While PedalMAX has been around since 2013, CARB has finally approved the plug-and-play throttle enhancer for the 2008 and up Wrangler and new Gladiator.

For us here in the state of California, we’re governed strictly on what exactly we can install and modify our vehicle’s engine. This approval comes from the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, and an Executive Order (EO) that gives the owner approval for installing anything that modifies the way the engine performs.

Perhaps, unsurprisingly for some while surprising to those outside of the Golden State, this includes anything that connects between the drive-by-wire throttle body and the throttle pedal. That means that, in order to get a better throttle response and “feel,” we need a “throttle enhancement device” that comes with an EO number. Just recently, JMS Chip and Performance received EO approvals for some of its PedalMAX devices, including two versions for the 2008 to 2020 Jeep Wrangler and the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.

Again, for those of you readers outside of the state, you’re probably wondering why this is needed at all. It doesn’t change emissions and it certainly doesn’t do anything except change the rate the throttle body opens in response to the throttle pedal demand. We spoke with JMS Chip and Performance Vice President of Business Development, Brent Fenimore, for some background on this requirement. “Unfortunately, the laws requiring an EO are not simply applied to ECU mapping alterations,” he explained. “They apply to everything from the exhaust, modified cams, air filters, and superchargers, just to name a few.”

Even though the PedalMAX has been around since 2013, there is still a lengthy process that JMS must go through in order to get its EO approvals. At least where there are dissimilarities, sometimes the same EO number can be used for the same engine between two vehicles or multiple engines between multiple vehicles if the device works the same between them. That’s why this EO number, d-816-4, is for both the 2008 to 2020 Wrangler and the 2020 Gladiator for their 3.6-liter V6, 3.8-liter V6, and 2.0-Liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines.

The standards and criteria for the EO process haven’t changed in those seven years but, “CARB is working to finalize a fast track program that will reduce the lead time from submission to approval,” said Fenimore. Hopefully, this will allow aftermarket developers to expedite the process over what we see now from CARB.

There are two versions of the PedalMAX for the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator. First, a standard version that allows the driver to change the throttle curve – those are part numbers that begin with “PX” – and the Terrain version – part numbers with “RC” at the beginning – that work best for rock crawlers. This allows for speed governing for inexperienced drivers, and increasing or even decreasing pedal response for experienced drivers. As Fenimore pointed out, “Jeep owners love what our PedalMAX does to improve and control throttle response. While we continue to develop products to improve driver control in rough-terrain and off-road driving conditions, our goal is to always strive to build top-shelf products with unmatched quality and durability.”

Check out more from JMS Chip and Performance here.