the DRLs are on (when headlamps are off), and an indicator lamp is activated, the corresponding DRL is temporarily extinguished or dimmed. When the position lamps are on and an indicator lamp is activated, the corresponding position lamp may remain lit.

Figure 4-5-1. Direction indicator beam angles

direction indicator beam angles

Summary of legislation

Applicable legislation
Mandatory and permitted equipment

1. A vehicle other than class LE first registered anywhere before 1 July 1967 may be fitted with one or two pairs of lamps to the front and one or two pairs of lamps to the rear of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle other than class LE first registered anywhere on or after 1 July 1967 must be fitted with one or two pairs of lamps to the front and one or two pairs of lamps to the rear of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle of class LE first registered in New Zealand before 1 January 1978 may be fitted with one pair of lamps to the front and one pair of lamps to the rear of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle of class LE first registered in New Zealand on or after 1 January 1978 must be fitted with one or two pairs of lamps to the front and one or two pairs of lamps to the rear of the vehicle.

5. An emergency vehicle may be fitted with an additional pair of indicator lamps at the rear of the vehicle that must be symmetrically mounted as near to the top corners of the bodywork of the vehicle as is practicable (top-mounted lamps).

6. A vehicle may be fitted with one or two side-facing lamps on each side.

7. A suitable device must be fitted that indicates to the driver the failure of a mandatory lamp.

8. A vehicle (eg a vintage or veteran vehicle) manufactured without lamps, or with lamps that cannot meet specified requirements, may obtain a WoF if:

a) the vehicle has a valid vehicle identity card with a lighting equipment endorsement, and

b) the vehicle meets the conditions of that endorsement.

9. A retrofitted pair of lamps, other than top-mounted lamps, must be mounted:

a) symmetrically as far towards each side of the vehicle as is practicable, and

b) at a height from the ground not exceeding 1.5 m, or if this is not practicable due to the shape of the bodywork of the vehicle, not exceeding 2.1 m.

10. On vehicles of American origin, the stop lamp and direction indicator lamp function may be combined in one lamp.

Condition

11. A direction indicator lamp must:

a) be in sound condition, and

b) not be obscured (if a mandatory lamp).

Performance

12. A direction indicator lamp must operate in a way that is appropriate for the lamp and the vehicle.

13. A direction indicator lamp must emit a light that is substantially:

a) white or amber to the front, and

b) red or amber to the rear, and

c) amber to the side.

14. A lamp must flash at a fixed frequency in the range of 1–2 Hertz.

15. Each lamp in a pair must, when operated, emit a light of approximately equal intensity, colour and frequency.

16. The lamp-failure indicating device must function.

17. A lamp must emit a light that is visible from 100m during normal daylight and 200m in normal darkness.

18. A retrofitted mandatory lamp must emit a light that is visible within angles of

a) 15˚ above and below the horizontal, and

b) 45˚ inboard, and

c) 80˚ outboard.

19. If a vehicle of American origin is fitted with combined stop and indicator lamps, the indicator lamps must override the stop lamps so that the stop lamps operate as direction indicators.

20. Where a lamp comprises an array of light sources (eg LEDs), at least 75% of these must operate.

Modifications (Note 1)

21. A direction indicator lamp that is affected by a modification must meet equipment, condition and performance requirements.

Page amended 2 December 2019 (see amendment details).

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