August 2022 - Successful California Registration

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Porkcutletfritter

New Member
Hi All,

Just wanted to give some hope to Californians out there hoping to register.

I just got my plates today after 3 months of having my 1992 L300 Diesel. I live in LA.

There’s a couple things I noticed in other threads about this that I didn’t have the information about, so I’ll cover them.

1. I bought my car from delicausa.com I had a pretty good experience with Michael. He’s always willing to help. I didn’t know the right questions to ask when it came to shipping though.
2. Pennsylvania made a mistake on my original title and put the fuel type as gasoline. BE SURE to get it corrected if this happens to you. One of the issues with DMV title issuance and registration was that gas cars are subject to smog check. The dealer fixed this for me and paid the correction fee. It took 6 weeks to get the corrected title. So be sure to get this corrected right away. The only time TCS/modifications/testing were ever mentioned was when my title said my car was gas powered instead of diesel.
3. I used a private vin verifier/dmv agent in LA. Called CA Registration on Olympic Blvd. the guy was really kind. The first time I sent off the info, I didn’t show him both vin plates. The DMV rejected his verification initially because it needed 2 locations. Otherwise they will refer you to CHP. Be sure they get pics of both spots. Side door and between drivers legs.
4. Arm your DMV agent with knowledge about the regulations. A 25+ year old import does not need to conform to FMVSS standards by federal regulation. One of the boxes on the form asks if this sticker (certificate of compliance) agrees with vin or is missing. Your importer probably did not attempt to attain this sticker because it isn’t required. The DMV might try to send you to CHP to have it inspected. But I didn’t need to. I’m not sure if my vin verifier checked the missing box or just checked the box for agreed with Vin. But we did not end up needing CHP inspection.
5. I drove all the way up to the Daly City Mitsubishi dealer to get the modification sticker to show the engine was compliant with EPA and CARB emissions standards.
The sticker reads:
Part No: MD136892-A
TSB: Eng: N/A; A/T: N/A
Vendor Code: Mitsubishi Motors Corp
Dealer Code: 05473
ROM ID#: Eng: 4D56T; A/T: V4AW2
And it has the date affixed
Attempting to upload. Idk if I’m too new a member to the forums.
It cost $100 cash only. Diesel prices going up and down the 5 sucked.. Kettleman city is awful. Definitely get gas before then or after then each way.
6. Some DMV agents don’t understand the rule for pre-1997 diesel smog check exemptions. The DMV rejected my DMV agent saying the car needed smog check. I called the ref, they said I do not need a smog check and with that info, I went back to my DMV agent and urged them to get the DMV to check their own web site.

I’m going to do my part and see if I can show the Mitsubishi dealers in SoCal the sticker and have them become certified to affix them. I don’t wish the drive on anyone. But the people up there were easy and knew exactly what to do. It took less than a minute. Bring cash.
 

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Ooof, wish I’d seen this before going in today. The agent incorrectly labeled my 4D56 a gas engine and subjected me to smog. The on-site VIN verifier directed me to CHP to get a federal certification label even though she saw both VIN locations. Was she wrong on this? Do I just need to go back and argue my case?
 
connorwhite.online said:
Ooof, wish I’d seen this before going in today. The agent incorrectly labeled my 4D56 a gas engine and subjected me to smog. The on-site VIN verifier directed me to CHP to get a federal certification label even though she saw both VIN locations. Was she wrong on this? Do I just need to go back and argue my case?
Click to expand...
Do you at least have the emissions sticker?
She’s not wrong on it, but it’s not exactly clear that she’s right either in the law. The vin verification form allows for “other”explanations on why the federal emissions sticker is missing, and personally I think it makes sense to try to argue the import law to say that it’s not required.

But definitely check your title, make sure it says diesel, and get that emissions compliance sticker from Mitsubishi.
 
connorwhite.online said:
Ooof, wish I’d seen this before going in today. The agent incorrectly labeled my 4D56 a gas engine and subjected me to smog. The on-site VIN verifier directed me to CHP to get a federal certification label even though she saw both VIN locations. Was she wrong on this? Do I just need to go back and argue my case?
Click to expand...
I had the same issue that my diesel Delica was listed as Gas on the DMV paperwork when they did a VIN verification, but they fixed that when I showed them it. But, you will need at least the emissions sticker, cuz although you do not have to conform to smog tests as a pre-97 diesel. You must conform to EPA for the year of your manufacture.
 
DMV/CHP use to accept the Emissions Exception sticker you can get at Mitsubishi. BUT they no longer do, as they are now looking for the U.S. Catalyst emissions sticker under the hood which never existed in any non-U.S. market vehicle. IF you get lucky, the person that is doing the VIN verification may mark on box 9 where it says you're vehicle meets CA and US EPA standards. BUT you can still get flagged at Sacramento and will require further inspections. Doesn't matter it's a diesel.
 
connorwhite.online said:
@Porkcutletfritter @sck_nogas
So the emissions sticker is available from any Mitsubishi dealer or you need to send out for it?
I stumbled upon REG 256F and thought it might be a loop-hole if you have an out-of-state title already. Would love another set of eyes on that.
Click to expand...
Well, the form for REG 256F states... "A vehicle originally manufactured for sale in any state except California. Odometer reading less than 7,500 miles on the date purchased or acquired. Meets federal emission standards only."

So, that means that it's a vehicle that has under 7,500 miles on the odometer AND that the vehicle meets Federal emission standards.

A JDM import does not have a certification that it has met the federal emission standards. Thus, you'd need to get it "certified" which means...
  1. Going to a Mitsubishi Dealer like Daly City Mitsubishi (who has done this in the past) and getting the MD136892-A sticker affixed (though kenleung98 is saying that CA DMV no longer accepts that sticker)
  2. Going to a California and Federal Certified Emission Testing Laboratory and having them do the certification/modification.
  3. There is no option 3. :(
 
sck_nogas said:
Well, the form for REG 256F states... "A vehicle originally manufactured for sale in any state except California. Odometer reading less than 7,500 miles on the date purchased or acquired. Meets federal emission standards only."

So, that means that it's a vehicle that has under 7,500 miles on the odometer AND that the vehicle meets Federal emission standards.

A JDM import does not have a certification that it has met the federal emission standards. Thus, you'd need to get it "certified" which means...
  1. Going to a Mitsubishi Dealer like Daly City Mitsubishi (who has done this in the past) and getting the MD136892-A sticker affixed (though kenleung98 is saying that CA DMV no longer accepts that sticker)
  2. Going to a California and Federal Certified Emission Testing Laboratory and having them do the certification/modification.
  3. There is no option 3. :(
Click to expand...
Ah shoot, I overlooked that. Thanks for clarification @sck_nogas
 
Hey, OP. Did you get the title as well, or just the plates?

Who did you work with at Daly City Mitsubishi? Seems worthwhile to get my hands on that sticker, and I'm in that area somewhat regularly.
 
FNKYDEL said:
Hey, OP. Did you get the title as well, or just the plates?

Who did you work with at Daly City Mitsubishi? Seems worthwhile to get my hands on that sticker, and I'm in that area somewhat regularly.
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I got the title yes. I can’t remember her name, but you can basically drive up with $100 cash and they can do it for you.
 
Christopher cooper said:
where do the two labels go on a L300?
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If you are talking about the MD136892-A emissions sticker from a Mitsubishi dealer or the CARB certification of compliance sticker?

In either case they go underneath the passenger seat near the battery on the open flat spot near the engine bay.
 
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