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USA: Authorities to test ECU tunes amidst smog checks

The smog checks are a biennial program conducted in California, USA to crackdown on vehicular emissions.

Authorities in California, USA, are said to start testing for ECU tunes on vehicles, as part of their Smog Check Program, starting from July 19, 2021. According to a media report, any vehicle running a software not provided by the manufacturers or approved by the California Air Resource Board will fail the test.

The smog checks are a biennial program conducted in California to crack down on vehicular emissions. These checks usually include a thorough visual inspection, making sure a vehicle's intake and exhaust systems are legal and the emissions are under the regulations via a scan of the OBD 2 Port.

Owners who have tuned the ECU on their vehicles have been asked to restore the software back to OEM specifications, before passing the smog check program.

Owners of vehicles who fail the smog check, but believe their vehicle ECUs comply with the OEM specifications can schedule another inspection with a smog check referee. While those who have unknowingly purchased vehicles with illegal software modifications can file a complaint with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR).

Source: CarBibles

 
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