A Chevy Camaro owner in California has posted a story to an online enthusiast forum about an incident where he was apparently ticketed for driving his stock 2019 Chevy Camaro SS 1LE in Sport Mode. The law enforcement officer who issued the ticket was primarily concerned with the noise level of the factory exhaust system. The ticket involves setting an appointment with the local automotive referee, which the Camaro driver estimates costs $100, as well as a court date.
The story was posted to the Camaro 6 enthusiast forum by user Abdulisraddd, who, according to the user profile, lives in Northridge, California. According to the post, the Camaro owner had his vehicle for less than a month before he was pulled over for an excessively loud exhaust.
“My exhaust is bone stock and I was going about 30 – 35 max (rush hour),” the post reads. “So he asks me what modification I have on my exhaust I told him it’s bone stock.” After walking back to the patrol vehicle, the police officer returned and asked if the car was being driven in Sport Mode, which the driver confirmed it was.
“He tells me that sport mode is for track use only and when Chevy tests the car to pass the decibel test, Chevy leaves the car on stealth mode,” the post states. The end result was a ticket for an excessively loud exhaust requiring a referee sign-off, which costs $100, plus a court date. The user also posted a photo of the ticket, which literally states “Driving In Sport Mode” as the offense.
Of course, anyone reading this website will know that Sport Mode with stock exhaust is completely legal to drive on the street, even in California, and that Chevy certainly does not leave the car on stealth mode to “pass the decibel test.” In fact, there are four settings for the Engine Sound Management system – Stealth, Tour, Sport, and Track. The different mode settings also affect the electronic throttle progression, transmission shift map, power steering calibration, Magnetic Ride Control suspension settings, and Ambient Lighting.
For enthusiasts, a ticket for an excessively noisy exhaust is just part of the game. However, if the driver is running a stock exhaust system, receiving a ticket like this seems like a very frustrating thing to deal with.
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Comments
I don’t know how anyone still lives in that state.
In the FREE State of Florida, we don’t have any stupid car inspections!
That cop is a moron,what else is new.
I hope you do not listen to late night talk shows.
Because it’s Fla. The state where no one cares about anything important except for guns.
Go back to your room please.
And what Shangri-La do you hail from?
If the officer did not have a sound level meter (calibrated) I don’t see why the victim should pay a penny. And if the officer did have a meter, than it is gm’s problem as the car is out of spec. I’d add if the officer had no meter, a reprimand is in order.
I would certainly appeal that ticket. Reminds me of taking my stock 1963 Impala SS (327/300) for inspection and failing for an excessively loud exhaust. Had to go back with my father who berated the inspector to get down and examine the exhaust to see that the system was, indeed, stock and operating legally. I finally passed inspection, but an extra trip and hours required.
First word in the title explain it all!
Brokeafornia. Any which way to suck $ out of its residents. Large global investors are sprinting from that sh&thole state!
Clearly a money grab ! Same getting pulled over for having lil tree air freshners hanging from the rearview mirror ! Obstruction of view
Also a Camaro in sport mode is still just a Camaro. Drivers with small packages, large egos and think its the best ever. Use the highway to drag and to heck with everyone else.
That’s just not right. The ticket is invalid on a stock Camaro 2SS. They can’t ticket you for driving in sport mode, period. It sounds to me like the cop was looking for an excuse to pull the car over to check other things…with his nose.
The problem is California doesn’t allow you to drive in sport mode and you have to have the dealership disable the feature
care to cite your source on that one? I’ll wait…
California Vehicle Code
27150(a): Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device.
Wilson,North Carolina law enforcement doesn’t give a damn about loud exhaust! Perhaps the owner of the Camaro should consider moving to Wilson.
Yeah, go figure, another cop in California that either doesn’t understand the law, or does understand and doesn’t care because he’s on a power trip enforcing already ridiculous laws. You can’t modify a damn thing on your car without government approval.
He understands the law. The feature (sport mode) has to be disabled at the dealership
Track mode, not sport mode, and that’s only if they catch you using track mode on the street that you have to go have it disabled.
Anything that changes the exhaust sound or lever is illegal in California weather it came from the factory or not. All exhaust changing features must be disabled from the dealer and if you bought the car after the law was passed you can go after the dealership to pay all fees and fines .
California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 27151 prohibits modifying a vehicle’s exhaust system to increase noise or exceed noise limits for the vehicle type. For vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 6,000 pounds, the exhaust sound level must be 95 decibels (dbA) or less.
“prohibits modifying” is the key phrase. It was bone stock. Further looked for a reference and the bone stock is 94db according to some. So under by 1db. Measurement of SPL is highly variable depending on conditions, particularly distance and to a lessor extent humidity. A profound effect would also be any object reflections like other cars nearby acting as a amphitheater of sorts. As I said above, the officer was probably doing by ear not a calibrated instrument. How far would a ticket go if the officer gave a speeding ticket without radar or following with their car? I’ve actually sat on driving citation juries. They always had a gun. If they did not, my guilty verdict would have changed to innocent instantly.
You’re missing this part
California Vehicle Code
27150(a): Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device.
Cut out or bypass is not the same as a baffle! I live in cali, it’s legal so get over yourself already!
Yet ANOTHER reason we need to dissolve any involvement with these idiots, tilt the state westward, and let all these idiots slide to the deep end. This WAS such a beautiful state. Time for a reset.
F’n stupid. I have a 2020 Silverado with the 6.2 and had the GM Performance package added. That’s a factor backed CAI with ECU reflash at the dealer and a cat back exhaust that removed the flapper that was in front of the muffler. It’s a little louder than the factory exhaust, but still passed CARB according to the sticker GM supplied with the kit. I’ve driven in Sport mode with no issues, and I don’t recall the exhaust getting louder by changing the setting. I’m glad I fled California for Florida. I have some good friends I miss, but I don’t have to deal with the stupidity that ruined California (Florida is a whole different mess, but much more tolerable). Gavin Newsom can take the advice from Dr. Suggon Deeznuts and leave office.
2020 Silverado did not have NPP exhaust available – so Sport mode would not change the exhaust note.
Finde den Strafzettel sehr sehr gut und bitte immer mindestens 100$ fordern!!!
Warum gibt es “Auspuffklappen” die den Auspuff lauter werden lassen und damit Menschen und Tiere durch die erhöhte Lautstärke und das Knallen beim Schalten schädigen!
Es ist doch pupertär und rückständige Dummheit wenn diese Fahrzeuge eine Zulassung erhalten!!!
Wir in Europa und Germany müssen auch diese Dummheit der OEMs und Behörden erleiden!
Es ist doch die absolute Dummheit der OEMs und Behörden wenn “Knaller-Fahrzeuge” angeblich legal sind, aber ein defekter Auspuff wegen Rost gewechselt werden muss da zu laut!!!
Wussten SIE???
Die ICE-Motoren müssen nicht laut sein um die max. Leistung bereit zu stellen es ist nur die Dummheit und Geilheit der OEMs laute Fahrzeuge mit Tricks den Behörden zur Zulassung zu melden. ES gibt oft Länder die gegen GELD dies illegal tun! Aber jeder sollte wissen, dass die POLIZEI eben entscheiden kann was laut ist und was nicht denn die POLIZEI muss die Bürgerinnen und Bürger vor kriminellen Krach schützen!
Nenne besonders pupertäre krachende Fahrzeuge:
Alle Mercedes-AMG, Hyundai N, Porsche, Audi und BMW M Karren die immer scheppern und klappern!
Natürlich auch Ferrari, Lambo, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford und Cadillac!
Wussten SIE?
Audi hatte Soundgeneratoren am Auspuff damit der V6 Diesel wie ein USA V8 N/A klingen kann!
Diese Soundgeneratoren wurden von der EU wieder verboten da lauter wie ein Klappenauspuff!
Man sieht die OEMs und Behörden ärgern die Bürger bis die Bürger vor Gericht Klage wegen Körperverletzung einreichen!
Übrigens der seelige BMW I8 hatte wegen des schnöden 3 Zylinder ICE auch einen Soundgenerator …
It’s believed that the size of your package increases depending on the mode selected. It’s a sad day for the tiny package brigade.
I read about the grief they gave a Hyundai N series car owner that was totally stock. He was beat down and then move to AZ. He came back just to visit family and the cop towed him even if he did not live there and had no control on the exhaust.
Beware this is coming to all the CARB states at some point. They all adopt California regulations. Some in the NE like New York already have the laws but are not enforcing them yet heavily.
Beware and Vote.
Why would anyone need an exhaust setting?
Actually to increase hp by reducing backpressure. My vet has NPP, adds 5hp if I remember right. And the owners manual is quite specific about stealth mode for the exhaust. Do not WOT with stealth engaged. Harm may result. I’m guessing the same is true in the camaro.
How fast do you need to go?
Has-been record setting SCCA racer here. Do it on the track, not the street!
Search YouTube for Bill Austin Chimney Rock, when I do it, it shows several more races. The bigger the screen, the better!
You should have told the officer that you had just left a store after having shoplifted multiple items. His SOP then would be ignore you after giving you a cookie.
Perhaps the nice LEO was a ‘Ford Guy ‘?
BOWTIE POWER !!!
Man I hate entitled overbearing meter readers lol I’m in Texas and that just sounds like the city or state wanting fine money in they’re pocket. A dealer factory car or truck purchased in Cali with all they’re liberal left rules shouldn’t be able to be ticketed I’m sorry. Even something as dumb as a little too noisy. Already blown a 100$ I’d have had a heard time not wadding it up and flicking it at him I woulda here over something so dumb. Hate entitled people period
Kalifornia, who is surprised?
Probably more to the story. If he’s in sport mode and in rush hour traffic, maybe revving it a bit?? Still frustrating, but a well tuned engine can idle fairly quietly with almost no exhaust muffling. Tuned and timed a lot of engines back in the day with no mufflers. Lol my ears ring continuously now in my old age, but it was fun!
Seriously that cop has nothing better to do, for real, typical f#cking road pirate. This countries law enforcement officials are complete $hit.
Unfortunately people don’t know how to act anymore. I love the sound of a good exhaust note but after starting a family and buying a house it’s getting under my skin that my neighbors are so damn loud at any hour of the day. Being awakened at 5am by a loud exhaust makes me think I need to start asking Colorado government to ban loud exhausts too. The modern “car enthusiast” prioritizing loud exhausts is an embarrassment to car culture.
He was in rush hour traffic, not 5am. He was acting fine. Tire noise from all the other cars plus all the other noises in heavy traffic and I’m surprised the officer could really tell. As someone else said, officer was probably looking for a reason to stop the guy, maybe drug check because he looked like a profile or maybe the officer needed to fill a quota. Officer needs a reprimand or if a quota getting filled, department needs a reprimand.
Road Pirates, smdh.
Unfortunately there’s nothing new about this. Way back in 1965 Ford put a high performance version of the 289 V8 into mustangs and part of the package was what was termed the “arvinode” exhaust system. It was ingenious in the fact that it used what essentially amounted to echo chambers to partially cancel out the sound waves from what was essentially an open exhaust system to reduce backpressure. It worked but was still deemed too loud by local constabulary and when reports reached Ford about people getting ticketed for excess exhaust noise from box stock cars, Ford initiated a technical service bulletin to the dealer body to replace the complete Arvinode exhaust systems with conventional dual exhaust systems with mufflers by mid 1965. Interesting true story. Check it out.
Under intense pressure from car enthusiasts, Governor Newsom is signing a bill to allow the use of open headers in school zones…..
The cop is right. Loud exhaust is a blast, but nobody wants to hear that $hit in stop and go traffic, drowning out your sound system. Pay the ticket and learn your lesson.
Where I live, sound levels change from one town to the next.
It’s California. What else would you expect? Cheers!
I prefer California, way before Texas!
Tell that Officer to return to his tent city and leave vehicle performance to the men & women who know the standards 🤨
This is what you do when the cop lights come on. You switch it back to street mode. Shut the engine off. When he asks if you were in sports mode, tell him you had the car 1 month and don’t know what sports mode is. Stick to your guns about what mode (that you tell the cop). I would never invite a cop to look in my car at the settings or buttons. If he complains about noise, tell him to look under the car. Put the burden back on the corrupt cops who regularly and repeatedly abuse the power they are granted.
Appeal. Stand your ground. Then move the F out of California.
Instead of asking, “How on Earth can you cite someone for using ‘sport mode’?” Everyone should be asking, “Why in the ef’ does a Camaro have a sport button in the first place?” It is the most daft thing that I have ever seen on cars, putting sports buttons on 2-door coupes sold as some level of performance car. The whole idea is that it is in ‘sport mode’ all of the time, because that is why the car exists in the first place. Sport buttons only belong in sedans that are intended to play nice one minute and burn rubber the next.
Couldn’t live under that type of control. Move to Texas or Florida. Don’t have to worry about that mess.
Go figure, it’s a money grab, the exhaust is stock aka as designed and certified by GM to Carb OE standards the use of different driving modes or settings does not void a CARB OE certification. California is going broke and people are fleeing the state in droves so they have to prey on their current citizens to fund their overinflated, overreaching government. So Californians when you flee the tyranny change the way you vote don’t bring the nonsense to more common sense oriented states with you. Climate Change has happened many times in Earth’s history long before humans existed, thermal maximums and minimums are a natural part of our planets life don’t let people force you into submission with pseudoscience.
They have to write those tickets to keep the revenue stream up! The officer must have been in a bind to meet his “quota” to make sure he gets his next raise in pay. To protect and serve, as we wouldn’t want our hearing to go bad!
That’s what happens when you live in liberal America
If Kamala becomes President, she’s gonna make all vehicles electric, no need to worry about loud exhaust.
Only in California…..the land of Fruits and Nuts!!
Take Pacific Coast Highway out of California and you’re left with nothing. It’s all wackadoodles. Cheers!!
Harris couldn’t manage a food truck. Cheers!
Back in ’65 I got pulled over by a Montgomery County MD policeman for doing 32 in a 25 zone (no radar). In the exchange with the officer he threaten me with a noise ticket too. I had 63 1/2 Falcon Sprint w/ factory SINGLE exhaust. I guess it was a case of a young kid (18) with a fancy car. The same county police force got win that in 1969 you could order a 1969 Chevelle SS396 optioned with a Walker chambered exhaust system (no mufflers). The County Police targeted everyone that they heard on the road with a ticket. Needless to say there was run back to the dealers to install a stock exhaust system. Glasspacks where also illegal in MD.
Hey Rick, I had a ’69 Chevelle SS396 with the chambered exhaust and never had an issue here in PA!
I was born and raised in northern Wisconsin, and the cops were tough, as were the laws. If you were under 18 with a probationary license, you would also lose your license for 30 days in addition to the fine. I know of 2 people that this happened to. Both were guilty of the noise violations, but losing a license for that, plus your insurance going up, was way too much of a penalty. I got a couple of warnings for times when the exhaust system gave out, but had to go down to the police station for inspection after repairs. Glass packs and straight pipes were a definite no-no!
Noise ordinances vary from place to place. No manufacturer will indemnify you against noise violations. It is your responsibility to know if a vehicle will comply. Does not matter if it is ‘bone stock`.
Sounds like another great reason to leave California. (No pund intended) I would argue a clear first amendment violation the right to own property.Then apply for a hearing to the Supreme Court to repeal the law.As no State has the right to charge any American citizen for a referee $100 + a court hearing.Clearly double jeopardy.
If the driver was an illegal alien, he would’ve been issued a, “Have a nice day”.
Hard to imagine why citizens are leaving CA in droves.
So tired of boneheads driving their bone stock super loud exhaust cars – I think manufacturers also need to be fined for allowing boneheaded people do this.
The cop is an EV lover and so as the people who thumbs down any reply that is siding the cop and the stupid law.
HD should be next.
Exhaust bypass systems are now available in “bone stock” cars. They should not be operated in that mode on the street. When a car with a bypass is accelerated “enthusiastically” they can generate sounds that are irritating to people in residential areas. Come to my house any Friday or Saturday night — it’s difficult to hear the TV half the time.
Another overpaid local official of our wasted tax dollars at work who doesn’t have nothing to do and is probably jealous cause he doesn’t have a car like that. Hate to say that but I have no respect for any local government officials cause I got a bad rap with the township officials. I have a 2013 ZL1 Camaro and my exhaust is loud also and I use sport mode all the time do you really think a manufacturer would put a illegal option in a vehicle don’t think so my hats off to you keep driving you car and have fun here’s to all local officials 🖕
The left have turned into a bunch of fascist when it comes to things they don’t like. If you’re not cutting off your balls , aborting a baby or ripping on white Christians then you’re in trouble.
Snap out of it. This forum should be about cars. No one cares about your political beliefs
First, stop judging a whole State, for one person, doing something stupid. If it was me, I would take this ticket to court and the judge would tell the cop to not be so overzealous.
Well CA doesn’t charge you for shoplifting $999 per incident even if you do it a million times a day so the cops need something to do.
The judge has no choice but to throw out of court. Wad it a city cop. Or a cup. Maybe law enforcement should buy him one
The cop was having a Whittier day and to meet his quote a . Bottom line he was a ass hole. The won’t even show up for court.
One word………SPELLCHECK!!!!!!! That was painful to read.