California Code of Regulations › Title 13 - Motor Vehicles › Division 3 - Air Resources Board › Chapter 1 - Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Devices › Article 2 - Approval of Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Devices (New Vehicles) › Section 1968 - Malfunction and Diagnostic System for 1988 and Subsequent Model Year Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks, and Medium-Duty Vehicles with Three-Way Catalyst Systems and Feedback Control

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) All 1988
				  and subsequent model year passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty
				  vehicles equipped with a three-way catalyst system and feedback control shall
				  be equipped with a means of informing the vehicle operator of the malfunction
				  of computer-sensed emission-related components, and of the on-board computer
				  processor, and of the malfunction of the emission-related functioning of the
				  fuel metering device and EGR system on vehicles so equipped, and which provides
				  for on-board diagnosis of the likely area of the malfunction without the aid of
				  any external device. The system shall include a means of informing the vehicle
				  operator, upon initiation of engine starting, that it is functioning properly.
				  No malfunction and diagnostic system shall be required for malfunctions which
				  would significantly impair vehicle driveability or prevent engine
				  starting.
(b) This section shall be
				  implemented as specified in this subsection or by any means determined by the
				  executive officer to meet the requirements of this section:
The vehicles shall be equipped with a malfunction indicator
					 light and an on-board self-diagnostic system. The on-board computer processor
					 shall interrogate input parameters from computer-sensed emission-related
					 components and shall also interrogate the functioning of the fuel metering
					 device and of the EGR system on vehicles so equipped. Upon detection of a
					 malfunction of any such component, device, or system, the computer processor
					 shall cause the malfunction indicator light to illuminate. An on-board computer
					 processor malfunction shall also cause the malfunction indicator light to
					 illuminate. In the case of any such component, device or system whose
					 malfunction would significantly impair vehicle driveability or prevent engine
					 starting, no malfunction indication or diagnostic code shall be required. The
					 indicator light shall also illuminate in the engine-run key position before
					 engine cranking to indicate that the malfunction indicator light is
					 functioning. The self-diagnostic system shall provide an on-board means of
					 identifying, without the aid of any external device, the likely area
					 responsible for the detected malfunction when the vehicle is serviced. The
					 malfunction indicator light shall be located on the instrument panel and shall
					 when illuminated, display the phrase "Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon" or
					 may display such other phrase determined by the executive officer to be likely
					 to cause a vehicle owner to seek corrective action.
(c) For purposes of this section:
(1) A "computer-sensed emissions-related
				  component of the three-way catalyst emission control system" means a component
				  which provides emission control system input to the on-board computer
				  processor.
(2) "Malfunction" means
				  the partial or total failure of one or more computer-sensed emission-related
				  components or the on-board computer processor, or of the emission-related
				  functioning of a fuel metering device or EGR system to a degree which would
				  likely cause the emissions of an average certification vehicle with the failure
				  or failures, individually or in combination, to exceed the emissions standards
				  applicable pursuant to Subchapter 1 (commencing with Section
				  1900), Chapter 3 of Title
				  13.