Will this car pass the emissions standards in CA? I looked under the hood for the 49/50 emission sticker but did not see it. I know the car has a catalytic converter but I have gotten several check engine codes related to that over the years.
Answer:
There is a difference with California legal and Federal legal emission requirements. However if your Mazda 626 has not had it's emissions system tampered, the check engine light is not on, there are no pending check engine light trouble codes, and its emissions fall below California emission cut scores for HC, CO and NO, it can pass the California smog check and register with the CA DMV. It is not necessary that the emissions system be equipped with California required emissions components because the vehicle is used. A new vehicle on the other hand must be California (50-State) emissions equipped in order to obtain California registration.
A well maintained used vehicle should produce emissions below California emission cut scores. You can look up the maximum emission limits for your Mazda 626 of all years by following the link below.