Penalties for illegal exhaust gases depend on the type of exhaust modifications and your location. The minimum penalty for a first conviction is a minimum of $50 to a maximum of $100, with a total fee of $193. Fees can be as high as $1,105 in some cases. For subsequent offences, the fine is $100 to $250. All vehicle exhaust systems must be equipped with silencers. Leads, cuts and especially pipe ends are not allowed. If you or a family member has experienced progressive or sudden hearing loss, don`t pretend to be deaf and ignore it. Contact us at Maison Law as soon as possible and arrange a free consultation and non-binding case review. We can discuss your hearing loss, how you experienced it, and how it affected you and your family. If you have a legal option, we will advise you accordingly. Modifications of the exhaust gases are only illegal if the noise level is above 95 decibels. Keep in mind that California smog laws or other laws can still make your custom exhaust modifications illegal.
Unlike the top 10 illegal car modifications in California, it`s legal to modify your exhaust as long as you don`t interfere with your vehicle`s emissions system and it`s not too noisy. Since California is one of the most progressive states when it comes to environmental policy, it can be difficult to determine which specific mods are legal and which are not. Here, we`ll go over the applicable mod exhaustion laws in California, and then overlook a few examples and where to find them. The last thing you need to worry about is the California Air Resource Board and the Environmental Protection Agency. Fortunately, it`s less difficult to determine whether an exhaust system is acceptable in California than it is to know if the setting is illegal in California. If your vehicle`s factory exhaust system does not contain a catalytic converter, a replacement exhaust part is considered a replacement. This only applies if it doesn`t remove or replace something like oxygen sensors, as this can alter the exhaust gas cleaning system. Since California`s latest emissions laws include mandatory fines, it`s best to follow the law. Fines for illegal exhaust fumes can be very high. Even if you`re below 95 decibels, it`s worth getting your vehicle checked and going to the traffic court.
Borla`s Ford Performance Stainless Steel Touring 2 1/2″ Cat-Back exhaust system is an excellent, albeit expensive, exhaust modification that is completely legal in the state of California. Designed specifically for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 GT Mustangs, this cat-back exhaust system gives them a more robust sound. 95 dbA is the legal limit for vehicle exhaust noise in California. Police can «exercise judgment» to determine if your exhaust noise is above the legal limit. Most factory-installed exhaust systems do not exceed 75 decibels, even in powerful sports cars. In principle, this is a matter for the official and is decided on a case-by-case basis. Police officers are unlikely to carry a decibel counter in their squad car, so it makes sense that most of them would simply target modified cars. So if you`ve burned angled mufflers or a fender exhaust and your car is part of the Cacklefest on the main road, watch out for the guys in blue. There are financial costs, even if your vehicle is compliant. It is best to avoid a ticket altogether. If the arbitration center determines that your vehicle`s exhaust noise is not above the legal limit, the court may reject your quote. Most of you probably remember the scene in American Graffiti where John Milner pauses on the main street to stop and remove the «headplugs» from his iconic Deuce coupe.
Milner was referring to a Y-flange welded to his exhaust with a cap on one side and a complete exhaust on the other. Once the caps were removed, it was essentially like open heads – with them, the exhaust was passed through the mufflers to keep things quieter. It seems that little has changed since that time – we are still harassed by humans. Fortunately, this has become much easier than manually removing the exhaust caps. Of course, this is a viable option for more frugal amateurs – like Hedman Performance`s, pictured above (right). But with the advent of the electrical cavity, like Hooker`s above (left), it has become so easy to flip a switch to open or close your exhaust system and drastically change your car`s exhaust note. Noisy pipes save lives, but in California, there`s a limit to their noise, especially with cars and SUVs. Most vehicle exhaust systems coming from a production line have no more than 75 decibels. Therefore, the legal noise limit for cars in California is 95 decibels, excluding motorcycles. There is a big difference between 75 decibels and 95 decibels.
What is the volume of 70 decibels? Remember to stand next to a blender when it`s in operation. That`s about 75 decibels. Sound level meters for phones are usually not very accurate, but can be useful in determining the approximate noise level. For accurate noise level meters, you can see BAFX decibel meters on Amazon or similar devices. It costs $20, but it`s a small price to pay to avoid a $1,000 bill. At a time when everyone feels entitled to express their opinion, are hot rodders and car enthusiasts the exception? Well, as long as the government has passed laws, people have found ways around them. That`s where I come in. I can`t promise that any of these methods will prevent you from being arrested by the police, paying a hefty fine, or even being handcuffed, but at least you can say you fought against the law (not literally).
Here are some things we as enthusiasts can do to change the law or circumvent it. In summary, all cars and other motor vehicles in California must be equipped with a muffler, and not all exhaust modifications must be designed to increase exhaust noise above 95 dbA. First, you need to make sure that you have a muffler as part of your exhaust system that will prevent the exhaust system from making excessive or unusual noise. The noise limit in California is 95 decibels, except for motorcycles where the noise limit is 80 decibels. You must also ensure that you are a member of the California Air Resource Board and the Environmental Protection Agency. You can do this by searching for EO numbers. (a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle so as to increase or increase the noise emitted by the vehicle engine so that the vehicle does not conform to the provisions of article 27150 or exceeds the sound limits set for the vehicle type in article 2.5 (starting with article 27200).