Exhaust in Cali?

[Nineonesix]

Ive been hearing various rumors saying that they will tow your car if you do not have the cats on. I was under the impression at most they would just give you a ticket and maybe have to get a smog check? Anyone know? Thanks.

 

[baginoman]

im prettyy sure its a fix-it ticket...

 

[FordSVTFan]

No catalytic converters on your car is not only a Cali crime but a federal crime.

 

[svtguy22]

*removed by moderator - please post on topic*

 

[bullitt890]

at the very least you will have a ticket sending you to the smog ref.

 

[Rev Happy]

Down in Los Angeles, its a fix-it ticket and I've never had them look under my car for cats...

 

[BAMM BAMM]

depends on the officer........

 

[BuBbABFP]

They Have never issued me any sort of exhaust ticket. No cats and dumped before axle here.

 

[bullitt890]

They Have never issued me any sort of exhaust ticket. No cats and dumped before axle here.

its only a matter of time.....eventually you'll be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and an officer is going to pull out the book.

 

[mkb116]

Probably depends on how much the officer knows about cars.

 

[Scout238]

Probably depends on how much the officer knows about cars.

yes, but if they don't know anything they can send you to a referee station and it is worse than a smog check.... They check everything

 

[thomas91169]

No catalytic converters on your car is not only a Cali crime but a federal crime.

and its a whole hell of a lot more than a fix-it. last i heard the fine was $4,000 PER CAT! so on a mustang you just sunk yourself for $16,000 just cause you wanted an extra 10hp and loud noises.

 

[DisposableHero]

*removed by moderator - feel free to PM the OP regarding your suggestion on circumventing the law*

 

[thomas91169]

more info:

§ 43008.6. Right of entry to inspect motor vehicle operated for commercial purposes; Civil penalties for violation of air pollution control device provision

(a) Notwithstanding Section 43012, for the purpose of enforcing or administering Section 27156 of the Vehicle Code, the executive officer of the state board or an authorized representative of the executive officer, upon presentation of credentials or, if necessary under the circumstances, after obtaining a warrant pursuant to Title 13 (commencing with Section 1822.50) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure, has the right of entry to any premises owned, operated, used, leased, or rented by an owner or operator of any vehicle operated for commercial purposes in order to inspect any such motor vehicle, secure emission samples therefrom, or inspect and copy any maintenance, use, or other records pertaining to that vehicle.

(b) The state board may collect a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for each violation of Section 27156 of the Vehicle Code. Any penalties shall be paid to the Treasurer for deposit in the Air Pollution Control Fund.

(c) The civil penalty specified in subdivision (b) may be collected for one or more violations involving the tampering with or disabling of a gasoline-powered vehicle's air injection, exhaust gas recirculation, crankcase ventilation, fuel injection, carburetion, ignition timing, or evaporative control system, fuel filler neck restrictor, oxygen sensor or related electronic controls, or catalytic converter, or for the use of leaded fuel in a vehicle certified for the use of unleaded fuel only.

(d) The civil penalty specified in subdivision (b) may not be collected for a violation that is related to any tampering or disabling of a gasoline-powered vehicle specified in subdivision (c) by a rental customer of that vehicle, including, but not limited to, a missing gasoline filler cap and a disconnected or missing heated air intake tube or vacuum hose. However, if more than 20 percent of an owner's or operator's gasoline-powered vehicles are found to be nonconforming during each of three consecutive inspections conducted 30 or more days apart during any one-year period, the civil penalty specified in subdivision (b) applies and shall be collected for each time a vehicle is found in a nonconforming condition.

Added Stats 1989 ch 1154 sec 3.

ok, so $1,500 per each violation, thats 4 violations = $6,000. Not to mention your car will likely get impounded AND reffed, so you not only get to pay to get the car out of impound, but you now get to return it back to 100% stock and get it to pass at a Referee station, the most anal of anal smog nazi's.

 

[Nineonesix]

more info:



ok, so $1,500 per each violation, thats 4 violations = $6,000. Not to mention your car will likely get impounded AND reffed, so you not only get to pay to get the car out of impound, but you now get to return it back to 100% stock and get it to pass at a Referee station, the most anal of anal smog nazi's.

Hmm, That kinda makes me want to re-think the whole cat-less thing.

 

[dezertcobra]

§ 43008.6. Right of entry to inspect motor vehicle operated for commercial purposes.....I think commercial purposes is the key word here. the fines are huge for truckers..

 

[thomas91169]

Its all i could find on the subject. perhaps someone better versed in the California Vehicle Code might be better at finding the correct section or code for us.

 

[Nineonesix]

Its all i could find on the subject. perhaps someone better versed in the California Vehicle Code might be better at finding the correct section or code for us.

I went to a local mustang shop and the guy said they fined him 1,300 per cat. He was only missing 2 cats at the time. So I'd say its along those lines. Im hoping for more of a fix it type lol. Ive driven by a few cops and accelerate very slow. Im just worried I wont see them in time lol.

 

[FordSVTFan]

§ 43008.6. Right of entry to inspect motor vehicle operated for commercial purposes.....I think commercial purposes is the key word here. the fines are huge for truckers..

Actually, while that is the title, passenger vehicles are not exempt. In that section it indicates the fine amount and refers to the below noted section for further application.

Gross Polluter: Air Pollution Control Device

27156. (a) No person shall operate or leave standing upon ( )1 a highway ( )2 a motor vehicle that is a gross polluter, as defined in Section 39032.5 of the Health and Safety Code.

(b) No person shall operate or leave standing upon ( )1 a highway ( )2 a motor vehicle that is required to be equipped with a motor vehicle pollution control device under Part 5 (commencing with Section 43000) of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code or any other certified motor vehicle pollution control device required by any other state law or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to that law, or required to be equipped with a motor vehicle pollution control device pursuant to the National Emission Standards Act (42 U.S.C. ( )3 7521 to 7550, inclusive) and the standards and regulations adopted pursuant to that federal act, unless the motor vehicle is equipped with the required motor vehicle pollution control device ( )4 that is correctly installed and in operating condition. No person shall disconnect, modify, or alter any such required device.

(c) No person shall install, sell, offer for sale, or advertise any device, apparatus, or mechanism intended for use with, or as a part of, ( )1 a required motor vehicle pollution control device or system ( )4 that alters or modifies the original design or performance of ( )5 the motor vehicle pollution control device or system.

(d) If the court finds that a person has willfully violated this section, the court shall impose the maximum fine that may be imposed in the case, and no part of the fine may be suspended.

(e) "Willfully," as used in this section, has the same meaning as the meaning of that word prescribed in Section 7 of the Penal Code.

(f) No person shall operate a vehicle after notice by a traffic officer that the vehicle is not equipped with the required certified motor vehicle pollution control device correctly installed in operating condition, except as may be necessary to return the vehicle to the residence or place of business of the owner or driver or to a garage, until the vehicle has been properly equipped with such a device.

(g) The notice to appear issued or complaint filed for a violation of this section shall require that the person to whom the notice to appear is issued or against whom the complaint is filed produce proof of correction pursuant to Section 40150 or proof of exemption pursuant to Section 4000.1 or 4000.2

(h) This section shall not apply to an alteration, modification, or modifying device, apparatus, or mechanism found by resolution of the State Air Resources Board to do either of the following:

(1) Not to reduce the effectiveness of ( )1 a required motor vehicle pollution control device.

(2) To result in emissions from ( )5 the modified or altered vehicle ( )4 that are at levels ( )4 that comply with existing state or federal standards for that ( )6 model-year of the vehicle being modified or converted.

(i) Aftermarket and performance parts with valid State Air Resources Board Executive Orders may be sold and installed concurrent with a motorcycle’s transfer to an ultimate purchaser.

(j) This section applies to motor vehicles of the United States or its agencies, to the extent authorized by federal law.