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PASSING EMISSIONS TEST

How can my car pass the emission test? This is probably the second most asked question we receive. If you want to jump ahead to "How To Pass the Emissions Test" tips... scroll to the bottom.

We can give you... the best advice to improve your chances of passing the emissions test however none of these tips will help, if... proper and timely maintenance of your vehicle has not been practiced, and no one can promise you otherwise.

It is pertinent that your vehicle be regularly maintained in order to pass the emissions test. Passing the emissions test requires you not to wait for a problem to develop in order to seek emissions repairs. Instead, perform regular scheduled maintenance, oil changes, filter replacements, so on, and allow an emissions technician to find potential problems before they become apparent to you, and pass the emissions test the first time.

This way, you won't be surprised by these faults and failures, when they are presented to you by a smog technician, during the emissions test.

Unless you planned ahead, and began working on getting your vehicle to pass the emission test for some time in advance of any DMV deadlines, chances are if you run into any trouble, you will be pressed for time and more then likey, money. Not a good feeling, specially if you're a vehicle owner who never suspected their vehicle would have trouble passing the emissions test.

Tested As-Is: California emissions standards require technicians perform smog inspections on vehicles exactly as they are driven into the smog station. No adjustment or repair can be conducted, unless specifically requested by the vehicle's owner in advance.

Except for insuring proper engine temperature, a smog technician can not and is not allowed to refuse inspection of a vehicle based on knowing the vehicle will not pass the emissions test due to any pre-existing circumstance/s, whether those be an illuminated check engine light, disconnect vacuum hose/s, missing smog components, or any other emissions failure which will stop a vehicle from passing the test.

The emissions technician must perform the emissions test and not pass the vehicle. This is part of California's State Emission Laws. You may want to ask for a pretest. All smog stations offer this service usually for a small fee; much less then the actual cost of the complete emissions test.

Miles:

Which Type Should I Choose?

Emissions Inspection
The Visual Inspection
The Functional Inspection

PASSING EMISSIONS TEST - 7 TIPS THAT WILL HELP YOU PASS THE EMISSIONS TEST

1. Running Right - Do not get an emissions test if you suspect your vehicle is not driving, running or functioning properly. Consider this, many vehicle's do not pass the emissions test although their owners never suspected any problems. They're simply shocked when they find out. Now, if your vehicle is already experiencing obvious problems, don't waste time or money on a smog check. More then likely it will not pass the emissions test and you will lose your inspection fee. Seek repair assistance first. This will insure your vehicle passes the emissions test the first time. Plan ahead.

2. Nice Day - Try to pick a nice day to have your vehicle tested. This will help your car pass the emissions test. Avoid the rain. Let us point out a few problems with rainy days. Your vehicle (assuming it's registered in one of the larger counties in California) will need to be driven on a dynamometer during the emissions test. Obviously when wet, your car's tires will be slipping and losing traction as the smog technician tries to maintain required test speeds. Unstable engine and drivetrain torque is not the best conditioning your vehicle should receive if you plan on getting passing emissions test results. You want your vehicle's engine running super comfortable, not high stress. This is not to say you can't get a passing emissions test on a rainy day, certainly not. The smog machine has a "dry tires" mode, which will dry your vehicle's tires before the test. However as we mentioned, you don't want to place any extra strain on the engine before or during the emissions test.

3. Take a Drive - Drive your vehicle for at least 20 minutes prior to arriving at the smog station. This will ensure your coolant, oil, and catalytic converter reach and maintain optimum operating temperature. This will help your vehicle pass the emissions test as well. Remember your engine is a fuel burning machine. To ensure a passing emissions test and adequate combustion it needs to have sufficient time to warm-up and this can be accomplished through driving for at least 10 to 15 miles. Emission test standards require a smog check technician to ensure a vehicle is at proper operating temperatures prior to administering the emissions test, however this is one conditioning that will help pass the emissions test which you can perform as well.

4. Use Additives - The use of fuel additives can be very helpful in lowering emission levels, and helping your car, truck, van or SUV pass the emissions inspection. Fuel additives are generally poured into a vehicle's gas tank during fuel refilling. The additive is mixed with ordinary fuel. The purpose is to clean carbon deposits within your engine's intake and exhaust paths, allowing for both fuel and air to flow freely within its passages, thus lowering emission levels, improving combustion, increasing overall engine performance, and helping you pass the emission test. These types of products offer helpful solutions to various vehicle emission and smog test problems.

5. Inflate Tires - As mentioned above, during the smog inspection the smog technician may need to drive your vehicle on a dynamometer. Insuring your vehicle's tire pressures are even and correct will help you pass the emissions test. Correct tire pressure will allow the vehicle to be driven with greater stability and control during the emissions test. This will greatly improve your chances of passing the emission test by allowing the engine to maintain a constant and steady load. Accurate tire pressure (as required by the tire and vehicle manufacturer) may be the deciding factor between a borderline vehicle passing or not passing the emissions test.

6. Check Engine Light Off - Check engine light should not be on. As discussed in our Functional Test page, an illuminated check engine light will cause your vehicle to not pass the emissions test automatically. A certified emissions repair shop can use a trouble code retrieval tool to extract trouble code data from the ECU and perform neccessary repairs to turn the light off.

7. Change Engine Oil - If you haven't performed an oil change within the last 5,000 miles, go ahead and do it before the emissions test. This will assist in getting passing emission test results. Your vehicle's Positive Crank Ventilation (PCV) system is designed to allow the engine to breath fumes from the oil compartments. The fumes are then burned through the combustion process. If the oil in your engine is contaminated due to inadequate oil changes it may very well cause your vehicle to fail the emissions test. Contaminated oils are high in Hydrocarbons (HC) and will present a rich mixture to the combustion chambers. Not performing regularly required oil and filter changes not only causes premature engine wear but can also cause your vehicle to not pass the emissions inspection.