Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board, better known as CARB, got JEGS Automotive to pay $1.7 million dollars in fines for violations of CARB policies pertaining to “illegal aftermarket performance parts” in the state of California. What parts, exactly? Well, that’s not too clear per their own press release, which is below. In fact, it’s a pretty broad spectrum of parts that are usually some of the first steps a builder goes after on a new project. California, often considered the center of car culture by many, has many rules and regulations involving vehicle modifications for use on their roadways and if you are tuning a vehicle that’s older than 1975, you have to play by those rules or you simply aren’t getting your registration. That’s been on the books for years.
You can have power and performance and be compliant with California law…the parts are out there. And you can run good power on the street and still be environmentally friendly. Do your homework and make sure that when Officer Friendly and his buddies in the lab coats ask to look under your hood that you are ready and prepared.
Sacramento—The California Air Resources Board today announced that JEGS Automotive Inc. will pay $1,700,500 to resolve violations of anti-pollution laws related to the sales and marketing of illegal aftermarket performance parts in California.
The penalty is the largest in CARB history for a case involving aftermarket parts.
“This large settlement sends a powerful message to those in the retail community that selling aftermarket parts not approved for sale to California drivers is a risk not worth taking,” said CARB Executive Officer Richard Corey. “Our tough air quality laws exist to protect public health, and those who flout these rules can expect to be caught and pay a steep price. We commend JEGS for cooperating and are confident that the company will not repeat this costly mistake.”
CARB staff initiated its investigation of JEGS thanks to a complaint from the public. The probe revealed that from 2011 to 2014, JEGS advertised and sold in California modified aftermarket performance parts such as engine programmers, air intake systems and throttle bodies that were not approved by CARB for use on highway vehicles. Many of these products can reduce fuel economy and increase emissions.
Modified vehicles that no longer meet California’s emissions requirements pose a significant health threat to California residents. They create higher amounts of smog-forming pollutants which can worsen respiratory problems and negatively impact other health conditions.
California law allows marketing and sale of an aftermarket performance part after an evaluation by CARB to ensure the part does not raise emissions. Once CARB approves the part, it is granted an executive order that allows the sale and installation of the part on pollution-controlled vehicles. State law also requires manufacturers, retailers, and distributors to take steps to ensure that consumers understand the legality of parts offered for sale and to discourage illegal modifications to vehicles.
JEGS will pay $850,250 to Supplemental Environmental Projects that will install air filters in schools located in economically and environmentally challenged communities; the sum will be split between the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Placer County Air Pollution Control District. The remaining $850,250 will be paid to the Air Pollution Control Fund to support clean air programs.
There is no way JEGS can prevent people from breaking the laws in california. Will they have to ask people how they will be using non approved parts when they order them? The next thing will be background checks for people that want to buy a carb or programmer in california and a signed contract promising they wont install illegal parts on an engine that will be used on road. This sounds like someone at CARB realized they can get easy money. I am surprised they didn’t go after Summit too.
so they will use money to buy air filters for schools? wtf??
don’t most schools in that area open the windows when its nice? which is most of the time? Or do they run AC and burn coal to power that A/C??
F California, Lex Luther should have been allowed to blow it off the coast and sell Ocean front land east of the San Andreas..
Another California shakedown from a cash strapped liberal run state.
That’s exactly what it boils down to.
Years ago my dream was to retire to so cal but i\’m not that flush with cash. Too bad I love the car culture and weather..Another example why this won\’t happen..
Reno has great car culture.. So does Alabama and The Florida Panhandle
Californication at it’s finest. All we can hope for is that it falls into the ocean one day. And… that I’m on the east coast when it happens.
I was wondering if this was a case of CARB going nuts, or Jegs getting seriously careless with their writing. So I picked up a current Jegs catalog. And it does seem like they’ve gotten careless. For example, they were advertising Procharger systems for the ’15-’17 Mustangs as “The most powerful and reliable supercharger systems available for street use or at the track.” I checked if they were street legal on Procharger’s website. ONE of the systems they listed was street legal in California, the others weren’t, and the catalog didn’t specify which. Didn’t have the usual disclaimers about “not for use on pollution controlled vehicles” anywhere in sight, either.
Five comments in and there’s the reasonable, well thought out and non-knee jerk answer I was hoping for. Air pollution laws exist for a reason. I’m a hot rodder and in my youth ran all my cars without catalytic converters – and now I feel guilty for doing that. A few minutes in traffic behind even a 2 liter Civic without it’s cat has shown me the light.
I’m sure that Jegs could’ve tried harder and avoided this catastrophe. It’s on them – blaming today’s environmentalists for Reagan era legislation is stupid.
Not the responsibility of the company to police the installation of their product .
Gotta disagree with you on this one Dave. Remember the truck attack in New York City? Under the same philosophy, the victims should hold Home Depot responsible for renting out the truck.
You can’t hold Jegs responsible if the purchaser doesn’t use the product within the limits of the law.
Since you seem to disagree with what I wrote about California being a cash strapped liberal state, let me set the record straight with you David ( or is it Erik Estrada?). I lived in California from 2002 – 2011, and California did try to shake me down for money after I left that cash strapped state.
Bullshit.
Jackass that lives there needs to be smart enough to figure it out.
You cant control the idiot on the recieving end.
Some douche that did not get a refund probably called carb.
Californication needs to fall into the ocean.
Ted Gertenschlinger:
You can’t hold the end user liable if the product was sold without disclaimers.
Jennny K:
Your argument is based on bad logic and false equivalency: the end users did not know they were buying non-compliant items – that’s Jegs responsibility. Don’t know how you trotted terrorism into it.
75Duster:
They shook me down too for a parking ticket in Carmel. Oh well, what state isn’t cash strapped?
Since others are doing fine out here I’d have to wonder first if Jeg’s wasn’t just being sloppy. But still…
It does suck that this fine state has become such a gathering place of highly-paid idiots stepping over each other trying to set up their incredible pensions and make rules for everyone else. Whatever pollution hot rods put into the environment is a speck of dust compared to what the governor’s Crazy Train-that-no one-will-use project will create in it’s construction, that is a bigger problem. Building mass tracts of houses 60 miles away from where anybody could get a job thus putting thousands more cars onto the freeways is a bigger problem. If Jeg’s would just put some money into the pockets of the public service elite like those projects do, their problems would disappear but I guess that is effectively what’s happening now, only through after-the-fact shakedown.
they obviously need cleaner air so their lawmakers can smoke more pot
10 million illegals pollute a whole bunch more than a few speed parts. Too bad. California will eventually run everyone off that’s in business. Its only a matter of time.
Just Google pics of the LA skyline from 1970. You can’t see it because of smog. The mountains make a natural smog trap. The air today is much cleaner due to California’s strict laws. It would seem that Jegs dropped the ball and are paying the price. We don’t get to pick and choose which laws we will follow.
CARB signed into law by Governor Ronald Reagan in 1967.
This isn’t a new thing for CARB. A few years ago they went after Pep Boys Speed Shop division. Then they went after Summit Racing. Summit wasn’t shipping a lot of stuff to California residents, like crate engines. They both worked it out with CARB to be able to do it again, but I have heard from our customers Summit suddenly stopped again. Maybe this is the reason why.
CARB’s actions are that they feel it is the responcibility of the companies who make and sell these products to be sure they are not being used in an illegal application. It is easier to go after them than the individual car owners.
This is why a ’76 Camaro is worth 1/4 what an exempt ’75 Camaro is in Cali.
I am also wondering how much of a legal foundation CARB has in fining the companies who build parts being responsible for those who use those parts in an illegal manner.
It may be better for Jegs to just pay the fines, adjust their sales policies, and continue to do business than to get into a long drawn out court battle over this.
I\’ll be this was a test. A test to see if Jegs would fight it or have their lawyers tell them it be cheaper to just pay the fine. This will only be The start of this. Many of those that produce or slap their name on an imported part are based in that state.
How long before the state walks in and puts locks on the doors and takes it all.
The responsibility is on the customer to do the legal thing, not the company in question . I do not believe for a second that Jegs would take that kind of a ” RISK ” to jeopardize their reputation in the business community , or the public eye . Put the onus where it belongs , on the customer for an illegal installation of a legal product .
What a load of b.s. modified cars are a drop in the ocean to the rest of the trash out on the roads. Cash grab is all it is. Wonder what sema has to say about this?
Let me get this straight. If Jeg’s had only made sure the parts they were selling to Californians had a disclaimer that stated, ” Off road use only, not for street use.”, then every one would have been happy. I guess Americans love safety over freedom nowadays. As long as there is a warning label, then it’s all good. So ridiculous. Increasing the performance of an engine usually decreases the emissions due to the greater efficiency of the operation. None of the beurocrats care to learn anything about what they are legislating, so I guess it’s a wash in the end.
This is going on in the motorcycle industry as well. They already fined one of the aftermarket programmer companies and a fuel tank company.
A complaint filed by the public? Im guessing some guy who got caught with non approved parts on his vehicle blamed Jegs for selling them to him? A warning to all aftermarket manufacturers. Move your businesses and jobs out of California and only sell parts that do not affect air pollution in that state. It will be a BIG topic of SEMA this year.
Why not boycott California? I know, absolutely crazy! But other states are a little more lenient on these laws. The whole smog thing I really have a hard time believing that it is all true as to what they tell us. Yes there is tons of smog out there that is not good for the environment, but with all this money being produced off of these epa violators, why couldn’t they start building maybe some air purifying stations that could maybe reduce the carbon footprint? Where does that money go anyways? For research to come up with stupid crazy bullshit we have to believe is true? Some of these mods that are being done are actually improving gas milage and not always for the horsepower side if things. Nox emissions, really? You telling me that there is an emission that will keep you from increasing gas milage? Bullshit! I understand Nox emissions and the damaging effects, but you telling me that they cannot come up with something to eliminate that problem? Bullshit again. I am a believer that there should be an epa to control some of this, but maybe they should stop letting gas companies and other leeches to keep there dirty fingers out of all this shit and let us search for that 30 mpg 500 h.p. v8 everybody dreams of. In the end it’s all about control and the lack of your freedom. Open the eyes and keep them open!
Just one more beaurocracy that needs to be eliminated.
ZEIG HEIL ! ZEIG HEIL ! ….