New California smog test for software starts 7-19-21!

[Steve Grosekemper]

CARS WITH MODIFIED ENGINE SOFTWARE WILL FAIL SMOG CHECK STARTING JULY 19, 2021
• Beginning July 19, 2021, BAR-OIS inspected vehicles will begin failing when illegally modified emission control system software is identified.
• The Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) will indicate “Modified Software”
Here is the exact document from the state of California for more detailed information
https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/BAG/202107/BAR-OIS_Modified_Software.pdf

What this means to you if you have modified (reflashed) engine software that is not a factory reflash or does not have a C.A.R.B. executive order number your car will fail.
If you did not buy the car new the software may have changed without your knowledge.
You can have the software checked before your next smog test by any shop with the proper diagnostic tester (Durametric, Autologic, PST-2, Pewis)
This includes all cars with OBD-II ports so cars build after January 1st 1996.

Good Luck and forewarned is forearmed.

[kleggo]

Good info Steve.
Thanks.

I've been reading about this for the past several months on RL.
It's going to hurt the lower level aftermarket "tuner" industry.
Doesn't matter if the re-flash makes your engine "cleaner / more efficient", it's still a no go.
I'm really glad I decided to NOT tune my supercharged A6 Avant.

be well.

[Integral]

While I see this getting press now, I was actually reffed for exactly this in Jan 2020.

When I first bought my 996tt in '16, I tried smogging it (from out of state) w/ the tune on after hearing some folks say that it would pass - it did not. No worries, flashed back to stock and always did smogs with the stock tune; I hadn't thought about that since.

Up comes the awesome year that was 2020 and I get reffed for modded ECU...yikes. That said, all i did again was flash back to stock and take it to the ref - simple PASS. I don't see what all the hubbub is about seeing as how nothing is really changing b/c no one was really smogging on a flashed/non-stock ecu anyways, so IMO, this seems moot...

Regardless, good info for those who didn't know!

[LUCKY DAVE]

As I was getting one of my P cars smogged a few days ago I asked the tech about this issue.
He told me unless the car has obvious tuner parts (visible in other words) they have no way to check of the ecu has been re flashed. The only way to tell is if all the manufacturers share their ecu code with the state, as these are industrial secrets that's not going to happen.
I think this is much ado about nothing.

[VinhLy]

I'm not a certified smog technician. I'm simply regurgitating what I have read on The Drive.

California has been collecting calibration verification numbers (CVN) during smog inspections since 2015.
This information is collected when a smog technician connects his smog equipment to your car's OBD-II port.
The CVN is basically a checksum of the ECU software. If your ECU software has been modified, the checksum test
will fail, and your vehicle inspection report will say "Functional Inspection: MODIFIED SOFTWARE".

Good luck!

[Steve Grosekemper]

I'm not a certified smog technician. I'm simply regurgitating what I have read on The Drive.

California has been collecting calibration verification numbers (CVN) during smog inspections since 2015.
This information is collected when a smog technician connects his smog equipment to your car's OBD-II port.
The CVN is basically a checksum of the ECU software. If your ECU software has been modified, the checksum test
will fail, and your vehicle inspection report will say "Functional Inspection: MODIFIED SOFTWARE".

Good luck!

Well I am a certified smog check repair technician and you are essentially correct.
This is something that is easily checked when the car is serviced and the reason I started this post.
I just want people to be aware so they aren't blindsided when they wait two days before their due date to smog the car they didn't buy new.
Please read the link in my original post for more information.

[LUCKY DAVE]

I stand corrected.
This situation makes me happy that my P-cars don't have OBD2 ports.

I wonder what will happen the next time I smog my Alpina B7. California doesn't recognize that it exists.....it's just a plain 750i in the database.

[gmgraber]

I just had my 2012 991 Carrera S pass smog, without disabling my GIAC engine ECU flash which I had installed in 2016.

GIAC states "Many of GIAC's products fall under the Air Resource Board's Competition Use Only classification. Competition Use Only Parts may not be sold or used on an automobile that is used on or off the public highways other than those automobiles used exclusively for competition. Competition Use Only Parts are aftermarket parts that replace or otherwise interfere with the operation of an emission control device, such as a catalytic converter or oxygen sensor, and may be sold and used on an automobile that is used only for closed course competition".

I don't see anywhere where they indicate a CARB executive order number. Perhaps it doesn't affect the emissions controls enough to be detected - no idea. As Steve suggests, have it checked first before smog - you may not have to disable.