United States Office of
Environmental Protection Public Affairs (A-107)
Agency Washington DC 20460
&EPA Environmental News
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1988
Martha Casey (202) 382-4378
1987 MOTOR Results of the U.S. Environmental Protection
VEHICLE SURVEY
SHOWS TAMPERING Agency's 1987 Motor Vehicle Tampering Survey show signi-
REDUCTION
ficant reductions in catalytic-converter tampering and
fuel switching in areas that include visual checks for
these items in their vehicle-emissions-inspection
programs.
Many states and localities have adopted vehicle-
inspection programs to comply with certain Clean Air Act
requirements. Local programs include inspection and
maintenance programs (I/M) which test tailpipe idle
emissions and anti-tampering programs (ATPs) where
the emission-control components are visually inspected
for evidence of tampering and fuel switching. Tam-
pering among vehicles not covered by either of these
programs was 32 percent, compared to 20, 18, and 16
percent for those vehicles covered by I/M-only, ATP-only
or I/M plus ATP respectively.
Lee M. Thomas, EPA Administrator said, "These data
demonstrate the continued importance of state and local
anti-tampering inspection programs especially in areas
that fail to meet the national ozone and carbon monoxide
air-quality standards. The results also are encouraging
since they show that there can be significant and direct
benefits achieved by effectively implementing anti-
tampering programs."
There are currently 42 operating ATPs in 22 states
covering approximately 25 percent of the nation's light-
duty fleet. These programs range from roadside pull-ove
inspections covering one percent of the fleet to annual
inspection programs covering the entire local fleet.
Model-year coverage and selection of emission-control
devices for inspection vary depending upon local program
regulations.
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Sites were selected for the 1987 tampering survey based on the need
to evaluate control-program effectiveness instead of the desire to method-
ically sample the^B.S. vehicle population. Fourteen of the 15 cities in
the 1987 survey, eoaprising 91 percent of the survey sample, have an I/M
and/or ATP even tHoagh less than 40 percent of the vehicles nationwide
are subject to such programs. Even this heavily weighted survey sample
retains an overall tampering rate of 19 percent. Also, one-third of the
surveyed vehicles displayed some form of malfunction, possible tampering
or definite tampering of emission-control components.
Thomas added, "Tampering rates remain at an unacceptably high level.
Motor vehicles with tampered emission-control devices are a major environ-
mental problem and a prominent source of urban air pollution. Our efforts
to bring non-attainment areas into compliance are being hampered by the
high degree of tampering."
The survey also found that 14 percent of the unleaded vehicles not
covered by an I/M and/or ATP had been misfueled with leaded gasoline.
Fuel switching among vehicles in I/M-only, ATP-only and I/M + ATP areas
was nine, five and five percent respectively. Motorists who use leaded
gasoline in a vehicle that requires unleaded gasoline actually end up
spending extra money, even though leaded gasoline may be slightly cheaper
at the pump. Fuel switching leads to more frequent repairs and tune-ups
and accelerates engine deterioration.
The most serious, persistent environmental problems associated with
emission-control-device tampering and fuel switching are ozone and carbon
monoxide (CO) emissions. A major element of urban smog, ozone is formed
when volatile organic compounds from gasoline vapors, solvents and other
hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with sunlight and high
temperatures. Ozone can cause various adverse effects on the human body,
such as impaired pulmonary functions, symptomatic effects (such as cough,
shortness of breath and chest pain) and aggravation of pre-existing
respiratory disease. In addition to these health effects, ozone has been
shown to cause crop-yield reductions, forest injury and damage to materials
like rubber and dyes. The primary health concerns associated with CO are
cardiovascular effects, in particular, aggravation of angina symptoms, and
effects on the central nervous system. The agency's recently released
air-quality-trends data showed that ozone and CO non-attainment continues
to be one of the nation's major environmental problems.
Tampering antf aisfueling can cause dramatic increases in emissions of
HC, CO and NOx. jtofcor vehicle emissions in urban areas account for nearly
60 percent of the^otal CO and 40 percent of the airborne lead emitted into
the atmosphere annually. Studies show that removing a catalytic converter
or ruining it by using leaded instead of unleaded fuel can increase HC
emissions about 500 percent and CO emissions about 400 percent per vehicle.
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Tampering with specific components of the emission-control system has
been identified as a problem since 1978, when EPA conducted its first
tampering survey. The 1987 report concluded that catalytic-converter
tampering is much lower on vehicles covered by converter-inspection programs
(two percent vs. 1-0 percent), and the effectiveness of inspection programs
is particularly noticeable among the oldest vehicles surveyed (vehicles
that are most likely to be tampered with).
*-=
EPA's 1987 survey found that air-pump systems were the most frequently
tampered with components (eight percent). Air-pump tampering ranged from
two percent in Charlotte, N.C., to 18 percent in Miami. Tampering with the
air-pump system can increase HC emissions up to 200 percent and CO emissions
up to 800 percent.
Since the 1968 model year, emission-control devices have been installed
on light-duty trucks and passenger cars. The 1977 Amendments to the Clean
Air Act made it illegal for any automobile dealer, or repair or service
facility to disconnect or tamper with emission-control devices. EPA
enforcement teams inspect car dealers, automobile repair faciities,
muffler shops and other facilities that may remove or tamper with emission-
control equipment. A maximum civil penalty of $10,000 per vehicle can be
levied against new car dealers and manufacturers. Commerical repair
facilities and fleet operators are subject to a maximum penalty of $2,500.
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TABLE 1
1987 Tampering Survey Summary
Survey Number of Tampering Misfueling Survey Refusal
Location Vehicles Rate (%) Rate (%) Type* Rate (%)
Miami, FL 450 23 4 R
El Paso, TX 500 26 9 R
Houston, TX 500 23 7 R
Dallas, TX 508 19 9 R
Tulsa, OK 500 20 10 R
Maryland
(DC Suburbs) 450 12 2 R
Newark, NJ 431 17 4 R 8
Charlotte, NC 600 15 5 R 0
Nashville, TN 505 20 10 R 3
Atlanta, GA 531 15 4 R 9
Spokane, WA 382 19 8 C 3
Portland, OR 531 8 3 R 9
Fresno, 6A 500 21 12 R 2
New Orleans, LA 500 23 7 C 2
Covington, KY 500 19 7 R 3
OVERALL 7 ,'388 19 7.4
*R = roadside pullovers, C = centralized inspection stations
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TABLE 2
Prevalence of Tampering by Component
Component/System
Catalytic Converter
Filler Neck
Restri ctor
Air Pump System
Air Pump Belt
Air Pump/Valve
Aspi rator*
PCV System
Evaporative
Control System
EGR System
EGR Control Valve
EGR Sensor
Heated Air Intake
Oxygen Sensor
Computer System
Tampering
Rate {%)
4
6
8
7
5
2
5
5
6
5
4
2
1
1
* Vehicles with aspirated air systems are not equipped with
other listed air-injection components, nor do conventional
systems include aspirators.
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