Harmless Car Tuning That Is Prohibited: 9 Examples

2023 Author: Natalie MacDonald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 02:36

Motorists are regularly intimidated by tougher penalties for illegal tuning. In fact, everything is much simpler. The technical regulations of the Customs Union "On the safety of wheeled vehicles" have not changed since 2018 and still contains a detailed list of design changes that are not allowed without obtaining approval from the testing laboratory and registration with the traffic police.

If the design of the car initially involves the installation of any equipment and it itself is not self-made, but certified, then the driver will not have any problems. But if there are no documents for a new part, the traffic police inspectors have the right to issue a fine of 500 rubles to the violator under Art. 12.5.1 Administrative Code. Moreover, a car with changes will not be able to undergo a technical inspection, which became especially relevant after the changes in the procedure for obtaining a diagnostic card came into force. We figure out, because of what seemingly harmless changes, there is a risk of not going through MOT or getting a fine.

Window blinds and nets

Shading nets on windows are used by motorists as an alternative to tinting. On the one hand, it is possible to hide from prying eyes, and on the other, not to be afraid that such tuning will have to be ripped off at some intersection at the request of a traffic police officer. Only now, the drivers of such cars are punished in the same way as fans of dull tinting - a fine of 500 rubles and an order to eliminate the defect.

The violation does not seem to be the most terrible, but the driver's problems may be the same as with the film. Because, theoretically, hinged curtains and nets also interfere with the view, because of which the driver runs the risk of incorrectly assessing his maneuver or not noticing a pedestrian on the side of the road. The only plus: such a violation is "eliminated" very quickly.

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Transparent armor film

Pasting all glass and headlights with a transparent film to protect them from chips will also be considered a violation.

“Automotive glass is designed so that it shatters into small pieces on impact. This was done in order to protect those sitting in the car from injuries by large fragments and to give them the opportunity to get out if the doors jam,”Yuriy Parkhomenko, a representative of the accredited testing center“Services Auto”, explained to the Auto.ru magazine. "If you cover the glass with such a film, then upon impact, they can remain in place, and the passengers and the driver will be trapped."

And the transparent film on the headlights becomes cloudy over time and will significantly reduce the efficiency of lighting devices. Traffic police inspectors are unlikely to notice such an improvement, and, in fact, there is no penalty for such stickers. But the inspection, if such pasting is not expected by the factory specification, will not be successful.

Flashing headlights and lanterns

Tuning enthusiasts sometimes install lighting equipment on cars that constantly flashes: flickering bulbs decorate both the front optics and brake lights. Such devices are sold in online stores under the slogans of "increasing the visibility of the car" and "improving road safety."

In fact, everything turns out quite the opposite. Non-standard equipment can confuse or blind motorists. In the end, flashing brake lights that have suddenly become popular with taxi drivers simply annoy others.

In addition, there is no such optics in the list of acceptable standard equipment, and it will not work to legitimize them. On this basis, the traffic police also have every right to fine 500 rubles and demand that the violation be eliminated. Inspection with this, of course, also does not pass.

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Devices that look like special signals

Flasher-like structures can be found not only on the roof of the car. They are attached, for example, behind the radiator grille or under the hood. But this is illegal and threatens not only with a fine, but also with deprivation of rights. As well as harmless toys that imitate the sounds of special signals.

If the traffic police inspector detains the driver of such a car at a time when the beacons were on, then the offender would be threatened with deprivation of rights for a period of one and a half to two years with the confiscation of the device. If the flashing lights do not work, then the punishment is slightly milder - deprivation from a year to one and a half years.

Additional lighting equipment and non-standard headlights

It is not uncommon for drivers to install xenon or diode lamps in their headlights with a noble purpose: to better illuminate the road. But you cannot simply insert arbitrary light elements into the optics.

“Incorrectly installed xenon will start dazzling oncoming drivers. After all, such devices immediately change the focal length and light distribution, - explains Parkhomenko. "Reflectors, which are most often plastic, can also melt."

The same applies to high-power halogen lamps - you cannot put anything that the headlight reflector is not designed for. The increase in illumination will be only subjective, and the luminous flux is formed incorrectly and blinds other road users.

The only legal way to do this is by completely replacing the headlights with subsequent approval of the design changes. You will have to go the same way if you need non-standard fog lights. Parts store items that are bolted to bumpers, radiator grilles, or rooftops are illegal.

"Carrying out the procedure for making changes to the design in this case is mandatory," the traffic police warned.

Roof rack

If the design of the car does not imply special places for placing the trunk, it is forbidden to install it without permission. Therefore, before expanding the cargo capabilities of your car, you will have to contact a specialized laboratory and find out about the possibility of making such changes to the design.

“If the car has roof rails and any other mounts for the trunk, then, of course, you can install it and you don't need to register anything,” Parkhomenko explained. - The main thing is that the trunk itself is not handicraft, but licensed. That is, the manufacturer must guarantee the safety of such a rack. Installing homemade trunks without approval is prohibited, and it makes no sense to get a single certificate for a homemade product."

Simply put: you can put the branded trunk in the regular places, and no handicraft!

Spoilers and kenguryatniki

Replacing a damaged bumper with a certified one cannot be considered a design change. But if, at the same time, a non-standard attachment is added to the bumper, this significantly changes the matter. Such a car must go through the approval procedure, since the changes could theoretically affect the safety of others and the driver.

“It is also prohibited to install any objects that go beyond the front contour of the car. For example, a kenguryatnik, - says the head of the National Automobile Union (NAS) Anton Shaparin. "These metal structures are installed not only by jeeps, some of them are used to tune simple cars up to Hyundai Solaris."

But about spoilers in testing laboratories directly say that most examples of their installation are generally safe. “It turns out that the requirement is formal. Yes, all non-standard equipment needs to be coordinated. And you can imagine a situation where an incorrectly installed spoiler will provoke an accident. But in the traffic police on the roads such things will not be able to control. But they won't give out a diagnostic card at the inspection,”adds Yuriy Parkhomenko.

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Towbars and winches

If a towbar or off-road equipment can be installed in a car normally, information about this must be spelled out in the vehicle type approval certificate (OTTS). And the owner's manual should indicate that the car is designed to tow trailers.

“For example, not all versions of the UAZ Patriot provide for the possibility of towing cargo. In such cases, you need to go through the procedure for making changes to the design. After all, various towbars and winches are considered additional equipment,”Shaparin warned.

Some car makers, like Land Rover, have taken care of the motorists in advance.

“For example, in the LR Defender model, the list of additional equipment already includes a winch, snorkel, reinforced sills, running boards, headlight protection,” Parkhomenko lists. - That is, the driver can set it himself and not go through the circles of hell. The rest of the auto companies should often help their customers like that."

Autostart and warm up the car in the yard

Installation of an abnormal auto-start of the engine for remote warming up of the car is not prohibited by the rules. Therefore, in winter, car owners seem to be able to warm up their cars for a long time under the windows of residential buildings. However, the heating itself is already a violation that can lead to a fine.

The prohibition of parking with a running engine is spelled out in the traffic rules section "Traffic in residential areas". This violation falls under Art. 12.19 "Violation of the rules for stopping or parking vehicles" and threatens with a fine of 500 rubles. But in Art. 12.28 of the Administrative Code "Violation of the rules established for the movement of vehicles in residential areas" contains a stricter norm: in Moscow and St. Petersburg for this they are fined for 3000 rubles, and in other cities - for 1500 rubles. We talked about this in detail in a separate article.