So my STOCK Civic is lower than the legal limit in Texas.

[aerohead]

It looks like the reg. was published in September, 1995.
Any car existing in the public domain prior to that date would be 'grandfathered in', and exempt.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Blacktree

What are they gonna do, force you to redesign your car?

Who knows... Maybe modding the hood to fit a pair of sealed beams in a way similar to the Austin-Healey Sprite?

[Blacktree]

Originally Posted by Ecky

Apparently in California.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/hyunda...st-california/

Unfortunately, stuff like that is par for the course in California.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by Ecky

Apparently in California.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/hyunda...st-california/

That guy was running the car in a track or off road mode. So it wouldn't have passed federal let alone state and local noise limits. He basically abused the privilege and this is how they end up banning such modes for everyone.

The confusion was wrong for a judge to try and make him permanently remove such a device rather than just give him a fine and tell him not to do it again. Still I'd rather this one guy have to remove it from his car because he can't follow the rules, than have it banned for everyone.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

That guy was running the car in a track or off road mode. So it wouldn't have passed federal let alone state and local noise limits. He basically abused the privilege and this is how they end up banning such modes for everyone.

The confusion was wrong for a judge to try and make him permanently remove such a device rather than just give him a fine and tell him not to do it again. Still I'd rather this one guy have to remove it from his car because he can't follow the rules, than have it banned for everyone.

I'm skeptical this is a valid interpretation. The "N" button is prominently on the steering wheel, and I had a quick look at Hyundai's site and at the owner's manual. Both describe pressing "N" as just one of several driving modes, to be used to enhance fun and performance similarly to how "eco" enhances economy.

The vehicle may not have met California regulations from the factory, but this issue was larger than a single owner. I see it as an issue of California certifying a car to be used on its roads, with a manufacturer setting advertised to be used on roads, and for it to be illegal based on California's laws.

[Isaac Zachary]

I once sent an email to the Texan DOT about studded snow tires, since I was driving from Colorado and New Mexico and would only be driving on a few miles of Texan highway. But I was told I could get pulled over and fined. So I put on the all-season tires and sure enough, went through a terrible blizzard on the way down and another on the way back. And I mean for half the state of NM and half the state of CO, trudging through deep snow and over icy roads. I think the next time I look for snow tires I'm going to try to get studless.

I got pulled over in the stock 1984 VW diesel for not having enough power. 25 in a 55mph zone, fully loaded going up 6 or 7% grade. The officer was nice though, just curious why I was billowing so much smoke and not going any faster.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by Ecky

I'm skeptical this is a valid interpretation. The "N" button is prominently on the steering wheel, and I had a quick look at Hyundai's site and at the owner's manual. Both describe pressing "N" as just one of several driving modes, to be used to enhance fun and performance similarly to how "eco" enhances economy.

The vehicle may not have met California regulations from the factory, but this issue was larger than a single owner. I see it as an issue of California certifying a car to be used on its roads, with a manufacturer setting advertised to be used on roads, and for it to be illegal based on California's laws.

The car was tested in various modes and both the sport and the N mode put the car over the 95 decibel limit. That makes those track or off road modes only. The 95 limit is not just California, it's the limit here in free Montana as well. Nobody wants the peace and quite shattered by excessive, pointless noise whatever it's from. So leave the load exhaust for the track or at least some backroad and not neighborhoods like this kid.

Used to be just "lake pipes" named for the dry lake high speed competition. But if you un capped the lake pipes on the street you get a ticket. The N mode is basically like factory installed lake pipes. It makes a legal street car illegal at the push of a button. Exhaust cutouts used to be legal too, but too many people used them on the street and got them 100% banned most places even if closed and using the factory mufflers.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

The car was tested in various modes and both the sport and the N mode put the car over the 95 decibel limit. That makes those track or off road modes only. The 95 limit is not just California, it's the limit here in free Montana as well. Nobody wants the peace and quite shattered by excessive, pointless noise whatever it's from. So leave the load exhaust for the track or at least some backroad and not neighborhoods like this kid.

Used to be just "lake pipes" named for the dry lake high speed competition. But if you un capped the lake pipes on the street you get a ticket. The N mode is basically like factory installed lake pipes. It makes a legal street car illegal at the push of a button. Exhaust cutouts used to be legal too, but too many people used them on the street and got them 100% banned most places even if closed and using the factory mufflers.

While I'm in agreement that loud cars are obnoxious, these "offroad" modes don't seem to be advertised, or even stated as being offroad modes, anywhere obvious in what's available to consumers. As such, how is a consumer supposed to know that if they press the prominent button on the steering wheel, their car will suddenly never be allowed on a public road again? That is essentially what happened in this case, because once that button was pressed, and a police officer noticed, there was no fix, and no possible resolution.

[Isaac Zachary]

I wonder if the new Toyota Corolla GR will have a similar issue as its exhaust has a solenoid actuated valve to bypass a major part of the muffler. I'm not sure what makes it open though, but IIRC it's when you floor it.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

I'm not sure what makes it open though, but IIRC it's when you floor it.

Most likely it will be locked or unlocked on-demand, yet I'm not so sure.