California Emissions Requirement

[gman123]

emissions question.

In about 18 months my wife and I are planning to move to Northern California.
(I am originally from there)
Any possible emissions issues with the 2011 Explorer?

 

[SWEET ST]

None whats so ever the emission standard that the auto industry uses it the california emission standard.

 

[bigallis1]

While visiting our family in the Orlando Florida area, my wife and I got a chance to drive a 2011 XLT Explorer.
While talking to the Ford salesman the subject of registering the vehicle came up.
We told him that we have personalized license plates for New York state and that we would want to register the vehicle with our new york state plates.
The salesman informed us that southern built ford explorers do not meet california emissions, (a NYS requirement) for annual inspection.
So forget about purchasing an explorer in florida.
What is confussing to me is that explorers that are built to meet california emissions there is not an additional charge for it.
So is it possible it is something in the programing of the on board computer that any ford dealer could perform?

 

[swetrid]

In the past, the cat converters and pcm calibration are different for green states(ca,ny) states.

 

[bigallis1]

In the past, the cat converters and pcm calibration are different for green states(ca,ny) states.

So does that mean a new 2011 explorer built for the south can be programmed by a ford dealer to meet california emissions?

 

[JDraper]

Salesman is full of Horse***t!! Currently, all new vehicles manufactured come with 50 state legal emissions. If what he said were true, then how would someone who lived in one state move to another and register their vehicle? Older vehicles were an issue, but this hasn't been true in quite a while.

My vehicle was ordered for PA and it comes with CA emissions on it, and as far as I know, PA doesn't follow CA emissions law.

 

[bigallis1]

Salesman is full of Horse***t!! Currently, all new vehicles manufactured come with 50 state legal emissions. If what he said were true, then how would someone who lived in one state move to another and register their vehicle? Older vehicles were an issue, but this hasn't been true in quite a while.

My vehicle was ordered for PA and it comes with CA emissions on it, and as far as I know, PA doesn't follow CA emissions law.

Florida does not require annual vehicle inspections and I wonder if that is the reason you do not see the "Meets California Emission Requirements" on the window stickers for florida ordered ford vehicles?

 

[gman123]

Had me concerned. Living in Austin, and eventually heading back to the San Francisco Bay Area.
It would not be good to have to trade in my explorer, or pony up some money to make it pass emissions.

I figure Ford would not do something like that.

 

[RishRash]

2014 Limited - California Emissions vs 50 States

I am interested in a used 2014 Limited, but the one I like was delivered with "California Emissions" compliance.

I will not be registering it in California or any of the "clean states" and based on an experience with cali emissions on a vehicle I had about 10 years ago, my preference would be to not have it on the 2014 Limited.

I have searched the forums and found some threads that reference cali emissions, (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/search.php?searchid=9242466 but none that directly compare them and prove that they are in fact identical builds with identical software setup.

There are a few threads that talk about a california compliant catalytic converter costing 2X the price of a 50 state version, this would mean they are not identical builds.

What exactly is the difference? Just a sticker under the hood?

Thanks!

 

[RishRash]

I have dug a little more and found some information.

Page 25 of this pdf indicates that there are 2 engine families for the 3.5L engine. One covers Flex fuel (EFMXT03.73DM)and only has a Federal certificate, the other is EFMXT03.73DE8 and is gasoline only and has certificates for both Federal and California. Apparently the sticker under the hood indicates which setup a vehicle has.

So I get that a California emissions vehicle will meet the Federal 50 states requirements, but this still doesn't tell me if they have different parts. The fact that there are 2 different engine families seems to indicate there are two different setups.

Or are they really the same vehicles and the vehicles destined for California only get the gasoline certification to prevent them from using E85, while the other vehicles get a certification for either E85 or gasoline, but both are identical?

This link has the emissions guides from Ford, which also shows 2 entries for the 3.5L 2014 Explorer.
http://www.fleet.ford.com/programs/emission-guides/

This site claims the only difference is a sticker. "What does the term California Emissions mean?"

Thanks for any guidance. I know I am being **** on this, but I just want to understand before buying.

 

[peterk9]

If someone from another state than California would check their Window Sticker, it may help answer the question. My 2011 Limited was built in Chicago for the Canadian market. As such, there is a notation on the Window sticker that states the vehicle is not to be registered or sold in the U.S.

Your thread has also been merged with this one. Hopefully by reviving this thread it will bring some additional responses.

Peter

 

[RishRash]

I have the window stickers for both, but other than stating gasoline vs Flexible Fuel Vehicle (E85), they both look the same to me. I am not sure exactly what I am looking for though.

Window sticker - 2014 Limited with California Emissions

Window sticker - 2014 Limited - no California Emissions

I would actually like to see the "Vehicle Emissions Control Label" on a 2014 Explorer, both US and California. It should show the engine family. It is located under the hood. I can probably find a US version locally tomorrow at a dealer, but not sure I can find a California version locally.

Thanks!

 

[peterk9]

The California one shows "California Emissions System - No Charge.

The other Sticker doesn't. Not sure what the difference is.

I also tried running the VIN using; https://www.etis.ford.com/vehicle and only the one with the Cal. Emissions showed up.

Peter

 

[RishRash]

Strange, they both showed up in the initial screen for me. I don't have a login though so couldn't get any further than the general info.

1FM5K8F87EGA04892 shows "Emission: With California/Green State Req"
1FM5K8F83EGA04856 shows "Emission: With 49 State/Non Green State Req"

Seems like a parts breakdown would show something.

 

[peterk9]

Not sure if you clicked on "There are more minor features for this vehicle, click to expand this list." or if you were looking for a further breakdown?

Peter

 

[D.R.Ball]

If your Explorer is a 48 state standard no worries, just remember they will tax your vehicle for tags etc. but at the end of the year the fees can be deducted when you do your Federal taxes. As for when it will need testing go to C.A.R.B's web site or the California DMV website for more information, as the laws change when the EPA tries to add more fines to California counties. Yes folks it's not the idea of Californian's to have smog laws it's the Fed's. IE check out NON ATTAINMENT ZONES for the Clear Air Act.

 

[RishRash]

Not sure if you clicked on "There are more minor features for this vehicle, click to expand this list." or if you were looking for a further breakdown?

Peter

I just looked at the further breakdown on both and the only differences are:

"With 49 State/Non Green State Req" vs "With California/Green State Req"
and
"FFV-(Ethanol) Fuel" vs "For Unleaded Fuel"

It is known that the California emissions won't allow FFV E85 fuel. I would just like to know the actual part differences, if any.

 

[RishRash]

If your Explorer is a 48 state standard no worries, just remember they will tax your vehicle for tags etc. but at the end of the year the fees can be deducted when you do your Federal taxes. As for when it will need testing go to C.A.R.B's web site or the California DMV website for more information, as the laws change when the EPA tries to add more fines to California counties. Yes folks it's not the idea of Californian's to have smog laws it's the Fed's. IE check out NON ATTAINMENT ZONES for the Clear Air Act.

I am not registering it in California, so that isn't an issue. My main concern was any negative performance related differences, (which there does not seem to be) as well as future parts replacement necessitating a more expensive version. The catalytic converter is an example.