Got a State Ref for exhaust In California for my Factory stock 2022 Mach 1

[Ralph Sizzle]

Hey guys, I live in Southern California, North L.A. area. I was given a ticket recently for exhaust and received a State Ref for my Factory stock 2022 Mach 1

I was turning left and happened to accelerate spiritedly up to 45 mph and left off. . I was swarmed by 4 cop cars and surrounded when I pulled into a McDonald's to get a McFlurry. The cop said they heard me from down the street supposedly. I told them it was completely stock and it only had about 400 miles at the time. They started explaining something about the Hellcats and the track key and yadda yadda yadda. I explained to them this was nothing like that and that is smog legal. They looked under the hood and were questioning the stock open air box. Once again I explained that my car is completely smog legal from the factory. They said they were doing a sideshow crack down that night and that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. This was at about 9 p.m. in the evening.

From the research that I've done, correct me if I'm wrong, regardless of exhaust mode, the exhaust it is still under the 95db limit. Can anyone confirm this?

I plan on fighting this ticket by using one of the "Fight a ticket" companies. I would rather give the money to them to fight it than pay the state/City a dime. They said I have an 80-90% chance of getting it throw out. I'm crossing my fingers at this point.

My brother, who has a 2020 GT PP, was also following me. He has an H pipe installed with the rest of his stock exhaust. He was also given a ticket. His was only given a $25 "fix it ticket" fortunately for him. He was just driving normally and didn't even accelerate hard. He will be replacing with the stock resonator and paying the ticket.

I could use any helpful Info on the subject.

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[RagmopInKona]

View attachment 751805

 

[RagmopInKona]

Best hope they don't print a copy of this.

 

[ToughSpecs]

So they heard you from down the street without any dB readings and assumed it was your car? Yeah, no way I’d be paying that.

 

[glockholiday]

YOU WERE NOT IN TRACK MODE. I repeat. YOU WERE NOT IN TRACK MODE.

 

[JetGray_Mach1]

Hey guys, I live in Southern California, North L.A. area. I was given a ticket recently for exhaust and received a State Ref for my Factory stock 2022 Mach 1

I was turning left and happened to accelerate spiritedly up to 45 mph and left off. I was in Track mode on the exhaust BTW. I was swarmed by 4 cop cars and surrounded when I pulled into a McDonald's to get a McFlurry. The cop said they heard me from down the street supposedly. I told them it was completely stock and it only had about 400 miles at the time. They started explaining something about the Hellcats and the track key and yadda yadda yadda. I explained to them this was nothing like that and that is smog legal. They looked under the hood and were questioning the stock open air box. Once again I explained that my car is completely smog legal from the factory. They said they were doing a sideshow crack down that night and that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. This was at about 9 p.m. in the evening.

From the research that I've done, correct me if I'm wrong, even in Track mode exhaust it is still under the 95db limit. Can anyone confirm this?

I plan on fighting this ticket by using one of the "Fight a ticket" companies. I would rather give the money to them to fight it than pay the state/City a dime. They said I have an 80-90% chance of getting it throw out. I'm crossing my fingers at this point.

My brother, who has a 2020 GT PP, was also following me. He has an H pipe installed with the rest of his stock exhaust. He was also given a ticket. His was only given a $25 "fix it ticket" fortunately for him. He was just driving normally and didn't even accelerate hard. He will be replacing with the stock resonator and paying the ticket.

I could use any helpful Info on the subject.

fucking assholes man. Sorry you had to go through that with such a new car. Keeps us posted hope someone here can give you some good info.

 

[Linvx]

With all the violent crimes, robberies etc it would seem cops have something better to do than go after loud cars.

this just proves that is is safer to extra extra revenue from otherwise law abiding citizens then go after kidders, rapists, meth dealers etc, where there is no money to be made andwhere the cops may actually get hurt.

The police where you live obviously have way too much funding. Time to defund them until they actually start fighting real crime.

 

[Nitrousfedlx]

With all the violent crimes, robberies etc it would seem cops have something better to do than go after loud cars.

this just proves that is is safer to extra extra revenue from otherwise law abiding citizens then go after kidders, rapists, meth dealers etc, where there is no money to be made andwhere the cops may actually get hurt.

The police where you live obviously have way too much funding. Time to defund them until they actually start fighting real crime.

Did u read the part where he said "California"?

 

[Ctodd1]

California is in a budget deficit crisis, they need your revenues. Fight it!

 

[RagmopInKona]

California is in a budget deficit crisis, they need your revenues. Fight it!

They claim to be the 6th biggest economy in the world, Who's hands are getting greased.
They should be rolling in dough and not need to rape the peons silly.

 

[coz0502]

I saw a video this weekend of a kid who claimed he was from Arizona visiting California. In the video he had been pulled over and the cop was telling him he was being state ref'd for his aftermarket exhaust. I say he claimed because the video did not show his plate.

But for those from California or with more knowledge, can they enforce these kinds of laws upon visiting people in their personal vehicles registered in a different state? For the purposes of this question, let's assume he truly is visiting and not skirting the law.

That seems crazy to me and what would happen if the guy in the video ignores it and just goes home after he's done visiting. In the video, the cop is recorded saying the kid could either immediately start driving home or take it to a shop and have it repaired so it was legal in California. If he was pulled over again by any officer the car would be impounded. That seems insane. Was this cop misinformed or being a dick or is this actually true?

 

[Cobra Jet]

Get a copy of the actual Dealer Brochure off line, a copy of your Ford Window sticker and then ask for a dB readout of the "just cause" for pulling you over. You can prove the car is totally stock from a drivetrain/exhaust perspective, physically, and by the official Ford docs showing the car came that way.

Ask for their dash cam vid too proving you were hot wheeling it, which should have the sound of your car as well.

If they can't prove by dash cam or a dB meter that you were in any violation of "their law", they don't have a case.

They also won't be able to prove that the vehicle was actually in "Track Mode" either, because the PCM won't retain that data by the time you have to go to court. It will have been over written long before there is a chance to prove anything from a PCM extract.

As for the lingo in the Owner's Manual about "Track Use", again sure it's there, sure it says it's for "Track Only" and the owner has certain responsibilities....bu-blah blah bu-blah blah blah blah ....

HOWEVER, prove that the vehicle was actually in Track Mode - they can't and won't be able to do so because the PCM data is now gone.

It's a BS ticket. Just remember next time around, it wasn't your car they heard and you don't even know what is or how to get into track mode - you only bought the car because you like the Horsey on the front and the cool stickers on it.

 

[TopJimmyCooks]

 

[EFI]

Best hope they don't print a copy of this.

How would they know what mode he was in at the time of the offense?

 

[Bikeman315]

How would they know what mode he was in at the time of the offense?

They don’t but they can certainly presume. AE has been around for six years now. The police know all about it. They do not have to prove you did, you have to prove you didn’t. And with the “track” disclaimer on you dashboard there’s a pretty good chance you would lose.

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