Are we sure a car from MD is CARB Approved and Pass Smog in CA?

FWIW, I believe hybrids are still currently exempt from CA smog tests (Hybrid-Electric Vehicles Exempted From Initial Smog Check and
Smog Information
). I didn't have to have my CA bought (in 06) Prius CA tested when I brought it back into CA after residing in WA and having it registered in WA state for about a year.

As for outside CA cars and CA smog tests, FWIW, I bought my former 02 Nissan Maxima and 04 350Z (both new) in WA state when I was living there. I brought them into CA when I moved back and was required to get them smog tested before registering them in CA. They both passed w/o any issue.

Are you in CA now? If so, I'd advise that you don't buy that car but instead one that was bought in and registered in CA (or CARB states) so that you get the benefit of the 10 year/150K mile HV battery warranty, 15 year/150K mile emissions warranty, etc.

 

On sticker it says it is certified in all 50 states.

 

For the OP, one should be able see the warranty I'm talking about by going to Toyota Online Owners Manuals and Technical Manuals and selecting 2012 Prius or 2012 Prius PHV (whichever car is tis) in the upper right then downloading the warranty guide...

I did some more thinking... are you buying this new? Is it from a CA dealer or another state, like MD? Will be registered initially in CA or another state?

 

Maryland is a CARB state, since 2007, taking effect in Model Year 2011.

26.11.34.03

"The purpose of this chapter is to implement the requirements of the Maryland Clean Cars Act of 2007 by establishing regulations implementing California's motor vehicle emission standards"


26.11.34.01

 

Ahhh! Thanks. I do notice that mention of Maryland in the '12 Prius PHV (PiP) warranty booklet.

 

two things to clear up here:
–Prius has been a 50-state vehicle since day 1. This applies to all models of the Prius.
–The emissions warranty is determined by the state of registration and operation, not the state of purchase
cwerdna: note that WA has been a CARB state for years, so it's not surprising that it passed CA smog without issue. also, while hybrids are in fact exempt, they must still be 50-state vehicles. i.e. it's possible that a LEV hybrid would be exempt but wouldn't be registerable in CA due to its high emissions (but i don't know if any such vehicles actually exist)

 

please tell me you're not seriously trusting the dealer to tell you anything?

 

here's the warranty booklet. MD is one of the states.

 

If the above is true, it is unlikely to have helped the cars I bought in new 01 and 03 (02 Maxima, 04 350Z) in WA state.

We'd been thru this before re: earlier years. Example threads:
2006 Prius battery warranty CARB State | Page 2 | PriusChat
2006 Prius battery warranty CARB State | PriusChat,
CARB - Why are PA and WA different | PriusChat

FWIW, when I moved from WA to back to CA in late 04, I was concerned that my 02 Maxima and 04 350Z (both purchased in WA) might not pass the CA smog test. They passed w/no issue.

From Washington Clean Car Information, it looks like WA state's stricter emissions didn't start until model year 09.

 

CARB regulations apply to new vehicles only. A new vehicle is one which has less than 7500 miles at the time of purchase by a California resident. You weren't a California resident at the time of purchase, so the stuff doesn't apply to you anyway.

Before Buying a Vehicle From Out of State - Be Sure You Can Register It in California FFVR 29

 

^^^
Unfortunately, I don't any pics of the underhood stickers from those two cars bought outside in question so I don't know if they were actually 50 state cars or <=49 state cars.

Are you saying that cars brought in from outside CA by non-CA residents are therefore given an easier smog test? I was required to get those two cars smog tested when I brought them into CA, in order to register them w/the CA DMV.

(My Prius that I bought new in January 06 in CA, that later went to WA and came back to CA didn't require any CA smog tests because hybrids are still exempt from that.)

 

Just a reminder to other readers that WA and PA are only partial-CARB states, which is why the warranty book lists them separately from the other CARB states.

At least that is how both my Liftbacks were rated, I haven't seen the warranties for the PIP / 'c' / 'v'.

 

That's worth repeating so I quoted it. It doesn't matter what a car dealer or manufacturer or someone on the Intertubes says, read Lensoverts link carefully.

 

Yea, used cars brought into the state by nonresidents get a different smog test.
It's kind of interesting to find this out now, because my dad had traded in his Nissan Sentra for an 04 Prius back in 2004 because he thought the Sentra wouldn't pass CA smog (he knew we were going to move already).

 

Wikipedia could easily be out of date.
Given that the warranty booklet that comes with the car should be more or less the final word, I think you're good to go. …

 

It might be a good idea to have a CARB FAQ sticky in the ENVIRO thread.
One thing I am confused about if Northern Virginia is now CARB...saw that somewhere.