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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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.