Wstsdphisg

Just a heads up for folks who might be in a similar situation, bought a car from Arizona and shipped it to California. Had a check engine pop up before I could smog it. It was an evap sensor got it fixed had everything reset went to smog and failed due to permanent fault code fail. I haven’t smogged a car in years so wasn’t aware of the new rules. Sounds like new obdII cars store fault codes and there is no way to clear them until the car runs 15-20 cold start cycles and 200+ miles of driving time. I wasted some time and money figuring this out hope this helps other folks.

VektorPerformance

So after you drove some miles/cycles you passed without issue?

Thanks for the info.

visitador

https://rennlist.com/forums/991/1032...ttle-help.html

Long discussion. Moral of the story? Sometimes it is cheaper to pay the dealer to fix the issue

Wstsdphisg

I'm still going through the drive period to clear codes, it should be done by this weekend. No new codes so looking good so far. I'll post an update when I retest this weekend.

jimwood

I've never heard of permanent fault codes, are you sure its not your readiness codes? If its the readiness codes you need to do the PORSCHE OBD II readiness code drive AND the BMW OBD II readiness code drive. Specifically, the part where you let the car go from 55 down to 20 without changing gears without touching the brakes and leaving it in gear. Yes it feels unnatural because you will come close to lugging the engine. That is the only thing that reset the EGR readiness code. This statement comes from my own experience the readily available drive to set the readiness codes in Porsche only works for two of the three codes. YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GET THE CAR TO 55 AND THEN TAKE YOUR FOOT OF THE GAS, NO BRAKE, AND LET IT SLOW DOWN TO 20.

I have had this happen on my 997.2, which is a direct-inject engine as well. After six months of doing the Porsche obd II reset drive, including a 500 mile road trip the readiness code would not set. The first drive when I tried the BWM ODB II drive, the final readiness code set.

You also need to get a tool that shows readiness codes. Innova worked for me and has lights on the front so its quick easy and you're not dicking around all day going through the various settings. It will tell you immediately if your codes are ready or not.

mangu

Every sensor/monitor has a particular drive cycle that needs to be achieved for that monitor to run/set.

Newer vehicles are definitely storing permanent fault codes. I believe (could be wrong) that the easiest way to clear the permanent fault code (assuming you were 100% on the sensor that needed to be replaced), would've been to replace the sensor and not clear the codes. Instead, drive the vehicle and when the ECU ran that monitor again, it would clear the code (CEL light would go away) and remove the permanent fault code.

Otherwise, clearing codes after repair, I think you are stuck with driving around, and constantly scanning the OBDII system to see if the permanent fault code has cleared. But this latter approach, is better if not sure the correct faulty sensor was replaced as you can drive around and tell that no new codes were set (if CEL didn't turn back on)..

​​​​​​​Let us know how you make out.

mangu

Every sensor/monitor has a particular drive cycle that needs to be achieved for that monitor to run/set.

Newer vehicles are definitely storing permanent fault codes. I believe (could be wrong) that the easiest way to clear the permanent fault code (assuming you were 100% on the sensor that needed to be replaced), would've been to replace the sensor and not clear the codes. Instead, drive the vehicle and when the ECU ran that monitor again, it would clear the code (CEL light would go away) and remove the permanent fault code.

Otherwise, clearing codes after repair, I think you are stuck with driving around, and constantly scanning the OBDII system to see if the permanent fault code has cleared. But this latter approach, is better if not sure the correct faulty sensor was replaced as you can drive around and tell that no new codes were set (if CEL didn't turn back on)..

737gdog

Has the car been tuned? Curious as I am looking at cats and headers.

Spyerx

just drive the car. on the GTS and X51 cars there seems to be cases where the VVT (Variable Valve Timing) which acts like an EGR (and that is what the code is) doesn't set, but it doesn't flag CEL, etc.

Dealer can set these. But, you have to drive the car to allow all the indicators to set.

Just drive it, and you can check the readiness with your own handheld ODB2 reader... they are cheap and handy to have.

Wstsdphisg

So latest update - Car passed CA Smog! So before I took it for retest I dropped by the dealer had them recheck to make sure permanent fault codes were clear. They were good to go, went to smog check and passed without issues.

Just to help clarify, the first time I failed was after I went to the dealer for check engine light. They diagnosed the check engine light, I had an evap sensor fail which was basically a loose hose. They reset all of my monitors before I went to smog. The dealer told me I was clear to smog and I failed. When I smogged the car the smog tech told me the evap sensor fault was stored as a permanent fault code and required 200 miles and 15-20 cold starts to clear, (disconnecting the battery, clear the code using icarsoft or any of the ODBII readers doesn't do it, It isn't tied to the monitors). They had a print out on it. I'll try to find it scan it and attach it in the meantime take a look at the link below. I asked the smog guy and he said it was a new law passed in 2019. I'm sure someone in CA emissions thought they were doing a good thing by being tough on emissions, by increasing requirements for passing a smog check. Reality is that it is causing a ton of smog fails for no reason. Causing people the hassle of waiting then retesting. The smog tech told me that fail rate went up 2-3x with the new rule.

I went back to the dealer after failing smog the first time and my tech was not aware of this change in Smog requirements. I was very surprised that I'm the first person that this happened to at San Diego Porsche. I was a little annoyed because I had to pay them to reset the monitors so I could pass the first time without waiting. If I knew the permanent fault code was going to take 200 miles and 15-20 cold starts then I could have just saved that money and waited for the monitors to reset normally.

https://www.bar.ca.gov/Industry/Indu...ble_Codes.aspx

Wstsdphisg

No tune on the car, all factory, its a 2014 Carrera S with the powerkit.

Joec500

I think in CA 991's are JUST starting to need SMOG now, I just took my 2013 C2S for SMOG this week. Also note for other 991.1 owners, my SMOG shop initially didn't want to do my SMOG because they couldn't get a visual on the engine LOL. I removed the fans and then he said OK! So be prepared to pull off the heat extraction fans when going into SMOG for the "visual"

HenryPcar

If you own a GT4 in California remove the engine bay covers before you head over to the smog station because they have to do the visual inspection on the engine bay. Don't let them try to remove the covers because they will inevitably break something.

Greg D.

Interesting. That's 2 of you with a visual ! I had a smog check for the first time last month on my 2013 - they didn't "inspect" anything per se, just popped the engine lid to read info stickers and input that in the computer. The car was plugged in via ODB2 and they read that and only that. I can tell you I had the full attention of the shop, vs the usual clunkers they smog ;-) I thought "visual" inspection was only for older cars without an ODB2 port but clearly you guys got the full monty.

I had heard about the battery reset issue, so I made sure not to disconnect the battery the month before smog. Passed with flying colors, as it should. Did not remove a thing, no fans, nothing..

PS: SMOG tests is the main reason most of my cars are pre-75 or new. This 991 is the first car that's seen a SMOG check in 18 years for me, I like it too much to sell but what a waste of time and $ for modern cars.

Joec500

Meh, just another revenue stream for the state.