What did you do to your XJ today??
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma,WA
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.o
HID's are not illegal in WA. What is illegal in WA is running colored HID's and or overpowered HID's, if I remember correct 35watts is the legal limit in WA.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Centralia, Wa
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: Centralia, Wa
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
You'll get way more out of them with the harness upgrade. The stock wiring is super small, creates a lot of voltage drop. If you stick your meter in the plug in on the stock harness you'll notice it's only reading about 10.5 v with the car off, but 12.5 at the battery. With the harness upgrade it changes to 12.5 there is literally no voltage drop.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 626
Likes: 1
From: Yelm, WA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Bought a bunch of stuff. No 75w-140 gear Mobil1 anywhere here in Yelm 

Also did LED upgrade in my dash lights yesterday

And pretty much finished with my roof rack. Need to get the air deflector made. This thing howls.


Also did LED upgrade in my dash lights yesterday

And pretty much finished with my roof rack. Need to get the air deflector made. This thing howls.
HID's upgrades are illegal in wa. Based on the fact that that any modification to a vehicles stock headlights is considered illegal. Brighter bulbs of a natural color are legal to a certain brightness, but true HID needs a ballast. Cherokee lights do not have a ballast. Therefore adding a ballast is modifying the stock lights and therefore illegal. Just do a Google search on wa headlight laws and read the first link from the highway patrol sight.
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma,WA
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.o
HID's upgrades are illegal in wa. Based on the fact that that any modification to a vehicles stock headlights is considered illegal. Brighter bulbs of a natural color are legal to a certain brightness, but true HID needs a ballast. Cherokee lights do not have a ballast. Therefore adding a ballast is modifying the stock lights and therefore illegal. Just do a Google search on wa headlight laws and read the first link from the highway patrol sight.
According to the WAC, HID's are legal. I keep them bookmarked on the computer. And have looked this very thing up before, when I installed them in my truck
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.37
According to the WAC, HID's are legal. I keep them bookmarked on the computer. And have looked this very thing up before, when I installed them in my truck
Now on the other hand Washington state patrol uses (among other things) the federal motor vehicle safety standards code 108, specifically section 7.7. Which states that hid conversions are not legal. Then states why they came to adopt this upon recommendation from the national highway traffic safety administration.
So in short just because the one link doesn't cover it doesn't mean it is legal. Your link also did not cover the 29" bumper limits in the state of Washington or the 5" law on protrusions to either side of the vehicle (ie no fender flares or tires protruding more than 5" from the farthest body line, laymen terms, bushwackers new 7" flat fender flares on and xj are illegal).
Ignorance is not a defence in court...... Know your laws and not your hearsay.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 626
Likes: 1
From: Yelm, WA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Ebay. I have some extra 74 base bulbs. I bought 10 thinking the heater control lights would be the same size, but they are some other dumb thing where the light pigtail wraps around the base. Kick me a couple bucks and shipping and they are yours. I have 5 left and that's how many you need for the cluster.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 639
Likes: 3
From: lake stevens, wa
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
to be legal, the car must have been equipped with hid's to begin with.. if you retrofit some proper DOT certified housings (projectors) they'll generally leave you alone, as the projector gives a proper cut-off so as to not blind oncoming drivers. technically it's still a no-no tho, so you can get cited for it if the officer has a hair up his ***.
Seasoned Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma,WA
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.o
And to keep the post on track I did the ground upgrade on the XJ today, amazing what good grounds will do




