Window tint for 2020 Tacoma will not pass inspection

I bought my truck new 2 months ago. Looks like the vehicle was in GA and they drove it to NC.

It seemed to me that the driver and passenger side front windows looked a bit dark. The more I got to thinking about it, and knowing the NC law about the tint of windows, i decided to go to an inspection station and have them checked. They were too dark to pass inspection.

I was under the impression that when a vehicle is sold, it needs to be inspected in the state its sold in, so how did it pass?

I contacted the dealership because I do expect them to pay to correct this issue, after all, they sold me a vehicle that can't legally pass inspection in the state. They have been pretty silent so far.

Am I wrong in expecting the dealership to pay to correct this?

Larry

 

No, you are correct to demand the dealership fix it imo.

 

To be fair, all tint in Michigan on the front windows (except top 4") is illegal without a prescription. Dealerships seem to sell cars all the time with it anyway. Mostly used cars, but still. The dealership doesn't always do things perfect.

 

I know you don’t live in Pennsylvania, but to my knowledge in PA as long as it came from the factory tinted, then it automatically passes. Maybe there is something like that in NC as well.

 

I think I did read in the DMV specs it said something about 'after purchase tint' but how can I prove that I wasn't the one that added it? I still have the window sticker, but it doesnt mention tint.

 

GA and NC could have different tint laws, that's my guess. Only other thing I can think of is a letter from the dealer, IDK how good the chances are but it's a guess.

 

Ditto

 

Easy, if it’s a film (you’ll be able to find edges) then it’s not oem. Oem will be in the glass.

 

Not sure why they would add it to a new vehicle, seems like that would just cost them money. Two dealerships I've checked with don't even do tinting anyway so I would think they would have to send it out

 

Just peel it off, will take all of 5 minutes. (If it's aftermarket)

 

Most of the time they do have a shop they partner with for some aftermarket stuff (like tint). I’m willing to bet that someone previously wanted that truck, paid for the tint, and then it fell through.

if it is aftermarket, just peel it off and wash the windows. Super simple and no cost to fix.

 

I'm moving to NC. How dark is too dark to pass?

 

Not sure where you are in NC, but some of the dealerships around here do tinting in house. And charge $399 to the price of the vehicle, whether it's just the front 2 doors or the whole car. Very expensive tint job and not done properly most of the time. I do tint for a living, 35% (they allow as dark as 32%) is what's legal for NC. I believe GA is 28%, like SC. Which will not pass inspection here. So yes, the dealer will be responsible to make right. Most dealers won't sell any car with illegal tint for the state they are operating in. But some do, but it is mostly used cars.

 

I'm not sure what the name of the scale is, but when they checked it was at 30. I looked it up and it says it needs to be 32 or above, but the inspection guy said it had to be 35 or above.

 

The inspection guy is wrong. It has to be 32% or higher. Anything lower than 32% in NC fails.

 

That’s percentage of light it lets through. So 30% is darker than 32% (or 35%).

 

https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/title-registration/emissions-safety/Pages/window-tinting.aspx

 

This really isn't that hard.

If the truck was legally tinted in Ga. then sold in Ga., it becomes the responsibility of whoever transfers it to a state where it is non compliant to correct it.

If you bought it in NC then yes, dealer should make it NC compliant. If you bought it in Ga., it's yours to deal with.

When my kids moved from Fl to Va we had to strip both cars, as Va is pretty fussy.

A steamer like for cleaning grout or stripping wallpaper, some fresh single edge blades, clean rags, goo gone and window cleaner can return then to OE in short order.

 

Unless the dealer added aftermarket tint its factory privacy glass and shouldn’t be very dark.

 

North Carolina

Tint darkness for sedans:
Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer's AS-1 line or top 5 inches.
Front Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in. Back Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
Rear Window: Must allow more than 35% of light in.

Tint darkness for SUV and vans:
Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer's AS-1 line or top 5 inches.
Front Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
Back Side windows: Any darkness can be used. Rear Window: Any darkness can be used.

Source: https://www.tinting-laws.com/north-carolina/