New California CARB laws targeting tuned vehicles
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
From: Huntington Beach, SoCal
2013 CLS550 & 2019 Silverado
New California CARB laws targeting tuned vehicles
Hi everyone. So as of last month California passed a law stating that when you go to get your vehicle smog tested in order to renew your registration , the facility will now have the ability to read your ECU and see if the ECU has been modified in any way from the factory software that was original to the vehicle. Meaning that those of us who have had our cars tuned would automatically fail the smog test and would then be required to have the ECU put back to its original factory programming. For those who have tuned ECU's that they had originally sent to a tuning shop to modify , they would need to send them back to the same shop to have them returned to factory tuning before getting the smog test or they fail it and wont be able to register the car in California. My question here is what about the ones who tuned their cars via a flash tuner such as the MyGenius or other similar flash tuning tools. Will flashing it back to the factory tune be enough to pass the test or do these flash tuners leave a trace behind such as in a flash count file or any other way like a total checksum value that shows different value than the original never flashed/ modified ECU on a car. If that is the case then there are a lot of us that will be screwed come vehicle registration time when we find out that these flash tuner tools don't really put everything back to factory and now were looking at either a new ECU or going to the dealer to have them flash the factory tune back in. So does anyone know how this will work for the portable flash tuners and if they are completely invisible and leave no tracks that the CARB will find when getting smog certification? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 335
Likes: 103
From: Saddlebrooke, AZ 85739
2013 CLS550 4Matic OE Tuned
If you live in a state that requires emission testing (I'm in Colorado, and it's every 2 years) you should be watching what happens in CA. With global warming, more states are going to get on the CA 'band wagon'!
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 335
Likes: 103
From: Saddlebrooke, AZ 85739
2013 CLS550 4Matic OE Tuned
Super Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 606
Likes: 88
From: North Cali
2005 SL500, 2015 CLS400
Imho, two things will happen - the tune that will be CARB approved will probably be expensive, since going through all the headache of getting it approved / certified by CARB will not be easy, and all the small tune companies will die out in Cali.
Same time, just as before, you can always upload the OEM tune before going to a smog check and you will be fine. Unless you have parts replaced for better performance - that's a different story to tell
Regards
Same time, just as before, you can always upload the OEM tune before going to a smog check and you will be fine. Unless you have parts replaced for better performance - that's a different story to tell
Regards
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 335
Likes: 103
From: Saddlebrooke, AZ 85739
2013 CLS550 4Matic OE Tuned
You're probably right about restoring to Factory settings UNLESS you have a bench tune. If you use an OBD handheld you're prob right. I know here in CO, I reset mine back to the factory settings with MyGenius from OE Tuning and had no problems. Let's hope that's the case in CA too.
Last edited by Tbbt CLS; Sep 3, 2021 at 11:23 PM.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Super Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 606
Likes: 88
From: North Cali
2005 SL500, 2015 CLS400
I'm in Cali, will let you know as soon as I'll have to pass smog
P.S.
Didn't think about the bench tunes since we're on a 2012+ make year of the forum and most of us got the OBDII tune.
P.S.
Didn't think about the bench tunes since we're on a 2012+ make year of the forum and most of us got the OBDII tune.
Last edited by Ghostty; Aug 29, 2021 at 01:48 AM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
From: Huntington Beach, SoCal
2013 CLS550 & 2019 Silverado
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Likes: 2
From: Huntington Beach, SoCal
2013 CLS550 & 2019 Silverado
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 612
Likes: 197
From: USA
2005 Mercedes Benz C55 AMG..1967 Lotus Europa..1987 Lotus Turbo Esprit HCI..2020 Mercedes Benz E350
LvnInHB...
There's also an additional problem, too, in that once you reflash your ecu, you'll have to perform a new drive cycle to clear and reset all of your ODBII monitors. UGH!
I'm now in that process. I'll let this forum know what happens....
Rob
There's also an additional problem, too, in that once you reflash your ecu, you'll have to perform a new drive cycle to clear and reset all of your ODBII monitors. UGH!
I'm now in that process. I'll let this forum know what happens....
Rob
Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 113
Likes: 29
cls550 2014
This is their way or getting rid of gas vehicle. they wont outlaw them, they will just make it too expensive and too many hurdles.
Colo gov wants to get rid of income tax and then tax/fee anything carbon to death instead.
Colo gov wants to get rid of income tax and then tax/fee anything carbon to death instead.
Super Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 606
Likes: 88
From: North Cali
2005 SL500, 2015 CLS400
Rumb,
I see your point, but it has nothing to do with the new CARB law. There is no additional taxes or restrictions for manufacturers. It restricts custom upgrades that some people have. If you purchase a vehicle from a dealer and drive it without modifying until it falls apart - you will never be bothered by this law.
I see your point, but it has nothing to do with the new CARB law. There is no additional taxes or restrictions for manufacturers. It restricts custom upgrades that some people have. If you purchase a vehicle from a dealer and drive it without modifying until it falls apart - you will never be bothered by this law.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 488
Likes: 122
C63 Vert
Rumb,
I see your point, but it has nothing to do with the new CARB law. There is no additional taxes or restrictions for manufacturers. It restricts custom upgrades that some people have. If you purchase a vehicle from a dealer and drive it without modifying until it falls apart - you will never be bothered by this law.
I see your point, but it has nothing to do with the new CARB law. There is no additional taxes or restrictions for manufacturers. It restricts custom upgrades that some people have. If you purchase a vehicle from a dealer and drive it without modifying until it falls apart - you will never be bothered by this law.
Super Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 606
Likes: 88
From: North Cali
2005 SL500, 2015 CLS400
Nobody said it's 100% accurate, just for the average car buyer. Obviously car tuners get the hit, thus we discuss it here. I see what you mean in the video, and I agree. Just like with any new law, there will be many buts and ifs until they figure out how to make it painless for everyone...
