911CabSteve

Time to smog my 993. Thought I'd call in to DMV to make an appointment to take it to the Referee Smog Station and avoid all the headaches of failing smog due to our OMD II drive code issue.

DMV said new policy now requires me to take my car to a regular smog station and see if the car fails.. If it does - THEN I can make an appointment at the Referee Smog Station.

I take it to the regular smog test place, $50 later, my car fails due to OBD drive codes not being reset.

I call DMV AGAIN, make the appointment, goto the Referee Smog Station, he tests it, and GUESS WHAT ?

Manager says "your drive codes are not all reset so I can't give you a smog certificate".. I explained that I already knew this from the first smog test I had done 3 days prior, this was specifically why I made an appointment at the Referee Smog Station, that he should be aware of this OBD issue with my car, and THAT THE OBD DRIVE CODE FAILURE WAS WHY I HAD MADE THE APPOINTMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Manager says "your drive codes are not all reset so I can't give you a smog certificate". I walk away in dissapointment and disbelief...

So I end up doing what I did 3 yrs ago - go to my wrench, he drives around in the car with his lap top, resets the codes, and I end up getting my smog certificate by going back to the same smog test station which originally failed the car.

Just thought I would share this experience in case I can save another So Cal Rennlister from ther same aggravation involving this continual issue we all must stuggle with.

It looks like not all Referee Smog Stations are created equal

race911

It's not just a So Cal thing.............

TheBen

Sadly the smog referee has become more stringent. I had this exact same problem a few months ago. Although they are aware of the problem, they have yet to make allowances for 993 owners. If the car is clean in the tailpipe, the codes really shouldn't matter.

flatsixforme

Well, crap! I just got smogged and failed (expectedly) only on the readiness codes...pipe was clean. I was going to make an appointment with the ref following in fellow rennlilster footsteps; however, now it seems it might be a waste of my time. I did the drive cycle EXACTLY on a dyno and and none of the codes reset. This seems strange as some are very easy...like the idle when cold for a couple minutes.

What tool did the wrench use to do the drive cycle analysis while driving?

What do we do??? Or, do enough of us have to show up at the ref station for us to get considered for "the list" of approved failing cars???

chris walrod

Been through the same thing of late -- local smog place advised me to allow the car to fail then pay the deductable or the flat rate "fee" by a place of repair.

mac993

I started a thread about this a month or two ago. Went through the same issues for the past 6 yrs.... I would post a link but am having a hard time doing it. The bottom line is that the smog refs are only allowed to grant a 1 time excemption anymore and maiking it very diffecult to get. Also if a smog ref has issued you an excemption in the past that counts as your 1 and you are SOL.
The fix is the drive cycle. While this can be very frustrating to accomplish it does work if you do it EXACTLY right. The dyno path does not seem to work (not sure why, and yes I've tired meny times), I was only able to do it actually driving. The key is allowing the proper cool down time between tries. Do a search on "readiness codes fix" and you should find my thread. Lots of good info was passed along and quite a few of us were able to clear the codes.
Best of luck!

Edgy01

To me, there is no point in ever going to a SMOG test station that cannot also FIX the car. I have run through that fiasco several times. All you get are mechanics pointing fingers. Go to a mechanic that is also a certified SMOG station so that they can get your car through testing.

diet97993

Check out Mac993's thread been there and done that. The BMW drive cycle works except the duration is greater, keep it under 60 MPH and don't exceed 3000 RPM. They will eventually set unless you have a CEL. plug in your OBD II monitor/tester and go for it. Patience is a virtue when dealing with this.

Good Luck!

Don

fixedgame

The DMV....although it has gotten better in the last few years (they figured out how to let people make appointments instead of waiting in line for three hours)..still one of the most worthless organization in the state. My tax dollars are paying for these people and they act like they are doing me a favor everytime I go there.
Sorry for the rant.

Raptor

That is not a rant. That is stating the facts. California is becoming a mini-fed operation. Soon 49% of the people will be employed by State and Fed to provide useless services to the 49% that pay no taxes and monitor regulations that are a PITA to the other 2% that support the first 98%. Now that's more of a rant.

VNTGSPD

LOL! Good thing the weather is so bitchin here.


Thank God I have a '95 (and I still cross my fingers every two years hoping to pass!)

ande5000

Ahh, the Great Plains/Midwest. No nanny government smog crap to suffer under. No smog either. Ok, so our weather is crap about 5 months outta the year.... Well, can't have everything. I'll take more freedom over nicer wx any day.

Dave
'96 993 Carrera 2 RoW coupe, midnight blue/classic grey

PNogC2S

I just got my smog notice. Says I have to go to a "Test Only" station...not sure why, but they are requiring that on some cars now...so the option you mention isn't even an option sometimes. These "Test Only" stations are not allowed to do repairs.

Going tomorrow and keeping my fingers crossed.

Dan V

That's sounds like it's definitely worth a try.

g_murray

And remember... ...if your car fails a smog test / emissions test -- yes, yes, even if it's simply due to those stinkin' readiness monitors -- the fact that it "failed emissions" WILL be on the carfax report for years to come. Something to bear in mind if you ever want to sell it -- and the prospective buyer tries to use this as leverage...

G.