This is the first day my car is eligible for its annual emissions check.

As I am driving to the testing station, the CEL comes on. I turn around and go home.

This is an intermittent which crops up 2-3 times a year. Guess I'll be driving it a bit to reset the code now.

 

On the plus side, you can at least drive a Porsche in February! We go +20 inches of snow yesterday.

 

I've been seeing the reports out of Chicagoland - very intense weather. While I lived in Rolling Meadows thru the Blizzard of '67, I was a kid and only have a few dim memories of making some incredible snow forts.

 

I'm assuming you have a '96 or newer (OBD II). Lots of posts around here about SAI clogging and setting off a CEL. I also recall reading that once the car warms up, the SAI (air injection) is not active. So you would probably pass emissions tests. OTOH, with OBD II, at least here in WAshington State, they do plug into the OBD II access port - and I think it might show the CEL code - but not sure about that. That would probably eliminate the option of just removing the CEL light for the emissions test.

 

My parents did not allow me out during the '67 Blizzard. I was too little. They were affraid I'd get lost in a snow drift!

 

Ed, what's the code?

 

I don't have a tester, so I have no clue. This has been coming and going ever since I had the car, close to five years now, so it can't be too serious. Super low oil consumption and lack of smoke tell me that my valve guides are fine.

Perhaps it passes emissions even with the light on, but ever since that psa from the Ga DOT a few years back stating that cars with CELs on wouldn't pass, I've been loathe to test the theory.

 

I have a tester. If you are over my neck of the woods, give me a shout.

 

If the state of GA is now going to be 'like the rest of us' -- then you will NOT pass if you have the CEL light on. Nor will you pass if you clear the CEL and (thus) reset all the readiness monitors to 'off'.

Frankly, bro, splash out for an OBD-ii code reader and see what the stored (DTC) "hard" code is and also scan the 'pending' codes in case there's something else (in the shadows) or 'contributing' to the 'hard' code. Then take it from there.

Since you say it 'crops up 2 - 3 times a year' -- I'm *concluding* that it also 'goes away' (all by its lonesome). If true, then this could, literally, be something as simple as a loose-gas cap or a condition that is 'intermittent' but also 'fixes itself' (this is why the light goes off.)

If time is on your side, (and whilst you're shopping for a scanner), you should drive the car as much as possible because it is in those 'drive cycles' that the car's computer *decides* whether to turn off the CEL light (or not). If it turns OFF - then you are good as gold because now you have NO light on *and* all of your readiness monitors are 'set' or 'on'. You should pass with flying colors.

Here in the state of NY we have to go thru' this once a year. They also take off one of the wheels so as to do a 'random check' of the brake pads -- so you might wanna leave your 'lug nut key' out-and-handy if you drop it in for the check.

Good luck, and welcome to our world.

G.

 

While i agree with everything you say about buying a OBDII reader (have one myself) why would they need to take off a wheel to check brake pads? Mechanic's mirror and flashlight would do the trick.

 

Because it's the government, they never do anything the easy or least expensive way.

Mike

 

Get the reader and make sure that the codes are "ready" after the CEL light went off. In Texas, they have rules that you will pass the test for older cars with 2 codes "Not ready". This might be helpful when you run the drive cycle. Just check the website of your stated DPS. Here is the example from Texas:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/misc/faq/ready_not.htm

and the text:

Remember Effective October 15, 2008:
For vehicles year model 2001 and newer, we allow one (1) non-continuous monitor to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but two (2) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
For vehicles year model 1996 – 2000, we allow two (2) non-continuous monitors to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but three (3) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I've been thru this drill four years now, so there are no surprises, just inconvenient timing.

Sad to say, I can't spring for a tester at the moment, so I'll do it the free way and go through the drive cycle.

 

Heyo,
This would be EZ route, right?, but, remember, we're dealing with state guvmint here. On the sheet of paper that you get back, (after you've passed or failed), the tester is required to specify which wheel was REMOVED for brake-pad (visual) inspection.
It's once a year, and I try to make it as painless (for me!) as is humanly possible.
G.

 

And for Californians reading this, it's the same here.

Surprisingly, all of mine are now reset after a reset for a low-efficiency catalyst code. Been checking every couple of weeks for the past month; yesterday they're all good. Maybe it's all that cold mountain driving?

So, off to my smog buddy later today and we'll be good for two years.