kg_75

Hi all!

I've owned my 2006 Cayman S (photo attached) since 2013 but, somehow, I'm only getting around to joining this community now! Looking forward to exchanging and learning.

I've done several searches but haven't been able to find anything current for my "issue", thus the new thread here.

My CS has been through smog multiple times now with no issues and I just had the major maintenance performed 10 days ago. Took the car for the Smog check on Friday and after only a few seconds the technician told me it failed. The document lists the following:

- Secondary Air system - Not ready
- Evaporative system - Not ready

For background, I had to charge the battery back in November after the car sat for over a month. It wasn't dead, lights came on, dash was on, infotainment, etc...just wouldn't ignite. Since then I've driven a few hundred miles and don't have any issues with the battery or startup.

The smog shop gave me a very basic "universal drive cycle" document for all reference and told me they have an 80% success rate with it. I proceeded to start online searches about the problem and ordered my own OBDII to be able to monitor those readings (I'm not paying those guys repeated money for that...). I found a Porsche drive cycle and several threads from ~2012, but not what I would say is a current or definitive solution.

I attempted the drive cycle yesterday night. I'm sure those who have, like me, done this in the LA area can attest to the fact that it's both quasi-impossible and extremely unsafe. There's basically nowhere that you can drive 20-30MPH continuously for over 3 mins and driving 50-60 for 15 mins on the LA freeway system is a solid ~15MPH beneath the average of other cars. It's almost a miracle I didn't get rear-ended. But I didn't go above 60MPH and didn't exceed 3K RPMs. Got home to find the indicators are still "INC".

I've read that some people have just got straight to the Smog referee stations. I've read that some people have had success with the drive cycle. I've read that regulations have changed such that you can pass with one "INC" but not two. Would love some feedback from others, as I doubt I can be the only P-car owner having this sort of problem in 2021.

Looking forward to the feedback!

KG

ZuffenZeus

I wouldn't get caught up in trying to complete a formal drive cycle, but instead, plan a day and go driving. Try to burn up at least a half tank of Top Tier premium (I recommend Shell V Power) gasoline driving in the city and then out in the country. I recommend going canyon carving... no need to make it painful, right? Then when you return, check the readiness status with your new scanner.
You're looking ready status in these areas:
1. Catalytic Converter Efficiency
2. Fuel Tank Ventilation (EVAP)
3. Secondary Air System
4. Oxygen Sensors
5. Oxygen Sensor Heater

Also, I would be looking for another smog center. It's possible the smog technician could have made a mistake. What the test at your DVM location or independent?

Anyway... good luck!

tomhartzell

Just had the same issue arise in my '12 CS here in Colorado. (Which also has a tune -- a very important point.) After restoring the car to the stock ECU settings -- and then running the Drive Cycle twice -- it passed with no issues. Will restore the tune soon as the difference is noticeable.

Techs at the dealership also offered that letting it sit for a long time may also require the Drive Cycle in the link below before it passes emissions testing.

UPDATE: Just located the process used, which is documented in the link. Note that it says to repeat the process -- steps B thru D -- TWICE. Worked like a champ for passing emissions testing after removing the tune.
https://www.smogtips.com/smog-questi...an-Drive-Cycle

kg_75

Thanks for the response. Clearly you must have some clearer roads out in CO. I had found the drive cycle in the link you provided and, as I mentioned in my original post, it's near impossible to perform on the LA area roads. Not only is there literally nowhere to drive 20-30 continuously for 3-1/2 mins, but I'm not exaggerating when I say it's actually unsafe to perform on these roadways. I also really don't have the time to take three days to go stay in the middle of the desert to find the necessary conditions.

I'll try b3freak's suggestion of taking it out for a good day of driving, get some miles and time on it and see where that gets me!

tomhartzell

I hope b3freak's suggestion works for you! I am fortunate to live on the north end of town, where I can take some state highways north at 50-60mph for 15 minutes, and then take some paved farm roads nearby for the slower drives. Having been through LA at speeds which were easily in excess of what is required, I wouldn't want to try to conduct the Drive Cycles on those roads either!

teknolust72

I feel your pain...I am also in LA (San Pedro to be exact), and it took me a couple tries to get the drive cycle completed. The hardest part for me was the 20-30 mph phase because I have several lights/stop signs before I can enter the 110 fwy to do the 40-60mph phase. So I waited until around 1am when the roads were more empty, and hoping that the traffic lights would be green. If they were red when I approached the intersection, I would make a right turn down a side street to keep my speed up, but still making my way towards the freeway. Once on the freeway, I got up to 55-60mph, moved over to the right lane, and watched EVERY vehicle on the road pass me...lol! Admittedly, I drove through some stop signs, and maybe even a questionable yellow/red light, but luckily I was able to complete the drive cycle.

kg_75

Glad to know I'm not alone out here!

Interestingly I have got one of the two indicators to complete without performing the exact drive cycle. I went out for a drive on Wednesday evening and just drove normally for 4-5 mins, stopping at red lights and stop signs, then got on the 10 to the 405, to the 101, all at 55MPH. I got off at Topanga Cyn Blvd and after sitting idle for 3 mins headed to the PCH. I drove steadily at ~40MPH and stopped to idle again when I reached the PCH. When I got home I found the EVAP indicator had switched to complete. SAI is still INC though. Yesterday night I tested a technique that calls for pushing to 2800RPM as soon as you turn on the ignition. Didn't work for me, so still have that one indicator to flip over.

Absolutely absurd process if you ask me. I've got a perfectly maintained car that just went through a major maintenance and it can't pass smog. Considering the number of junkers on the road it's entirely insane what I have to go through.

yoda888

Any luck? I'm stuck on the "oxygen sensor" being in an INC status. What a PIA this is. It's a complete waste of time and dangerous to attempt these drive cycles. I'm so annoyed I'm going to go buy a lawnmower just to pollute the air when all is said and done!

kg_75

No luck yet. I'm not sure how many miles I've put on the car but it's in the multiple hundreds and the SAI will still not complete. I've done every trick I've read online, respected the drive cycle to the T, also have driven it normally, all to no avail. Dumbest process I can imagine. Also, why the drive cycle on cars like this would call for not going above 3000RPM is beyond me. AAmazing money grab they have going on.

yoda888

I'm at over 700 miles of driving trying to get the Oxygen sensor to complete! Complete waste of time and money on this.

What's neat is I'm running the iCarSoft CR Pro. It goes into the I/M Readiness 2 ways. 1 is "since last code clearing" and the other is "since this drive cycle." I can see all the readiness go to "ok" for the current drive cycle (and really doesn't take much effort). But I can't get the darn o2 sensor to go to readiness.

9eight7

I can definitely feel your frustration as I had to run mine through the drive cycle last year. A new drive cycle will need to be recorded by your ECU if your battery dies, you don’t drive the car much, clearing the ECU codes, or flashing a new program.

I had to do 2-3 different drives to get enough data before my smog (AIR and EGR registered not ready). My final trip did the trick by commuting in traffic to work, drive through a neighborhood under 35 mph for 5-10 min, then return home on an open freeway. This 30-40 mile round trip worked for me. My understanding is it needs to collect enough data when your car is warm in a few conditions (slow, medium, high speeds).

The smog guy told me the last resort would be paying the dealership to ready all of your sensors (could be costly).

yoda888

Dealership told me "starting at $450 to get the sensors ready." But could be more if they need more time.

norgotoad

OK here's the real deal regarding the drive cycle:
Understanding the maze that is OBDII repair
Dec. 31, 2019
A drive cycle, the key to OBDII system repairs, is more complicated than one might think.
from:
https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/s...s-obdii-repair


An important part of an OBD repair technician’s toolbox is the comprehensive drive cycle manual; the only source is published by Motor Manuals. The latest 1996 to 2004 edition contains a little more than 900 individually different drive cycles for the wide range of engines now in use. Contrary to what many technicians believe, there is no generic drive cycle. A technician also needs a reference book that covers all the many DTCs. At last count, there were well over 800 of them, and that number grows each model year.
Unfortunately, there is no indicator that points to exactly which monitors may be either set to ready mode or be unset and not ready. Some late-model vehicles have a driver indication about a state of unreadiness, but there is no indication as to which monitor or monitors are affected. At this point, DTCs will have to be revealed to determine exactly what part of the emissions control system needs to be serviced.

hueyhoolihan

a "failed" california DMV smog test doesn't have anything to do with the emmisions. it has to do with the emission self testing software that runs everytime you start the car. that "self testing" software is triggered by a number of different driving situations that will often occur during a normal driving excursion or excursions. but sometimes not.

for instance, some of the tests run by the ECU as part of the self-testing will only occur if the ECU detects that the gas tank is below a certain percentage of its capacity. if the car's owner is the type to keep the tank almost full at all time, the test will never be run and if taken to a DMV smog shop, they will tell you your car "failed". not because there is anything necessarily wrong with the car, but because a test where one of the pre-requisites was to have no more than 2/3rds of a tank of gas, was never run. "never" meaning it wasn't run since the test's "has-been-run-flag" (every test has one of its own) was last cleared. and THAT will happen if the battery is disconnected, or via a software device, like an On-Board-Diagnostic (OBD) device.

it used to be the smog shops actually tested for emissions. for over a decade now they don't do anything but serve as a DMV middleman (at great cost to the public, BTW) to verify that the ECU software tests have been done and done successfully. for the most part if you DON"T have a "check-engine-light" lit up on your dashboard, and your car has executed all the 8 or 9 tests (and the results are available to everyone via the ODB port(s) on every car manufacturer in the last quarter century) then the car has satisfied all emissions requirements. the purpose of DMV smog shops is pretty much a waste of everyone's money these days.

my recommendation is to make sure you don't have a check engine light on your dash (which may actually MEAN there is something wrong with your car's emmision systems), then, if you don't have one, buy a bluetooth OBD reader, download a free OBD app for your phone and check that all the tests have been run. you can then take it to a DMV smog shop (they will do the same two things: verify there is no check engine light on, and that the 8 or 9, or whatever, number of tests have been completed) and they will send an electronic "pass" to the DMV, and charge you $80 for it.

last year there were 6-7 million cars smogged in california last year. 6.5 million x $80 is $520,000,000. that's a lot of money for something that everybody can do for themselves and would be better off, IMO, for it. at least the public would know what the hell's going on.

extra credit question: why aren't cars built before 1995 and motorcyles NOT required to have smog tests? it's not as if they DON'T pollute. they do. and do a LOT.

vanlieremead

Being a bit lazy I supposed has served me as I don’t like going to get gas until my tank is nearly empty! My 987 was new to me in January. I disconnected the battery to install permanent clips for the CTEK. From there, I never had the CEL light, even after the first start. I did a SMOG to title the car (in Arizona) about a week later. The emissions test didn’t go the first time but the tech tried again and after the second it went fine. I have no idea if all the sensors were reset other than the test passed.

The longer I live the more I recognize that the less we rely on government the better. In this case, the emissions overreach is horrendous. The testing should be easy, just drive for a while and done. That was my case but I’m lucky. I can tell you horror stories of diesel emissions on my RV and the case of the failing DEF sensors many of you may know - I have lots of experience on that one in case anyone ever wants to have a BS session…