Cheating on the emissions test? Bad. It's a crime
A company called Casper's Electronics was selling electronic devices that sent a properly functioning emission control system to the car, even when the catalytic converter is missing or faulty. These "after-market" sensors are considered illegal "defeat devices" under the federal CAA and Casper's Electronics must now stop selling such devices and pay 74,000 USD in civil penalties.
This company had sold over 44,000 devices online since 2001. The EPA estimates that these devices might have allowed the emissions of 7,400 tons of hydrocarbons, 347,000 of CO and 6,000 tons of NOx. That's 44,000 cars polluting like half a million.
This device allowed the removal of malfunctioning catalytic converters and still pass the emission tests. Usually, when converters fail, they send a signal to the car ECU which illuminates the "Check engine" light. Casper's device overrode this warning but was sold as an "O2 sensor".
The EPA is currently investigating similar manufacturers and sellers that could be selling such kind of devices, although they might disguise under "off-road" or "performance" labels.
A simple search online can show similar devices, like gasoline additives that promise to make the car pass the emissions test, tricks on the timing that might cover engine defects, or tips like simply adding ethanol, which is not only illegal but immoral.
[Source: Department of Justice (warning: Read link is in pdf format)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mircus 5:38PM (5/19/2008)
Where can I get one of those devices that guarantees to pass the e-test? ;)
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small-wee-wee 10:43AM (7/13/2007)
Man has always harmed the environment and destroyed Eco Systems in the name of greed and progress. Does it really surprise you that there are still these types of people? Heck, if our current presidential administration can ignore the law why can't Joe Blow buy a device that will circumvent the law to? After all, the device serves to only his personal benefit while at the same time pollutes the air that my kids are breathing? That is his right, isn't it? And the right of the immoral company to sell such a device.
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rj 10:59AM (7/13/2007)
So states make an emissions test ... that does not test "emissions" only that the check engine light is not on. MD for example. Then people are surprised that people are cheating?
The check engine light is supposed to turn on when it detects a fault that could result in the vehicle emiting %150 more than the limit.
The absense of a check engine light does not mean that the vehicle is operating properly.
There is no OBDII code for " your rings are shot and you are leaving a trail of blue smoke from buring oil" Yet I see this all too often ... yet as long as they don't smoke for more than 10 sec and have no check engine light on ... they PASS the emissions test.
An old well cared for vehicle can be cleaner than a newer vehicle that is in a poor state of repair.
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MikeW 12:31PM (7/13/2007)
You can pull the relay for the low speed fan setting (leaving the high speed working just fine) and the check engine light will be tripped.
The engine controller should be smart enough to keep the engine temperature in check (via modulating the duty cycle of the high speed setting) to keep combustion 'optimum'
An alternator failure would set the check engine in some cars (in addition to the electrical failure light)
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Chris M 2:40AM (7/14/2007)
It wouldn't fool the smog check in California and a few other states that measure actual exhaust emissions, not what the car computers say it is.
That makes this device of dubious value, basically just turns off the "check engine light" for certain easily repaired problems.
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Pat 8:45PM (7/25/2007)
Right on Chris, here in Washington State emissions inspection test the actual exhaust coming from your vehicle during testing. Inspection rules require that your vehicle idles within a certain rpm range depending on the number of cylinders and several other factors while testing. Then your vehicle is tested for emissions while running on dyno rollers at 25-to-35 mph for emisions, too. The inspectors leak/pressure test your gas cap, as well. Currently they test for HC (hydrocarbons or unburnt fuel particles) and CO2 (partially burnt fuel particles) in your exhaust.
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Pat 8:56PM (7/25/2007)
The test that I mentioned above is the one given gasoline vehicles under 8501 pounds GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) and either 2-wheel or psrt-time 4-wheel drive manufactured in 1982 and after without an OBII cevice. Vehicle exhaust inspection only monitors the vehicles computer via an OBII (On-Board diagnostic test) for gasoline vehicles inder 8501 pounds manufactured 1996 or later.
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