Are SHR Louvers illegal?
03-19-2009, 01:41 PM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: California
Posts: 52
Are SHR Louvers illegal?
I got purchased my stang last friday and within 2 days I went ahead and purchased the SHR side louvers and I also went ahead and bout the black rear louvers for the rear window. I was waiting for in the mail and I decided to research shops that could install them for me because I'm not too technical with that sort of thing and I didn't want to have wait to do that once they were already at my door. Anyway, I sent an email out and this is the response I got:
"Hi, I called the company to make sure that those windows are FMVSS and DOT approved, Unfortunately they are not. Due to California State Regulations we will not be able to install this in your Mustang. We are AGRSS registered shop and will only install Glass in compliance with FMVSS and California State regulations. Regards Sam E."
Anyone heard of this before?
"Hi, I called the company to make sure that those windows are FMVSS and DOT approved, Unfortunately they are not. Due to California State Regulations we will not be able to install this in your Mustang. We are AGRSS registered shop and will only install Glass in compliance with FMVSS and California State regulations. Regards Sam E."
Anyone heard of this before?
03-19-2009, 04:15 PM
#5
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
Apparently you guys don't understand what DOT means in terms of "safety" i put it in quotes because DOT approved plastic and glass has to meet or exceed certain federal regulations for impact strenght and breakage charateristics. Safety is a relative term because you can still get injured from glass and or plastic that is DOT approved and broken
For example DOT glass must have certain characteristics when it break, no large shards, layer of film or plastic in the middle to keep it together even when it shatters etc.. Shope have the right to refuse installing anything that takes away from federaly regulated safety or emissions laws. If they do install the plastic or glass component and you get injured because something highly unlikely but still possible happens, you can sue them and the shop can lose their business license.
Insurance companies look at those details (DOT approved parts) in cases of accidents that involve the item in question. Again, highly unlikely you'll have any problems but there's always a possiblity.
In a nutshell the shop is covering their ****. If you get into an accident and are potentially injured from installed said louvers, you and or the insurance company could go after the shop for negligence.
For example DOT glass must have certain characteristics when it break, no large shards, layer of film or plastic in the middle to keep it together even when it shatters etc.. Shope have the right to refuse installing anything that takes away from federaly regulated safety or emissions laws. If they do install the plastic or glass component and you get injured because something highly unlikely but still possible happens, you can sue them and the shop can lose their business license.
Insurance companies look at those details (DOT approved parts) in cases of accidents that involve the item in question. Again, highly unlikely you'll have any problems but there's always a possiblity.
In a nutshell the shop is covering their ****. If you get into an accident and are potentially injured from installed said louvers, you and or the insurance company could go after the shop for negligence.
03-19-2009, 06:38 PM
#6
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,056
Hmmm? ....does that mean fiberglass,carbon fiber,polyurethane hood and body panels are illegal if they aren't DOT approved. I'm curious about that DOT approval,if you drove your vehicle on a piece of glass it would break under stress but SHR showed a pick-up which drove up on a their louver and with the truck sitting there the louver did not break.Scroll down and check out that stress test,its even a dually.
http://www.silverhorseracing.com/web...ategory_id=255
http://www.silverhorseracing.com/web...ategory_id=255
03-19-2009, 07:08 PM
#7
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: CA
Posts: 434
Apparently you guys don't understand what DOT means in terms of "safety" i put it in quotes because DOT approved plastic and glass has to meet or exceed certain federal regulations for impact strenght and breakage charateristics. Safety is a relative term because you can still get injured from glass and or plastic that is DOT approved and broken
For example DOT glass must have certain characteristics when it break, no large shards, layer of film or plastic in the middle to keep it together even when it shatters etc.. Shope have the right to refuse installing anything that takes away from federaly regulated safety or emissions laws. If they do install the plastic or glass component and you get injured because something highly unlikely but still possible happens, you can sue them and the shop can lose their business license.
Insurance companies look at those details (DOT approved parts) in cases of accidents that involve the item in question. Again, highly unlikely you'll have any problems but there's always a possiblity.
In a nutshell the shop is covering their ****. If you get into an accident and are potentially injured from installed said louvers, you and or the insurance company could go after the shop for negligence.
For example DOT glass must have certain characteristics when it break, no large shards, layer of film or plastic in the middle to keep it together even when it shatters etc.. Shope have the right to refuse installing anything that takes away from federaly regulated safety or emissions laws. If they do install the plastic or glass component and you get injured because something highly unlikely but still possible happens, you can sue them and the shop can lose their business license.
Insurance companies look at those details (DOT approved parts) in cases of accidents that involve the item in question. Again, highly unlikely you'll have any problems but there's always a possiblity.
In a nutshell the shop is covering their ****. If you get into an accident and are potentially injured from installed said louvers, you and or the insurance company could go after the shop for negligence.
Thy are not glass so they don't need a DOT rating, if I'm not mistaken
03-22-2009, 12:27 AM
#8
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: southern foothills
Posts: 89
You might want to try calling some auto glass installers or body shops on the phone rather than just send emails - I am not from CA but it seems to me some will not check on the FMVSS or DOT approval issue and do the install.
If you cant get an auto glass installer or body shop to install them then maybe you should install them yourself or try legal "stick on" louvers like the Roush, CDC, DG, 3dCarbon, etc. They do not replace the window and don't have to be approved.
If you cant get an auto glass installer or body shop to install them then maybe you should install them yourself or try legal "stick on" louvers like the Roush, CDC, DG, 3dCarbon, etc. They do not replace the window and don't have to be approved.
03-23-2009, 02:32 AM
#10
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: West Los Angeles
Posts: 5,390
the don't break, which I guess means that someone in the back could be injured by them in a bad accident. Glass would break and not hurt but a bigger piece of plastic might hurt I guess...
But yes, that's a common response that good shops will say when people want something non-stock installed and it protects the business. I think the car owner should just be able to sign a waiver releasing the shop from any claims, but then all passengers would have to sign the waiver too!
I can just see all the sharks, uh, I mean lawyers, seeing if any of their clients' cars had non-factory windows or louvers in them! "Let's go after the business that installed those!"
But yes, that's a common response that good shops will say when people want something non-stock installed and it protects the business. I think the car owner should just be able to sign a waiver releasing the shop from any claims, but then all passengers would have to sign the waiver too!
I can just see all the sharks, uh, I mean lawyers, seeing if any of their clients' cars had non-factory windows or louvers in them! "Let's go after the business that installed those!"