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Post #1
So I have a beautiful 2003 Toyota Solara, which is gonna be mine, and I'll be driving to school next year. We purchased it earlier this year used, off of a "Lemon Lot", a bit of a steal, 7100 bucks I believe it was.
That's my sexy car ^^
A cop pulled my mother, who was driving the car, over today. He measured the tint on her passenger window. 17. Apparently that's not enough, so it has to be removed by September 1st (we didn't get a ticket yet). Not only that, but Mom insists the windows were factory tinted by Toyota themselves, so you can't just remove the tint, you have to replace the whole windows. Expensive.
Now this is not adding up. I checked Wikipedia.
Not only is 17% illegal in Alabama, my state, it is illegal in all fifty states. So what, if what Mom insists about the tinting being factory-made is true, does Toyota make cars that are tinted in a way that's illegal in all fifty states?
Can someone please give me advice? Mom insists that we'll have to go through the expensive process of replacing the driver's, passenger's, and rear view windows. We just bought 2 cars in the past month, we're broke.
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It's Alabama, bro. The cop probably pulled her over just to try to find something wrong. It happens down here a lot.
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That's bull, take that shit to court.
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Whether the ticket is bull or not, I wouldn't really mind having to just scrape off the window tint. I mean I like the tint, but I'm also doubting what she's said about having to outright replace the windows.
Again, she insists that the windows were tinted by Toyota themselves, and for whatever reason that means that you can't just scrape it off.
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Also, you are viewing them wrong. The lower the number, the darker the tint. Your state law requires the tint to LET IN 32% of the light. And the cops sensor picked up that it was only letting in 17%. I think something is wrong with his sensor.
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I did understand the way the number was read, though. He's saying the tint was too dark.
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Wasn't directed towards you.
But if it is indeed a factory tint, that will get thrown out. I'm pretty sure you can't sell cars with illegal tint.
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OP updated with picture of my actual car, the previous was from Wikipedia.
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Next time, ask them what the legal window tint % is, make them fall at the first hurdle
Edited:
It would of been easier to appeal if you got the ticket
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Missing the point, lower percentage is darker tint. BELOW the level of 32% is illegal.
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oh right, my bad
Edited:
thats confusing
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Well basically it's a measurement of how much light is ALLOWED through. Example, if my windows are measured at 17%, it's allowing 17% of the light through. I edited a pic in the OP to make this clearer.
Again I am interested. Are some windows tinted in such a way that it is unremovable?
Also, regarding tickets: Basically they didn't give us a fine or penalty, but told us that we had to have it done by September 1st, or face penalty.
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I would get the windows checked to see if it really is 17%.
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So is that cop gonna come hunt you down?
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They don't look as opaque as yours. Assuming that the cop's reading was right, I'm 99.9% sure that your mom is wrong and the windows were tinted, Toyota wouldn't have such an avoidable issue.
Still, get your own reading to be sure. Regardless of the reason why they're tinted, if you're below the law you'll have to change the windows.
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I dunno, they probably have it on record that "If you pull this person over past this date and their windows are still illegal, then fine them".
By the way. All the windows have tint stickers on them, which seemed to indicate the percentage of light through. The front and back windshields (which were NOT tested) have a value that is above the legal limit in my state. The side windows all say "DOT 18" which I interpret as 18%, which is reasonably close to the 17% that the policeman reported.
I guess that only the side windows are problematic. And from further conversation from my mother, I have determined that she's full of shit regarding having to replace the windows.
So I guess we'll just have to scrape the tint off the side windows. Shouldn't be too bad.
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Get a steamer and the tint should peel off with some finesse.
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Toyota doesn't factory tint the windows, they are tinted glass but that is obviously stick-on tint, and can be removed (and obviously should). Toyota would never tint a car from the factory that dark.
Take it to a pro tinting shop, get it tinted to 35% (give a few percent of headroom, so cops won't be dicky) or have them remove it for you. It's hard to do on your own without some special tinit remover or paint thinner, which is hard to do without fucking anything up.
Edited:
^this also works, if the tint isn't too stuck on. Get it nice and warm with the steam and peel it off.
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Use windex, the ammonia takes off the tint's adhesive.
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'Factory tinting' is sometimes stained glass, which doesn't actually stop UV or heat like film tint does, hence the reason it's called 'privacy glass'. That can't be removed and would require replacing the actual glass.
Film tint is easy to remove from side windows. At my work, we use a detergent and a scraper blade.
Simply wind the window down a little so you can see the top edge, use the blade to get an edge up then (if the tint isn't too old) you should be able to rip it all off in one piece. Then spray the detergent on and use the blade to scrape off the glue (a fresh, sharp blade makes it incredibly easy).
We use a steamer to peel the tint off the rear screen, trying to get as much adhesive off with the film, then clean off any remaining glue with some detergent and super fine steel wool. You can't use a blade on them as you'll more than likely take the heater bars off the glass as well (same goes for any cargo windows with 'in-glass' radio or GPS aerials).
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You seem knowledgable.
Could you tell me: When I look at the tinting certificate sticker, and it says "DOT 18", does that men 18% VLT as measured by the tinting company?
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I don't actually know. My guess is that it's a DOT specification similar to DOT 3 & 4 for brake fluids and such.
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Actually, according to this, that means the window was made by PPG Industries, who manufactures auto glass.
http://www.carwindshields.info/DOT_db.htm
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Fuck! I was going by that to determine that only the side windows needed work! Fucking hell! Now I don't know at all...
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Can ya post a pic for us of the top of the window when it's rolled down half way? A good closeup to see if there's a tint line there or not. It's almost sounding like there isn't... tinted glass from the factory, wild.
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Why are there three different people in this thread with the same avatar?
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Which people?
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Uhm yeah, I don't know I think it was just Facepunch being all fucked up. Everyone had some Smiling Sun as an avatar, I think it is, or was an Emote.
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If it LOOKS really dark, and it read 17%, I would say its not factory tint and it has been tinted afterwards.
OEM tints are genrally barely noticable and legal.
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I thought i was in h&s, confusion did happen
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Welp, Mom went out and got the tint removed. Did not, as she initially said, get all the windows replaced.
Sucks. Now all the windows are so bright... but at least we know the court won't give us crap.
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Resurrection post. Can you repost a picture, cause the tint on the Eclipse I just posted in the photos of your car thread was fucking dark, and the tint on the BMW behind it is even darker. Every time I get pulled over they tell me the tint is illegal, but never give me a ticket. Pretty sure it's buuuulllshiiiiittt.
I live in Alabama too.
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