Installing High-Mount Brake Light

[highseas]

I'm a new Delica owner in Edmonton (howdy gang! ) and have been lurking on the site for awhile gathering info. I have recently found out that I need to install a high mount brake light in order to pass my Alberta out of province inspection. Has anyone done this before? Any info on what kind of light to get, where and how to mount in would be much appreciated. I looked around the site but there doesn't seem to be too much info on this. I'm in the process of installing my new headlights and that's going relatively smoothly thanks to the tips I've found on here. Once I've got the third brake light installed I'm good to go!

[EnviroImports.com]

Hello, I can give you some great advice, for a long time everyone said all jdm's need the third brake light, but the delica doesent until 1994, However some inspection places can be un-informed about it and I find if thats the case, just put it in and then you have no stress,
Go to pick a part in edmonton, DONT tell them what the light is for, if the wreckers know you need it to pass an inspection, the price shoots to over $100, but if you say you have a mid nintys chevy astro van, blazer.... they have a third brake light that can be mounted inside or out, its low profile and only two screws, one one each end, it looks great, and cheap if you keep it to your self about what you need it for.
Noel

[Erebus]

If the Delica is registered as a truck, it doesn't need a centre brake light, although personally I highly recommend having one. My Delica is registered as a truck, so it wasn't going to need one, but it turned out to have a factory one, so became moot.

But the Astro van, etc., roof-mounted one is a good choice. Can mount it on the roof, top of tailgate, or inside the tailgate "upside down" at the top of the glass.

The Mitsu factory one is an LED strip that mounts inside at the bottom of the window. It also covers and blocks the inside lock button. The button is still there, just covered by the light. So I have to figure out how to rig up an interior lock/unlock mechanism.

[Adrock]

that doesn't sound very stock... covering the lock.

[Erebus]

that doesn't sound very stock... covering the lock.

No it doesn't sound it. But that seems to be the way they do things. The light has a nice "pocket" in it for the lock button. Would have been nicer if they put an extension on it and had it come out above the light.

If you look at the front grill of the Deli and look closely at the mounting brackets for the bull bars, you will see they just cut pieces out of the grill to make room.

The optional power curtains on Green1's Deli use new tracks the dealer added, leaving the standard tracks in place and unused.

Mine have shoulder belts in the back, so they changed the curtain tie-backs slightly. The rear side curtains don't open all the way because of the belts, but the tie-backs are attached about 6 inches from the end to accommodate.

So it looks like Mitsu will do quick-and-dirty when it suits.

[sean]

Today my wife was stopped by the RCMP and told our Deli was not compliant due to a non existent rear mount light.
At first I was sure we didn't need one.
Lot of posts said no need...Noel said

Hello, I can give you some great advice, for a long time everyone said all jdm's need the third brake light, but the delica doesent until 1994, However some inspection places can be un-informed about it and I find if thats the case

I called CC Auto and Perry told me that yes I did need one, so then I called Terra2, who I got the vehicle from and they also yes I did and they were surprised that I did not because it was their inspector and their shop who did the work.

So I will be mounting one.

They also told me my side lights were not compliant because they did not say made in Canada or US. I have the side marker reflectors and when my lights are turned on (not DRL) the amber ones illuminate.

So I have to go and get another inspection which I am telling Terra2 they have to pay for.

So just an update to anybody that says you do not need a high mount, you will be stopped sooner or later. The RCMP said that every conference on road infractions are stressing the targeting of ALL import vehicles. Do not know if this is ICBC upping the exposure or what..

Sean

[sean]

Went home at lunch and took a good look at the vehicle. I DO have a rear brake light. I have never noticed it before as it is quite hidden and low down. So the constable did not even get my wife to push on the brake when she (the police officer) was stating there was no light. As for the side lights, my local inspector who work on Deli's quite often says that I comply to all standards on those also.
So all is well except the fact that I had to take time off from work today to deal with this non issue. I hope this does not become a recurring theme for everyone. If all these police officers go to a conference and suddenly become compliance experts, we are all in for many traffic stops.
Sean

[EnviroImports.com]

I can tell you for certain that here in BC you dont need a third brake light for the delica, anyone that tells you that you do is simply wrong, you dont need one until the 94 are available. mind you im only getting the word from Brian Kanga, the head of MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS. sounds like someone is trying to Sell you something you dont need or simply dont know what is actually required.
For any other province, I cant speak to that as Its enough work staying on top of the ever changing rules.
You got off lucky with only getting a vehicle inspection, if you dont have day time running lights, that can be $250/ light that doesent light up properly, $250 for not having corner marker light , Its $250 PER infraction and that can be EVERY light bulb that was not changed when it came here from japan unless you have e code light bulbs.
I have been finding SOOOOOO many vans that dont meet compliance and have the inspection form that says they do, if you have more than 10% non compliance on your import, your driving with out valid insuance. belive it or not.
Noel

[sean]

You obviously didn't understand my post Noel. I said I comply completely and the cop is wrong.

As for the light debate, let the debate rage on.....
Sean

[Erebus]

Granted I'm no expert, but as I understand it, in Alberta a "car" needs a centre brake light, a "truck" doesn't. At least for the pre-93. So my Delica didn't need one, because it was being registered as a truck. But since it has a factory centre light, none of this is relevant.

I've heard that if the inspector wants to be a pain, all the bulbs have to be DOT approved. But I've looked at bulbs that I've bought over the last 10 years at Crappy Tire and such, and NONE of the bulbs are marked "DOT approved". So I don't know how you could prove this. The reflectors and such, as long as they are stamped "E" or "JIS" they are supposed to be acceptable. I've recently started looking at some North American vehicles, and some of them don't have "DOT" on the lenses.

So clearly, there is a LOT of grey area. I figure I far exceed Alberta standards, and pretty much meet BC standards.

The other thing everyone should keep in mind, and remind cops if necessary, is that if it passes code in the province/state of registration, then it is supposed to be accepted elsewhere. This isn't the case for commercial vehicles, or for towing stuff, but for a normal personal vehicle it is. For example, most US vehicles don't have daytime running lights. They aren't forced to install them when they come to visit Canada. Same goes for the rest of it.

My recommendation: carry a copy of your out-of-province inspection, so you can show an inspector or cop that, "yes, this vehicle DOES comply with all relevant requirements."

[Green1]

according to the law, a truck from 1991/1992 does NOT require a third brake light (and north american ones from that age often don't have them), however good luck finding an inspector who knows this, or an RCMP officer that knows this... as I tell everyone, just avoid the hassle and install it! sooner or later it will become an issue for you if you don't have it.

[Adam]

according to the law, a truck from 1991/1992 does NOT require a third brake light (and north american ones from that age often don't have them), however good luck finding an inspector who knows this, or an RCMP officer that knows this... as I tell everyone, just avoid the hassle and install it! sooner or later it will become an issue for you if you don't have it.

Hmmm, my '91 Super Exceed came stock with a 3rd light at the bottom of the rear window, it's thin, but it is there. Maybe it was an option?

[Green1]

Hmmm, my '91 Super Exceed came stock with a 3rd light at the bottom of the rear window, it's thin, but it is there. Maybe it was an option?

this appears to be an oddity, my 91 doesn't have the brake light, but some 91's do... I've seen a 92 without, and a 91 with... same with the rear shoulder belts, rear dome light (above the tailgate inside), front map lights, etc. I've seen a 92 without, and a 91 with... somewhere in around that range these things became standard, but it seems like it took a year or 2 to standardize....

[EnviroImports.com]

I called CC Auto and Perry told me that yes I did need one, so then I called Terra2, who I got the vehicle from and they also yes I did and they were surprised that I did not because it was their inspector and their shop who did the work.

Sean

This was what i was refering to

[sean]

This morning I called the police officer to speak to her personally and tell her I saw an inspector and he told me I comply.
She wouldn't have any of it. She told me the ticket was an order to go to our local access center and pay to have the government inspector inspect our vehicle.
Her conference was with the "Head of Motor Vehicle Branch of BC" ( I asked her the name of the gentleman giving her talk and said Brian somebody..I said Kanga and she thought so...) she says and she KNOWS that any light not made in the good old continent of North America are illegal. She even said all lights from Europe are illegal.
ARGGHHH...
I tried my best to explain about E coded lights, being able to buy them at canadian tire and asked her about all the new vehicles made in Japan and Europe coming here with lights MADE in other countries but E coded or DOT SAE etc. She did not answer but repeated what she knew.
When I told her I got my vehicle inspected it was after they introduced the digital pictures being sent in so how could it have been inspected wrong. The photos tell the tale. She said that all of her detachment here in Courtenay were told that inspections done on these vehicles are done wrong and they are to pull over ALL imports vehicles and send them for re inspection at the government inspection agencies.

But what can I do except go and prove that I comply by paying money.
What a pain...
Sean