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California Smog Check Will Fail ECU Tunes Starting July 19, 2021
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07-14-2021, 12:57 AM | #1 |
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California Smog Check Will Fail ECU Tunes Starting July 19, 2021
Any tune that's not from the factory or CARB-approved will cause your car to fail a smog check starting next Monday. Go to "Smog Check Results" on the BAR Smog FAQ then scroll down to "My vehicle failed a Smog Check for having modified software. What can I do?"
https://www.bar.ca.gov/Consumer/Smog...-check-results Up until the 19th, smog on modern cars (2000 and up) used to include just a visual inspection and a OBDII check that looks for check engine lights and that basic emissions equipment was functional. There also had to be a certain number of miles driven since the codes were cleared or ECU was flashed (drive cycle) in order to pass. That meant aftermarket tunes, while technically not allowed, would not cause a problem if the rest of the emissions equipment is still stock. Under the new procedure, the OBDII check will fail a car that has a non-approved tune too. Some smog shops are already doing the new check. As for how this system will work, over the last 10 years the state has created a database for what various ECU values should be in specific cars. Additionally, the Calibration Verification Number (also called checksum) will be compared against what it should be for that car from the manufacturer. Checksums for CARB-legal tunes are whitelisted. It is very difficult, but not impossible, to tune a car without changing the checksum. Any aftermarket tune will change the checksum unless it was designed specifically not to. https://tiremeetsroad.com/2021/07/13...led-smog-test/ I suspect this will be most relevant to N54 and N55 owners, because those cars have reached the age where they must be smogged and tunes are very popular. The earliest S55 and B58 cars will be reaching that age soon. For many people this means that they will have to flash their car back to stock for at least one drive cycle before getting their smog check. It will be more of an issue for those with highly modified engines that may not run well or actually throw codes on a stock tune. There are options for CARB-legal flashes, piggybacks, and engine parts for most BMWs but they often cost more than non-approved options. This new change in enforcement will likely make these offerings significantly more attractive. In terms of shops who were already breaking the law and doing 'hot smogs', it remains to see if they will be able to get around this new system. If we could please keep discussion completely off politics and have it focused on cars/BMWs I would appreciate it. |
07-14-2021, 01:03 PM | #2 |
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Some more articles on this:
https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a3...g-smog-checks/ https://www.carbibles.com/california...ks-this-month/ Also as a bonus, a website for checking smog history of any car: https://www.bar.ca.gov/services/Vehicle/PubTstQry.aspx |
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07-14-2021, 01:32 PM | #3 |
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good news, not a big deal for us S65 owners since our drive cycle takes fucking ages, but i recommend to stock to oem tune at least a month in advance to ensure you don't get flagged, so you get some miles on that drive cycle.
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07-17-2021, 05:37 PM | #7 | |
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07-17-2021, 07:52 PM | #8 |
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The right to repair includes programming. Base programming for an ECU doesn't mean it's the most efficient. It must account for and adjust for a variety of altitude, humidity, octane, etc. But a tune can be much more efficient... So a "tune" in itself is not indicative of any emission failure or bypass. It's very unfortunate, but hey, that's California, land of "live like we tell you!"
But those that live there elect these morons who enact these laws. So they have nobody to blame but themselves. |
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07-17-2021, 09:11 PM | #9 | ||
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So the Cuba and North Korea analogy does not work for CA. Economically it is the most successful state. |
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07-17-2021, 11:11 PM | #11 |
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Blame the catless assholes and straight pipes crowd. If it wasn’t so obvious that people were getting around emission regulations then this wouldn’t have been done. You can smell those cars all over, and dieselgate further highlighted the role of software. CARB doesn’t care about your car making more power, it only cares about emissions.
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07-18-2021, 08:49 AM | #12 |
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That's California for you
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Cross-continent road trip journal from BMW PCD to Alaska in new X7 M50i in this thread HERE!
New EVEN BIGGER road trip in X5 from BMW PCD to Alaska NOW ONGOING LIVE IN THIS THREAD! Wilderness road trip journal to Eastern Alaska in this thread And road trip journal to Denali and the Arctic Circle here in this thread! |
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07-18-2021, 09:00 AM | #13 |
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Despite all that craziness a state that has managed to create an economy the size of Germany with half the population. Amazing what failure looks like. Right?
From what I can tell, fast growing regions like Austin, TX are more similar to CA in their local policies than their more 'traditional' state brethren areas… |
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07-18-2021, 09:49 AM | #14 | |
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Cross-continent road trip journal from BMW PCD to Alaska in new X7 M50i in this thread HERE!
New EVEN BIGGER road trip in X5 from BMW PCD to Alaska NOW ONGOING LIVE IN THIS THREAD! Wilderness road trip journal to Eastern Alaska in this thread And road trip journal to Denali and the Arctic Circle here in this thread! |
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07-18-2021, 11:38 AM | #15 | ||
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Also, I see a lot of people looking down on CA, the fact is that CA is one of the most successful by most measures. That is just a fact. Loved your road trip though… Ah and the 'most American' cars (Model 3 and Y) are also made in CA. FWIW. As is the most valuable car company in the world….founded and built in CA. Bringing all this up since many here are in awe of Germany, but CA is just as impressive, if not more so. 😉 |
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07-19-2021, 10:22 AM | #17 |
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07-19-2021, 02:01 PM | #18 | |
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Whether you agree or disagree with the laws, the laws that legislators write don't affect themselves on purpose. If they were, they wouldn't write them. The laws as written are to appease themselves, their families, and special interest groups/donors. |
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07-19-2021, 02:11 PM | #19 |
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Virtue signaling nonsense. Just pissing in the wind while China pollutes more than all other industrialized nations combined.
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07-20-2021, 01:44 PM | #20 |
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07-20-2021, 01:57 PM | #21 |
Слава Украине!
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Here's a classic! 1955
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07-20-2021, 02:05 PM | #22 |
Слава Украине!
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LAX, 1980
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california, ecu, ecu bmw tuning, n54, n55, piggyback, smog, smog check, tune, tuning |
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