New 2019 California exhaust law: No modifications of stock exhaust or $1000 fine

Moab

TJ Expert
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
3,154
Location
El Segundo, California
I have not watched the entire video. But the first half spells it out pretty clearly. If you modded your exhaust in anyway you get an automatic $1000 ticket. No mods that aren't CA approved. And no mods to your exhaust beyond stock. If you get caught on the road it's an automatic $1000 ticket. (I'm saying that again. Because that pretty much kills it for anyone without a $1000 and enough money to bring their car back to stock. And you have to visit the state referee. If he finds any other mods on your car he can actually impound it and have it crushed. Not to mention the fines.) So if you didn't keep your stock exhaust. I'd head to the junkyard now. Cause there's gonna be a run on stock exhausts. And other parts you might customize.

Apparently this was brought about by deaths involved in street racing. So another blanket law. Meant to protect a few. But that penalizes everyone.

Others can probably shed more light on what this means exactly. But LE has a task force out working this. And handing out $1000 tickets. No more fix it tickets. I know my town already has a very aggressively enforced noise ordinance. So they'll take this and run with it too.

I'm so glad I'm moving. I don't have a custom exhaust. But they've already pretty much outlawed most guns. Except those on a list that they approve. Now it's cars.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Shatto
Here we go CommieFornia. So far they wanted to tax IM and drinking water. How do you think they'll pay for the give aways they need to get the ignorant votes they need? Street racers my ass. They just want to ban everything they don't like. Too bad for the Harley riders. Being loud is the only thing that keeps them alive.
 
mmm what will happen to all the Custom cars and the businesses in Cali then ?..I'd love to see a 32' Ford coupe with a V8 running a stock exhaust ;)
 
Last edited:
Jalopnik has an article that breaks it down. It’s about the noise level not exceeding 95 decibels.

Now..having said that, CA is still a crap hole swirling the bottom of the toilet (weather aside) seeing that you go to a “referee” to fight the fine. And the cop on the street can fine you (not cite, there’s a difference) based on their opinion rather than an actual test as defined in the law.

So...it’s not as extreme as you think but it’s still ridiculous.

Think I’ll stay in Texas.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My town initiated a noise ordinance law this last summer, and repealed it several months later. No noise level, just fines to those that feel the need to rev their engine thru the small town. $200 first offense, $400 for the second, and mandatory court hearing for the third. If you idle thru town they leave you alone
 
Wasn’t because of the deaths people die everyday in car accidents and they weren’t racing. It’s a crackdown on side shows/takeovers mainly in LA and in the Valley especially because they had a few circumstances were the people in the car meets will start throwing stuff at the cops. Just the other day I heard of a car meet and mostly everyone received a ticket. It sucks for the rest of us.
 
It's California bill AB 1824.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/jalopn...reaking-out-over-californias-e-1831620651/amp

It is talking about exhaust systems louder than 95 decibels at 50 feet behind the centerline of the vehicle. I own a 2002 Corvette with headers and a B&B Bullet exhaust. It is known as one of the loudest exhausts in that circle. It produces 100 decibels at 20 feet at wide open throttle. So far, far, far less at idle or cruising speeds.
I would think if I flew by a cop at wide open throttle, I would have far more to worry about than just a noise ticket.
To me it seems to target illegal street racers and people who over rev their engines just to be annoying.

The 95 decibel law has been on the books for years. The only part that changed is now it is a fine instead of a fix it ticket. So if you never got hassled before, it's unlikely you will be now.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Shatto
WAIT, There's More!

One catalytic converter for my Tundra cost $1,200.00. Why? The cats are VIN specific for the vehicle.
Turns out that what comes out is different than the $130.00 after-market Cat.

Some people change engines when the smog test comes due, then re-install the hot engine.
But I am baffled by the people with super-smokers that seem to get away with driving them.
 
Last edited:
I so wish California was broken up into different States. One day.. the CA despots are gonna hit a wall of angry and mobilized citizens.
 
Too bad for the Harley riders. Being loud is the only thing that keeps them alive.

south-park-s13e12c03-were-turning-some-heads-16x9.jpg
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Chris
This state is crap. I can't wait to move. But just like every other state. It's the concentration of people in the cities that make up 5% of the surface area but 90% of the population that make all the laws. Anyone living outside of the cities can suck it apparently. Not that this law has anything to do with that. Other than it's pretty usually a city racing issue. Than anything to do with people outside of the cities. I think all in all it's just another way to penalize street racers. Which I agree should be shut down. But with little alternatives it's a bit like swimming upstream. What ever happened to those street racer nights at the local drag strips? Musta come undone for insurance purposes or some other bureaucracy. I'm guessing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris