cops pull over for illegal car parts?

Question

My friend drives a honda, and has those racing car parts added to his car. He's been pulled over several times, and has been asked to pop the hood of his car while the cops look to see if he has the illegal parts. He keeps getting the tickets, and getting pulled over.

But I want to know is it legal for a cop to pull you over and check the what's under the hood of your car? If he wasn't doing anything else that would have required him to be pulled over, is this legal? Can he refuse to pop his hood?
Any suggestions for getting around the law (besides taking the car parts out like I've suggested!)

Answer 1

I love the people that answer, aren't cops and have no idea what the law is. The "opinions" of someone who doesnt' really know about laws, and how they are enforced, really are not worth much. If an officer has reasonable suspicion about a vehicle i.e. it has been illegally modified he can stop them. I had a guy contest a ticket for an illegal exhaust. He said "the guy at the auto parts place said it was legal in all 50 states." So what? The fact that it was SO loud that another officer immediately came to where I had it stopped and said "I hope you are also writing them for the exhaust, I could hear it from 3 blocks away it was way too loud."
Then he came to court and tried to impress the judge with his comments, "did the officer have a decibel meter?" "what is the legal decibel limit?" etc. The judge said this state didn't have a set limit like California, but the fact it was modified from the stock exhaust, and was objectionably loud was good enough for him. Plus I admitted that I had only written about 4 tickets for this in 21 years of law enforcement, made it clear it was an outrageously loud system.
If the person doesn't want to let them take a look at the engine and they have already stopped it for illegal equipment means it can be impounded. If it's not legal to drive, they can't drive away in it.
Why not either A: take the "look at me everybody" exhaust, etc. off it? or B: get used to getting tickets and deal with it as a cost of his hobby of street racing and the illegal, reckless things that come with that territory.

Answer 2

Illegal Car Parts

Answer 3

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RE:
cops pull over for illegal car parts?
My friend drives a honda, and has those racing car parts added to his car. He's been pulled over several times, and has been asked to pop the hood of his car while the cops look to see if he has the illegal parts. He keeps getting the tickets, and getting pulled over.

But I want to know is...

Answer 4

You must live in California. Yes your friend has several options. He can get an attorney. He can refuse to have his car searched and then impounded. He can get the names of the officers involved and file a complaint. But he should probably stop driving illegal modified vehicles on the road. If it’s a race car then it needs to be on a race track delivered on a trailer. If he just tries to make it look like a race car and there really is nothing else then I would just go down to the police station with parents and ask them to stop harassing him. But don't be an a-- about it. Most police usually understand if you have a good attitude. The ones that aren't don't deserve to be police and you should complain about them and appreciate the good ones. Just don't try to fight the law unless you have money.

Answer 5

The officer must be certified to determine engine modifications that are for off road use only. If they are not certified the ticket is invalid. Furthermore, the officer must have probable cause for looking under the hood, like the sound of the turbo "sneeze" out of open ended waste gates or idle lopping engines with wild camshafts in them. Loud exhaust is not a valid probable cause to look under a hood because it is just a loud exhaust violation.

The way around it is to run very quiet exhaust system and have an open dump valve(s) whereby you can release the exaust before the mufflers when racing. Wide open exhaust is very effective in gaining power. Just pull the cable as soon as you take off, and push it back in after you've finished

Answer 6

Your friend disposed of the car, or parts of it, when he did not own it and without your permission. The fact that you had lent the car to him is irrelevant. There is no such thing in the UK as grand theft auto. That is a video game. The crime is theft under Section 1 of the Theft Act 1968. He should be reported to the police who must investigate the report and charge him when they have the necessary evidence. If a policeman told you that no crime was comitted because you loaned the car to him then that is false advice. If you are not in the UK then please clock on your national flag at the bottom of the screen and follow the instructions to restrict your questions to your own country and not All English. Then you will get relevant answers to your own legal system and not clutter up our pages.

Answer 7

They can pull you over simply for 'looking illegal'. "Probable cause" is all the law requires of them to make their move, which is to inspect to see if they're right.
If the engine is loud, put a silencing cone in the exhaust system to quiet it down (Jegs or Summit makes/has them). Other than that, make the vehicle look tamer, not like a racing machine.

Answer 8

Actually if he has replaced parts that are not Legal for use on a car that has to pass the emissions test ,or does not have the tags in the engine compartment stating that the parts have been approved by the government. Id say there in there full right

Answer 9

He oughta tell the cops that his hood release is broke & maybe keep a little container of grease in the car.If he gets pulled over,put it on the lever. Tell the cop ' go ahead & try it'. Ha

Answer 10

If the stuff your friend is doing to his car is illegal according to the state laws where he lives, they should beat him down like Rodney King, because he too is a moron.