Okay, I got the go-ahead to share my rear brake light "mod"

This is an overlay that you apply to the interior of the rear hatch under the brake light fixture. The exterior overlays are also available, but IMO the interior one is much cleaner! You can easily peel the fixture off and, using painters tape, outline where you want the decal to go and make sure that it's in the correct position. The brake light just snaps back on. The hardest part was getting the pictures w/out someone to push the brake pedal

You can get them here!

Those turned out great Eric!  Here is a link to how to take off the interior plastic panel to get to your 3rd brake light from the inside: http://www.importequipment.com/scion_xb_interior_mount_3rd_brake_light_sticker_install_tips.htm

Let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks,
Nathan
ycart1201

I don't see why they wouldn't be... it's still functional. I see chrome "Ram" covers on Dodge Ram trucks all the time

you should have just gotten 2 foot piece of wood to wedge in there

here is some info on the law and rear brake lights from another forum:

toyotaisme wrote:
I have one on my XB. I’m in California, It is legal. I had cops ride behind me and they have never polled me over. I also have one on my other car and it has been on for over 3 yrs no problem.


Be very careful with the "I had a cop behind me and he didn't pull me over" legality test! Policemen are not experts on the law (if they were, they would be making a lot more money as attorneys!) and may not care to enforce one or another statute at any moment. Another time, they may certainly have the time to enforce that statute!

Note the occasional lament seen here of "The cops don't they have anything better to do than pull me over for [insert illegal mod]? Sometimes they really have something better to do!

Here's the vehicle code regarding brake lights:

Quote:

24603. Every motor vehicle which is not in combination with any
other vehicle and every vehicle at the end of a combination of
vehicles shall at all times be equipped with stoplamps mounted on the
rear as follows:
(a) Every such vehicle shall be equipped with one or more
stoplamps.
(b) Every such vehicle, other than a motorcycle, manufactured and
first registered on or after January 1, 1958, shall be equipped with
two stoplamps, except that trailers and semitrailers manufactured
after July 23, 1973, which are less than 30 inches wide, may be
equipped with one stoplamp which shall be mounted at or near the
vertical centerline of the trailer. If such vehicle is equipped with
two stoplamps, they shall be mounted as specified in subdivision
(d).
(c) Except as provided in subdivision (h), stoplamps on vehicles
manufactured on or after January 1, 1969, shall be mounted not lower
than 15 inches nor higher than 72 inches, except that a tow truck, in
addition to being equipped with the required stoplamps, may also be
equipped with two stoplamps which may be mounted not lower than 15
inches nor higher than the maximum allowable vehicle height and as
far forward as the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in the
rearmost position.
(d) Where two stoplamps are required, at least one shall be
mounted at the left and one at the right side, respectively, at the
same level.
(e) Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January 1,
1979, shall emit a red light. Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured
before January 1, 1979, shall emit a red or yellow light. All
stoplamps shall be plainly visible and understandable from a distance
of 300 feet to the rear both during normal sunlight and at
nighttime, except that stoplamps on a vehicle of a size required to
be equipped with clearance lamps shall be visible from a distance of
500 feet during such times.
(f) Stoplamps shall be activated upon application of the service
(foot) brake and the hand control head for air, vacuum, or electric
brakes. In addition, all stoplamps may be activated by a mechanical
device designed to function only upon sudden release of the
accelerator while the vehicle is in motion. Stoplamps on vehicles
equipped with a manual transmission may be manually activated by a
mechanical device when the vehicle is downshifted if the device is
automatically rendered inoperative while the vehicle is accelerating.

(g) Any vehicle may be equipped with supplemental stoplamps
mounted to the rear of the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in
its rearmost position in addition to the lamps required to be mounted
on the rear of the vehicle. Supplemental stoplamps installed after
January 1, 1979, shall be red in color and mounted not lower than 15
inches above the roadway. The supplemental stoplamp on that side of
a vehicle toward which a turn will be made may flash as part of the
supplemental turn signal lamp.
A supplemental stoplamp may be mounted inside the rear window of a
vehicle, if it is mounted at the centerline of the vehicle and is
constructed and mounted so as to prevent any light, other than a
monitorial indicator emitted from the device, either direct or
reflected, from being visible to the driver.

(h) Any supplemental stoplamp installed after January 1, 1987,
shall comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 (49
C.F.R. 571.108). Any vehicle equipped with a stoplamp which complies
with the federal motor vehicle safety standards applicable to that
make and model vehicle shall conform to that applicable safety
standard unless modified to comply with the federal motor vehicle
safety standard designated in this subdivision.


as seen in this thread:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7962&highlight=flash+rear+brake

 

Looks good

As I read the law, above, it is legal.
As long as the light is inside the rear window, is on center, top or bottom of window, emits a red light, is not a distraction to the driver, is obviously part of the braking system (i.e.) comes on with the side lights and is visible in daylight with the standard lights, it's OK.
That is , it's OK to have script or graphics
That's not to say that a bored cop might not cite you for it, but I doubt it would last 1 sec. in a court room. So don't do this if you have any Wants, Warrants or FTA's, it might be a bad idea.
And I'm sure you won't got off for using F@%K or any thing like that. They'd get you on public profanity laws.
Now, I'm no lawyer, but I can read legalie's and I think it's quite legal.

                                               I'm in Ca. and I'm going to do one for myself....So There.