Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

I own a 1991 Delica which I love to drive, it is my work vehicle and daily driver. Today I was pulled over by the Winnipeg police motor vehicle inspection. I was told that my lights are not in compliance and needed to be changed since they have no DOT markings on them. I know that the vehicle passed inspection upon entry into Canada. I intend to argue the ruling. Does anyone have any documentation supporting these lights and their legitimacy on Canadian roads?
Thank you.

RickyDee wrote:I own a 1991 Delica which I love to drive, it is my work vehicle and daily driver. Today I was pulled over by the Winnipeg police motor vehicle inspection. I was told that my lights are not in compliance and needed to be changed since they have no DOT markings on them. I know that the vehicle passed inspection upon entry into Canada. I intend to argue the ruling. Does anyone have any documentation supporting these lights and their legitimacy on Canadian roads?
Thank you.

If they're legal hey should have a marking. Did you buy it from a dealer? There have been reports of vehicles going through inspection with legal light's and then being switched back to the Japanese ones after the fact (because the headlights are expensive and hard to come by). If this is the case you'll want to find out who is doing something illegal here and put pressure on them to right their wrong...

EDIT: 'E' code light's are also acceptable so check for an 'E' code marking. There is a list of which 'E' code light's are legal somewhere on here...

Contact Rob at righthanddrive.ca in Winnipeg

http://www.righthanddrive.ca/blog/

He has been on a campaign to clarify the DOT/E-Code law in your province. He's your best bet for solid information and advice.

If you are stuck with no vehicle get a pair of DOT snowplow lights and mount them on the front bull bar...that will get you on the road if you have to fight to get the Ecode excepted as DOT..

So I held off as long as I could but it seems Manitoba is trying to be as unreasonable as possible about e-coded headlights. I finally spoke to the head of the vehicle inspections safety department at MPI. I explained my e-code lights to him and told him they meet e-13 requirements and that e-code lights were on smart cars and audi's. He told me my vehicle was never meant to drive on our roads and because I have a right hand drive he would not accept my e-code headlights as compliant. I argued my e-code lights were safe and met requirements and he actually said "it's not about safety". Clearly they hate right hand drive here and will do anything in their power to make owning them difficult. While I intend to continue this fight I need a fix to keep my vehicle on the road, anyone know a good snowplow light supplier, I want self contained units with side markers that I can mount on the bull bar.
Thanks

RickyDee wrote:So I held off as long as I could but it seems Manitoba is trying to be as unreasonable as possible about e-coded headlights. I finally spoke to the head of the vehicle inspections safety department at MPI. I explained my e-code lights to him and told him they meet e-13 requirements and that e-code lights were on smart cars and audi's. He told me my vehicle was never meant to drive on our roads and because I have a right hand drive he would not accept my e-code headlights as compliant. I argued my e-code lights were safe and met requirements and he actually said "it's not about safety". Clearly they hate right hand drive here and will do anything in their power to make owning them difficult. While I intend to continue this fight I need a fix to keep my vehicle on the road, anyone know a good snowplow light supplier, I want self contained units with side markers that I can mount on the bull bar.
Thanks

You know I really have a hard time with people who are like this, I would love to find out how to bug the shit out of him. Unreasonable people just get me going - here is one... I am walking along the street with my girlfriend and it is really pouring out. We are trying to stay dry and are walking under the awnings close to the shops - there is barely enough room form the two of us to stay dry as we scurry along. Headed towards us is a male with an umbrella above his head, we come face to face and actually stop because I don't move over. I figure the person with the umbrella should step out from under the awning, if it was a girl I would have gotten a few rain drops but some dude with an umbrella - wasn't going to happen.

dfnder wrote:

RickyDee wrote:So I held off as long as I could but it seems Manitoba is trying to be as unreasonable as possible about e-coded headlights. I finally spoke to the head of the vehicle inspections safety department at MPI. I explained my e-code lights to him and told him they meet e-13 requirements and that e-code lights were on smart cars and audi's. He told me my vehicle was never meant to drive on our roads and because I have a right hand drive he would not accept my e-code headlights as compliant. I argued my e-code lights were safe and met requirements and he actually said "it's not about safety". Clearly they hate right hand drive here and will do anything in their power to make owning them difficult. While I intend to continue this fight I need a fix to keep my vehicle on the road, anyone know a good snowplow light supplier, I want self contained units with side markers that I can mount on the bull bar.
Thanks

Who are "they"? I doubt that, when push comes to shove (ie. court), that "they" can interpret the law anyway they like.
I have real trouble with this. How can any one bureaucrat exert personal opinion and make it stick? Next time, take a voice recorder with you and get him to repeat the same statement. Wonder how that would sound on the 6 o'clock news.
Help me out here.....if the violation is on improper headlights, and you have documented proof that the headlights are legal (ie. identical codes to the MB, Audi, etc), how can you not be compliant. Is this not a "plead not guilty, i want my day in court" situation? See what a judge says.
Sorry if this is all been gone over before. Haven't kept up on all the threads about this. So far, here in Alberta, we don't seem to be having any hassles.
Good luck
Rod

it is totally unreasonable and maybe even illegal for a bureaucrat to interpret the rules to suit his personal ideologies!! He is saying basically that e-code is okay, but not on a RHD, and unless that is specifically laid out in the code, it cannot be true. get a lawyer to call or write him and maybe he'll back off.

Unfortunatly, the courts are not always just. When Winnipeg Sue took hers to court, the judge wouldn't even listen to her case. She ended up having to get her van reinspected, and then register it again. Your best bet is to get the vehicle inspected by a Mercedes, BMW, or Volvo Dealer. If MPI has any problems after that, let them argue with the dealer. The best way to avoid this situation, is when you are pulled over by the Winnipeg Mafia, pull out your cell phone and start recording. Inform the officer that you are recording, and ask them to state their badge numbers for the record. You can tell them that the recording may be used in a legal case regarding unfair harassment towards JDM vehicles by the Winnipeg police service. They will back down very quickly, and probably let you off with a "verbal warning". This seems to be something that Manitoba Public Insurance and the Winnipeg Police Service are doing. The RCMP don't seem to be involved, and accept the E-coded lights as compliant.

Jason

I would go in with a voice recorder as suggested below and tell the head to give you a statement that he is willing to have aired on the news (play it off as a bluff if you have to) and see if the story changes at all so he can cover his ass. This doesn't sound right at all!

Read this http://forum.ivoac.ca/showthread.php?t= ... t=manitoba

I fought and won regarding the law, e codes and tail lights in Quebec....of all provinces. Know what the law says. Take photos of e coded lights on LHD and go with it.

It is not illegal in Canada to record without the other person's knowledge. Do it. Any body that states what that idiot stated does not deserve public money and benefits as he is imposing his personal opinion.

You never know, his family might be car dealers.


Sent from my Shoephone

Manitoba deli wrote:I finally spoke to the head of the vehicle inspections safety department at MPI.

Hey Man. You're talking about Brian Rapinchuk? Or someone else?
I've had a meeting with Brian, and found that he's actually a really nice guy. He's the Manager or Vehicle Standards and Technologies. I've been thinking that if this comes up again that he'd be the person to talk to.

Fire me an email at robg@righthanddrive.ca and I could give you more details.

Wow, I almost missed this, I don't always check here daily. Next time send a pm or email if you want a reply. I've sent you an email as requested.

Jason