Ticket for "Loud Muffler"
02-17-2010, 05:49 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: College Station, Texas
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Ticket for "Loud Muffler"
I live in Texas and was pulled over by a cop for having a "loud muffler."
Now, in Houston, I'd say almost 10% of all cars have modified/replaced their stock muffler. I find it ridiculous that this could actually be a law.
In fact, I was pulled over a month ago due to a rear license plate light that was out. Nothing about the muffler was mentioned. I did the research myself and found the law regarding it. It is quite ambiguous as who is to say what is excessive? And also, the way I read it, it says a car should have a muffler IN ORDER TO prevent excessive noise. Well... I have a muffler..
§ 547.604. MUFFLER REQUIRED. (a) A motor vehicle shall
be equipped with a muffler in good working condition that
continually operates to prevent excessive or unusual noise.
(b) A person may not use a muffler cutout, bypass, or
similar device on a motor vehicle.
So what do y'all think? Is it justified or should I fight it?
Background: I have not modified it in any way or manner. It is a flowmaster super 40 (pretty sure) and it has the CAT and everything that should be there so that removes part B from the equation. So yes it emits a low rumble, nothing I'd call excessive compared to some of the fart cans I hear on the "ricers."
Now, in Houston, I'd say almost 10% of all cars have modified/replaced their stock muffler. I find it ridiculous that this could actually be a law.
In fact, I was pulled over a month ago due to a rear license plate light that was out. Nothing about the muffler was mentioned. I did the research myself and found the law regarding it. It is quite ambiguous as who is to say what is excessive? And also, the way I read it, it says a car should have a muffler IN ORDER TO prevent excessive noise. Well... I have a muffler..
§ 547.604. MUFFLER REQUIRED. (a) A motor vehicle shall
be equipped with a muffler in good working condition that
continually operates to prevent excessive or unusual noise.
(b) A person may not use a muffler cutout, bypass, or
similar device on a motor vehicle.
So what do y'all think? Is it justified or should I fight it?
Background: I have not modified it in any way or manner. It is a flowmaster super 40 (pretty sure) and it has the CAT and everything that should be there so that removes part B from the equation. So yes it emits a low rumble, nothing I'd call excessive compared to some of the fart cans I hear on the "ricers."
02-17-2010, 05:55 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 775
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 HO
I don't know about Texas, but here (Arizona) if you get a ticket for "excessive noise" you can have it tested at a special emissions station, and if they deem it within paramaters (something like 80db at idle, 98 at WOT, taken with a sensor placed 50 feet back, 45 degrees offset, from the rear of the vehicle... it's extremely specific) the ticket is nullified...
Call them and ask...
Call them and ask...
02-17-2010, 06:02 PM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: College Station, Texas
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I don't know about Texas, but here (Arizona) if you get a ticket for "excessive noise" you can have it tested at a special emissions station, and if they deem it within paramaters (something like 80db at idle, 98 at WOT, taken with a sensor placed 50 feet back, 45 degrees offset, from the rear of the vehicle... it's extremely specific) the ticket is nullified...
Call them and ask...
Call them and ask...
02-17-2010, 08:29 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Mt. Iron, MN
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 96 Limited ZJ
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2 w/mods
I would test your exhaust. My friends 88 Chevy 350 with true duals, no cats, and dual FM40's is 80db at idle.
My old exhaust set up on my ZJ, everything stock minus a muffler, was tested to be 76db at idle.
My old exhaust set up on my ZJ, everything stock minus a muffler, was tested to be 76db at idle.
Last edited by country_boy454; 02-17-2010 at 08:33 PM.
02-17-2010, 08:45 PM
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: College Station, Texas
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I would test your exhaust. My friends 88 Chevy 350 with true duals, no cats, and dual FM40's is 80db at idle.
My old exhaust set up on my ZJ, everything stock minus a muffler, was tested to be 76db at idle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VirrCmTtgQA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A35076ZlBjY
My old exhaust set up on my ZJ, everything stock minus a muffler, was tested to be 76db at idle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VirrCmTtgQA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A35076ZlBjY
02-17-2010, 10:18 PM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: AK
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: '00wj, '90mj, '87mj, '86mj trailer
Engine: 4.0, 4.0, 4.0, none
i have no muffler... down pipe after cat. i get pulled over pretty often for other bs reasons ( hmmm, havent been ticketed in a while tho.... knocking on wood) and i find turning the ignition off keeps the jeep from being too loud....
Trending Topics
02-17-2010, 10:35 PM
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: College Station, Texas
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
02-20-2010, 06:31 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: MI
Posts: 712
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Muffler laws are open for debate and officer's discretion. One officer may say it is too loud, while another may say it is okay. Like the second poster said, have it tested. The subsection that you quoted specifies 'in good working condition that continually operates to prevent excessive or unusual noise', unfortunately the officer felt that the muffler is too loud. The license plate light - that's usually a "I'm stopping this vehicle for an equipment violation so I can check them out" stop. Good luck with the test, let us know what happens!
02-21-2010, 11:40 AM
#11
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: College Station, Texas
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Conclusion
Alrighty, so I went to court this week and showed some pictures to the judge of my muffler. He dismissed it without hesitation. It seems like as long as your muffler is not tampered with then it's okay in Texas.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.
02-21-2010, 12:00 PM
#12
CF Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tenn. and Mich.
Posts: 28,068
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes
on
6 Posts
Year: 2004
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.7L V8
Alrighty, so I went to court this week and showed some pictures to the judge of my muffler. He dismissed it without hesitation. It seems like as long as your muffler is not tampered with then it's okay in Texas.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.
02-21-2010, 12:06 PM
#13
CF Veteran
Alrighty, so I went to court this week and showed some pictures to the judge of my muffler. He dismissed it without hesitation. It seems like as long as your muffler is not tampered with then it's okay in Texas.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.
02-21-2010, 01:15 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Mt. Iron, MN
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 96 Limited ZJ
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 5.2 w/mods
Alrighty, so I went to court this week and showed some pictures to the judge of my muffler. He dismissed it without hesitation. It seems like as long as your muffler is not tampered with then it's okay in Texas.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.
What gets me mad is that the officer who wrote the ticket never once looked under my car.