I'm not in the NCA section very often, but here are my thoughts:

a) Cops can give you a ticket for anything they want, with or without measurements. All he needs is his professional opinion. He can even write you up for being too low without looking or measuring. It just makes it more of a PITA for you to deal with getting your car cleared. The point? ... kiss is azz ... Be remorseful and don't act like a tough guy or he'll show you who's boss.

b) If the judge is on the ball, the HKS disclaimers from their website don't mean anything unless it is backed up by verification (signed off test reports). You may get lucky if the court doesn't want to deal with your case though. The point here? ... don't get your hopes up and go in there with only a printout of a webpage and not a signed off ticket.

Down here, we learn to stay away from large industrial parks at night (Irwindale for example). The cops prowling in these areas are actually trained to look for possible street racers performance mods. I'm sure you've seen pictures of cars down here being crushed for being street racers.

Good Luck and let us know how the story ends.

 

^^ thanks, I agree with what you're saying. I think my best bet is to try to get it signed off. Fighting it in court may just be more trouble than it is worth.

 

sorry to hear this pat. I was driving around downtown last night too, no problems for me though. I've had this problem before, just pay the fine for correcting the violations an be done with it. It's better than wasting time to go down to the court, sit around for an hour, and then argue with a judge over who is right.

 

it's weird how your ticket for the exhaust was "correctable" while mine wasn't. You should print out the HKS disclaimer and bring it down to a sheriff's station and try to have them sign it off. good luck with it man.

 

I am going to speak with HKS and get the following mentioned documentation.


Frequently Asked Questions >
Are HKS Exhausts Street Legal?

Q: I have and HKS exhaust and I wanted to know if it is street legal and is there any documentation?

A: All HKS exhaust systems are engineered to comply with the 95dB noise limit law specified by the California Highway Patrol and the Society of Automotive Engineers - Except ones that are designated for Off-Road Use only.

Each system is individually designed for a specific application and complies with the requirements of Sections 27150, 27151 & 27200 of the California Vehicle Code; and Title 13 of the California code of Regulations, Section 10361, which establishes a noise limit of 95dB(A) for passenger cars. This statement applies to unmodified HKS exhaust systems that are less than 13 months old, are in good condition and which have been properly installed on the specific vehicle for which it was designed.

The age of your exhaust system along with certain engine modifications, such as headers, intake, etc., may also affect its current noise level output.

Please check with your local and state law enforcement agencies for exact regulation requirements.

If you would like documentation on HKS exhausts that meet this criteria, please contact either your local authorized HKS Dealer or our Tech line at 310 491 3300.

 

Db meters are pretty easy to come by. I suggest you get your hands on one and test your exhaust. If it is under 95 db, fight that ticket in court. What makes me laugh is all the Harleys that are on the street with OBNOXIOUSLY loud exhausts and they never get hassled.

 

^^ Thanks for the response Eloy... I may just do that if I'm not able to get this ticket signed off

 

Alright, you got me to bite. Let's see if I can help here. Has anyone actually read 27150(a) VC? It's totally the officers discretion at the time of the stop.

27150. (a) Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all
times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and
properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and
no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass,
or similar device.

Regarding the dbA sound level, its up to you to go to a state referee and have the sound test performed on the aftermarket exhaust system. The state referee will issue a sticker which must be affixed to the car (usually on the door frame near the federal VIN decal). I have attended a POST certified class on modified emissions and street racing class. I don't carry a dbA meter nor do I know how to perform the test (which by the way is very, very detailed as I have seen it done). This is why we try to stay away from citing 21751. 21750 is much easier to prove. I usually try to reserve citing this section when some white trash pick up truck has a huge hole in the muffler.

27151. (a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor
vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted
by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance
with the provisions of Section 27150 or exceeds the noise limits
established for the type of vehicle in Article 2.5 (commencing with
Section 27200). No person shall operate a motor vehicle with an
exhaust system so modified.
(b) For the purposes of exhaust systems installed on motor
vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less
than 6,000 pounds, other than motorcycles, a sound level of 95 dbA or
less, when tested in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers
Standard J1169 May 1998, complies with this section. Motor vehicle
exhaust systems or parts thereof include, but are not limited to,
nonoriginal exhaust equipment.

My opinion, make an appointment with a state referee and have the test performed. Take the test result to court with the sticker attached to your car. I know it's boring, but read the Vehicle Code or ask me and I'll point you to the right sections you need to argue something. Such as.....

27150.7. A court may dismiss any action in which a person is
prosecuted for operating a vehicle in violation of Section 27150 or
27151 if a certificate of compliance has been issued by a station
pursuant to Section 27150.2, or if the defendant had reasonable
grounds to believe that the exhaust system was in good working order
and had reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle was not
operated in violation of Section 27150 or 27151.

27150.2. (a) Stations providing referee functions pursuant to
Section 44036 of the Health and Safety Code shall provide for the
testing of vehicular exhaust systems and the issuance of certificates
of compliance only for those vehicles that have received a citation
for a violation of Section 27150 or 27151.
(b) A certificate of compliance for a vehicular exhaust system
shall be issued pursuant to subdivision (a) if the vehicle complies
with Sections 27150 and 27151. Exhaust systems installed on motor
vehicles, other than motorcycles, with a manufacturer's gross vehicle
weight rating of less than 6,000 pounds comply with Sections 27150
and 27151 if they emit no more than 95 dbA when tested in accordance
with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1169 May 1998.
(c) An exhaust system certificate of compliance issued pursuant to
subdivision (a) shall identify, to the extent possible, the make,
model, year, license number, and vehicle identification number of the
vehicle tested, and the make and model of the exhaust system
installed on the vehicle.
(d) The station shall charge a fee for the exhaust system
certificate of compliance issued pursuant to subdivision (a). The
fee charged shall be calculated to recover the costs incurred by the
Department of Consumer Affairs to implement this section. The fees
charged by the station shall be deposited in the Vehicle Inspection
and Repair Fund established by Section 44062 of the Health and Safety
Code.
(e) Vehicular exhaust systems are exempt from the requirements of
Sections 27150 and 27151 if compliance with those sections, or the
regulations adopted pursuant thereto, would cause an unreasonable
hardship without resulting in a sufficient corresponding benefit with
respect to noise level control.

 

^ Beat me to it.. take it to state referee to get the sticker. This is the only time you can do that... they won't take you without that ticket.

 

Chippie,

As usual, thank you for your input. It's much appreciated.

 

just print out the HKS documentation, take it to your nearest State Referee, they'll measure how loud it is and if it is indeed under the 95db they'll give you a sticker or some sort of paperwork for whenever a police officer ever pulls you over for that, you show him the documentation and you shouldn't get a citation for it.

Sorry for the long run-on sentence! lol good luck.

 

I was cited for 21750(A). Thanks for the advice g35_chippie/dofu/wally. I'll be making an appointment with the state referee to get the testing done.

 

a cop can pull for any reasonable suspicion, no proof needed. lol

just get it signed off.

 

+1, take it from the expert.

 

Actually, motorcycles don't have a limitation on DB's. The reason why they are allowed is because they are a MOTORCYCLE. If a person in a car can't hear you, you run into them. But if you can hear a motorcycle pass you by then it'll get your attention and you won't have an accident. Pretty much they are allowed because of it.