Commercial trucks with removed or altered emissions devices is a topic that greatly concerns truck dealers, as shown by the turnout last week for a Used Truck Association (UTA) webinar on emissions tampering.
Led by Evan Belser, chief, vehicle and engine enforcement branch at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), last Thursday’s webinar had more than 500 attendees — the most in UTA webinar history. During the one-hour event, Belser defined emission defeat devices and what can constitute tampering. He then discussed the civil and criminal penalties dealers may face if they knowingly alter, or sell vehicles with altered or removed emissions equipment.
From there, UTA states Belser provided some examples of emission defeat devices and tampering, which dealers need to watch out for:
- Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) deleted on commercial trucks.
- Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) systems and hardware deleted.
- Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) deleted or rendered ineffective hardware and software.
- Onboard Diagnostic (ODB) equipment altered to allow emissions defeat, and removing devices to work without shutting down the truck, or registering check engine lights.
- Software and hardware devices that reduce or render ineffective emission devices.
Belser and Bobby Williams, UTA’s vice president, also stressed that truck dealers and truckers need to check their state laws regarding truck emissions. Many states have such laws, with penalties for modifying commercial vehicle emissions systems.
“Every time I looked more people were signing on to this webinar. We’re really glad so many people attended,” says Amy Shahan, training committee chair for the UTA.
“This was awesome,” adds Williams. “At last year’s UTA Convention in Las Vegas people stayed for the EPA’s presentation about emissions, rather than go out on the town! Truckers and truck dealers need to be careful here, and not try to modify truck emissions systems.
“People really wanted to hear this. On behalf of the UTA, we thank Evan Belser and the EPA for providing this webinar.”
