LED Autolamps has issued a warning to the Irish motor trade, on the dangers of buying and fitting automotive and commercial vehicle lighting products that are not ECE and EMC approved.

The company says that there is currently lots of inferior unapproved products in the marketplace, which are not only of questionable quality compared to LED products, but are also illegal and may actually be dangerous.

Andrew Ingram, Design and Marketing Coordinator at LED says, “To ensure quality and legality, vehicle lighting products should carry ECE and EMC approval. If a product does not have both of these marks and it is fitted to a vehicle, it will mean that vehicle is no longer road legal.”

Meeting these legal requirements is up to the vehicle owner, as Andy points out. “It is not illegal to sell lighting products that have not been ECE and EMC approved, so there are lamps available on the market with no approval. However it is illegal to use these on public roads.”

ECE regulations cover many different vehicle parts including lighting, tyres and batteries. The regulation ensures a standard level of quality is reached, and the vehicle as a whole is safe. Vehicles using lighting that has not been ECE approved are not road legal. Vehicle bodybuilders also need to be aware that not having ECE approved lighting will mean a new vehicle fails type approval tests, meaning a costly and time consuming resubmission.

EMC approval concerns electromagnetic compatibility. This standard tests lights to make sure they do not give off electromagnetic interference, that could affect other critical electrical systems on the vehicle. All lighting, which is to perform a function on a vehicle, needs to have both ECE and EMC approval to ensure a vehicle is road legal.  

Andrew stresses that not only are choice of lighting products a matter of legality, it should also be a matter of quality and long term product durability. He comments, “All LED Autolamps products carry the correct ECE and EMC approvals for use on European roads. We spend a lot of time and money on research, development and testing, and ensure that every product is going to function as expected and most importantly be safe.” He adds, “Our lighting is also totally waterproof to international IP rated standards and is tough and very reliable as reflected in our extended warranties on all our lamps and even lifetime warranties on certain products.”