Any known downside to having California Emissions on this car?


I bought this car new in Boise, Idaho. Not even thinking to look at emissions. After I get home I noticed on the window sticker it says "emission: CALIFORNIA". Should I be sick? Mad?


Mike

 

Well they're picky when it comes to cat converters and o2 sensors. So if you run into these issues you're gonna be paying an arm and a leg for replacement parts. But cat converters -by federal law- have a 10 year, 80,000 mile warranty so you wouldn't have to worry about that for a long time.

My friend needed a CARB legal cat and was quoted $2000 (not under warranty)
But what i stand by is finding stuff like the CARB legal cat converter online like eBay. I found that same one for $250.

Thats all 'what ifs' though.

Take care of your car and you should be fine. Don't ignore check engine lights. I see the most problems come from people who have a CEL from a bad o2 sensor or other component that ends up causing a poisoned cat converter.

They're really the same as 49 state cars as far as everything else goes.

 

Thank you Ricer, you saved me some grief. I will go back to the dealer though to see what the other new cars have. Maybe it's normal here now but I haven't seen it before.


We sure do like the car.


Mike

 

Check to see whether it is a PZEV (Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle) or a ULEV-2 (Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle).

PZEV is certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) are available in California and states that have adopted California Zero-Emission Vehicle regulations. CVT and V-6 models in non-CARB states and 6MT models in all 50 states are ULEV-2 (Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle) certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

The principal differences between the PZEV Accord and the ULEV-2 version sold in all states are single exhaust valve operation at low rpm, different spark plugs and remapped Powertrain Control Module (PCM) programming, in addition to the near-zero evaporative emissions equipment (e.g., canister, etc).

The cat converter is the same and so are the air/fuel ratio and oxygen sensor for the PZEV and ULEV-2.

 

Thank you Redbull, ours is a 4 cyl with CVT and says PEZV on the hood sticker. Am I reading this right in that the ULEV utilizes the single exhaust valve operation and the PEZV doesn't? I can live with the canister and even a cat but something that changes valve operation to me is kind of worrysome.


They had to bring this car in from Oregon as they didn't have one on the lot here. I specifically told them I didn't want Cali emissions and found out we have it after we got home and read the window sticker I found in the glove box. I suppose Idaho could have switched to this PZEV and that's what we have to live with.


I will go back to the dealer tomorrow and look at others on the lot.


Thank you very much for your response.


Mike

 

The PZEV has the single exhaust valve operation at low rpm, different spark plugs and remapped Powertrain Control Module (PCM) programming, in addition to the near-zero evaporative emissions equipment (e.g., evap canister, etc).

The horsepower, torque and EPA-estimated fuel economy of the PZEV and ULEV-2 engines are identical.

You shouldn't worry about the different valve operation at low rpm, there should be no noticeable effect.

The different catalytic converter, oxygen sensors (air/fuel ratio and regular O2 sensors) were on Accord models over 10 years ago (e.g., 6th generation Accords 1998-2002). The 2013-2014 Accord is 9th generation and it is not the same thing.

 

^That mean that all 9th gen accords have the same AFR sensors and cat converters that are CARB legal regardless of emissions?

I know some states are thinking about adopting the CARB standards...

 

_____

 

Thank you Ricer and Redbull. Between you guys and my independent mechanic who I called this morning you probably saved a car salesman a knot on the head.


My mechanic also said don't worry about it, said the exhaust valve operation is controlled by oil pressure and this tech has been around for years. He assured me that this is at least a 200K car.


Still, that salesman will hear about it.


Thanks again fellas,


Mike

 

Sometimes dealers "trade" cars around to find a certain color or options, and that way your car can end up outside of California. Equally possible that Honda runs their production at a certain mix of Ca & 49-state cars. Then if fewer people BUY them in California, Honda can ship them wherever. So it's plausible that the dealer (at least the salesman) really had nothing to do with it.