- MAC OSX
- Member Since: 08 Dec 2016
- Location: Newry
- Posts: 52
DEF system, legal matter.
Perhaps a Legal Eagle can help in this matter.
I have been advised by LR that in the event of a DEF system failure detected by the "System Check in Progress" (not low DEF level) at switch on the engine is prevented from starting.
Reading USA web sites when this has occured on their vehicles the vehicle goes into "limp home mode".
Is the USA interpretation of emissions requirements a bit more lenient than here in the U.K. (EUSSR) or is the LR interpetation unduly strict?
- DieselRanger
- Member Since: 12 Oct 2017
- Location: God's Country, Colorado
- Posts: 766
I believe any emissions failures that happen while driving require the driver maintain some ability to find a safe place to stop, which in the US, particularly west of the Mississippi River, could mean continuing for some time - particularly if faced with inclement weather, or even just weather (e.g., "normal" below-zero F or 100F+ temps...). I did some cursory Googling and couldn't find any specific references to any regulations on this, however.
As far as being able to *start* the vehicle on failing a self-test, I'm not sure that's necessarily allowed all the time, even here. The presumption is, if you were stopped somewhere, and the failure is detected on startup, then you should be relatively safe where you are, otherwise you shouldn't have stopped.
It may have been the case 10 years ago that you would have been allowed, say, ten engine starts to get yourself to your nearest servicing mechanic (my 2010 VW did this), but I'm sure the People's Democratic Republic of California viewed that as an unacceptable affront to the environment - it already views internal combustion engines as an irksome relic of a bygone era that should be tolerated only until such time as our electric vehicle utopia is realized. California sets our automotive environmental policy by default.
