MADISON, Wis. -- Dark, tinted car windows could be illegal.

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Watch News 3 Report Tinted Window Law Too Strict?

It's a lesson a Madison woman learned the hard way. She e-mailed News 3 after she was pulled over by police last Friday. She wanted to tell her story to shed light on the law and spare you the hassle she's going through.

Ann Barker said she's walking a lot these days. Her leased 1999 Cougar stays parked in the driveway.

"I'm very apprehensive about getting behind the wheel of this car that I've driven for three years," said Barker.

The cars tinted windows, which were installed after-market by a previous owner, had attracted a police officer.

"I informed him this was a leased car. I took the car in this condition. He still issued me a ticket," said Barker. "It was $156."

"So many of the cars out there are illegal. Yet people think they're legal," said Sgt. Richard Scanlon, of the Madison Police Department.

Madison police use a digital meter to test the amount of light coming into your car windows. In Wisconsin, rear windows must have 35 percent or more light filtering in and at least 50 percent through the front-side windows.

There are some exceptions. For example, if the windows were tinted by the manufacturer, not after market and didn't meet the guidelines, it's not illegal. But that doesn't mean you won't be pulled over.

"If a person can show us that they just purchased the car and it came this way either from a previous owner or previous dealer, we might allow them some time to get it taken care of and recheck it," Scanlon said.

But Barker said instead of driving her Cougar, she will continue to walk until she can get the car into the shop.

"I'm sure there's a lot of cars out there that people buy or lease them, whatever, and they have no clue," Barker said.

Barker told News 3, when she agreed to lease the car, she questioned the tinting. The dealership told her it wouldn't be a problem. But now that it has become a problem and after some bargaining, the dealership agreed to remove the tinting at no charge.

In addition, the officer told Barker the ticket would be dropped if she had the tinting removed.