CA Smog and Tune

caideN

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Location
CA
TDI
02 Jetta Wagon TDI
Can anyone in CA confirm that the smog techs are detecting tunes and failing cars with tunes (new smog law since July 2021)?

I'm just curious how they'd detect the tune if they were just looking for monitor readiness before.

YES, CA SUCKS AND YES, I AGREE WITH ALL YOUR NEGATIVE OPINIONS ABOUT CA. No need to post that here :)
 
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mudduck

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Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Location
California
TDI
2003 Jetta, F250
In my experience that is not correct for ALH cars. I have been through 3 CA smog checks and my car has a tune and muffler removed. They check for any computer fault codes, look for Cat and EGR/EGR cooler. They also rev it up looking for excessive smoke but even tuned cars wont smoke if not under load.

I would not doubt that they check for tunes for the newer cars that were subject to VWdieselgate.
 

turbodieseldyke

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Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Location
Free Mustache Rides
TDI
98 jetta
In my experience that is not correct for ALH cars. I have been through 3 CA smog checks
Did your experience happen since the new Tune Hunting policy? If not, then I would assume they are checking for tunes on every OBD2 car and truck.

They have never cared about saving Mother Earth. They don't care if your tune is cleaner and gets 200mpg. If it isn't factory, or doesn't have a "carb" sticker that some company paid lots of extortion money to stick on their piece of pipe, then they will fail you.
 

mudduck

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Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Location
California
TDI
2003 Jetta, F250
Well hopefully you kept your tuner and can reset to stock program which is what I may have to do next time. I currently have to do this with my wife's F150 because although it is a CARB compliant unit smog shops don't want to deal with it and will just say it wont pass. Total BS but I can't blame them for not wanting to do the extra work to very the legality. However, since the software doesn't currently check for this I doubt it will get rewritten for 20 year old diesel cars. Hey but who knows CA does some dumb ass ****.
 

Vwkaferman

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Jun 26, 2021
Location
Mesa, AZ
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2003 Jetta Wagon
Man, I should have waited to buy my 2003 Wagon with a tune, bought it out of Cali, I bet some folks are going to be throwing in the towel and dumping their cars. Sorry for the off handed humor, I do feel bad for you guys.

James
 

caideN

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Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Location
CA
TDI
02 Jetta Wagon TDI
Haha. It's not hard to tune it back to stock. I am just more curious how they're detecting it
 

StevenT

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Mar 18, 2017
Location
Middletown, OH
TDI
2004 Jetta GLS TDI Automatic, 2011 Jetta TDI 6 Spd. Manual. Malone Stage 2
CA is the world's 5th largest economy. With that in mind, somebody is going to figure out how to defeat CA's technology and make a killing $$$. IMHO.
 

ToxicDoc

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Mar 1, 2018
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Virginia, US
TDI
2001 Jetta, S7, .216
CA is the world's 5th largest economy. With that in mind, somebody is going to figure out how to defeat CA's technology and make a killing $$$. IMHO.
I doubt anyone is going to invest the time/money/effort with EV replacing the ICE.
 

sriracha

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Joined
Oct 8, 2014
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805
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2005 Jetta Wagon 5mt, 1982 Rabbit truck (gas)
Back to the topic... does anyone have any insight or personal experience passing CA smog with a tune, AFTER the new law was implemented? Inquiring minds want to know.
 

CleverUserName

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Oct 25, 2014
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NorCal
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2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
Some places offer a free pre-smog to see if you'll pass. Maybe someone should try it out?
 

caideN

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Location
CA
TDI
02 Jetta Wagon TDI
Just got the renewal letter and need to smog. Anyone?? Before I go and buy a Flashzilla to go back to stock tune.

Edit: I just purchased the FlashZilla. Not willing to risk being red flagged in any way.
 
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Zak99b5

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Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
Are you sure the Flashzilla will put you back to VW stock? This was close to ten years ago, but I recall that (on gassers, anyway) a chip company's “stock” program on selectable tunes was not actually the factory tune, as it's proprietary. It was a tune that produced stock power levels and curves, but not identical. I am thinking it’s possible that the checksum might be different.
 

Mountain TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Location
Oakhurst, CA
TDI
2002 and 2003 Jettas and 2015 Passat 6M
Can anyone in CA confirm that the smog techs are detecting tunes and failing cars with tunes (new smog law since July 2021)?

I'm just curious how they'd detect the tune if they were just looking for monitor readiness before.

YES, CA SUCKS AND YES, I AGREE WITH ALL YOUR NEGATIVE OPINIONS ABOUT CA. No need to post that here :)
See the thread in the West Coast section; one guy (2002 NB) and Matts comments. If you are talking about your ALH appears you will be OK
 

03TDICommuter

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Location
So. Cal
TDI
01' NB, 5spd
Are you sure the Flashzilla will put you back to VW stock? This was close to ten years ago, but I recall that (on gassers, anyway) a chip company's “stock” program on selectable tunes was not actually the factory tune, as it's proprietary. It was a tune that produced stock power levels and curves, but not identical. I am thinking it’s possible that the checksum might be different.
I hope it does. I had to download my stock program to send to Malone, and my stock program still exists on my Flashzilla so it should return to factory.
 

coolvdub

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Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Location
SoCal/Bullhead City AZ
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI/2013 JSW
I refuse to play California's games any longer. But will not say anything further. But it's great to hear that people are having success with tuned vehicles..
 

Nero Morg

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Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
So guess that means you're moving states then? Lol
 
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