AsianImage

I had this the EXACT OPPOSITE happen to me...I smogged my car last weekend and they smog guy was talking and talking and talking..about cars. Like he was an expert...after 5 mins of fumbling with the booklet to tell him how to test my car...he determined that my 996 CTWO cab...was in fact AWD so he could not test it the traditional way and we had to go "old school."

So he never ran my car on the dyno..we just did the gas cap and the thingy in the exh...and of course I passed.

At least my shop erred in FAVOR of me...and not like this.

Sucks..I am sorry about your experience...

dallasboats

After they told you to drive it, do you have anything indicating they told you to leave or something saying they may have messed up because of this. My point is, it would be terrible if they claimed you must have broken it when you were driving after the test. Perhaps the machine is labeled in some sort that matches your receipt to verify it was a two roller machine. uggggh, I'm very sorry for you. I'm always hesitant to hand my keys to anyone, valets, etc. Nobody cares about your car like you do...........

smackboy1

Wow, that really blows. When I take my cars (our other cars are an Audi and MB 4matic) to the state run inspection centers they know not to run the cars on the dyno. I think they have a database or something. With the number of AWD cars on the road, it's definitely negligent on the part of the technician. If this was a state certified test center then they are probably required to carry insurance. I would suggest to start building your case for the insurance adjuster/lawsuit: note down the time your car was damaged and the time it was diagnosed at the dealer. Have the dealer give you a written opinion as to the damage and likely cause. More importantly, the dealer should give an opinion of the likelihood of this damage being done through abuse other than on a 2WD dyno. If you have the car repaired, keep all the replaced parts and have the dealer document everything done. Good luck.

KellyT

I just talked with the Service manager. They checked everything and it is fortunately only the VC. Price for repair $2100 and change and done by the end of the year. I wrote up the whole awful experience with time, date, what was said and done, and wrote a demand that they pay for the repairs. Sending it out certified rtn receipt tomorrow. I hope they do the stand up thing or I will be forced to do whatever it takes to make it right!

GULF V1

I was under the impression that all they had to do is start the car and look at there emissions readings stored in the computer without putting it on the tread mill? I guess they do things differently here in arizona.

AsianImage

CA has the STRICTEST laws regarding smog...in the whole country and LA county is the worst. Our cars get tested everywhere but Tuesday. Visual inspection...no CELs, gas cap test, thingy in the exh pipes, and the dyno under force. It is really really crazy here.

Tool Pants

This is interesting. My last 2 smogs were last year. My Boxster and my 2 wheel drive 1988 Toyota Truck. Been to a few smog places and did not notice anything for a AWD.

He is in Los Altos and I am in San Jose, both in Santa Clara County.

Our county got the dyno reqirement a few years ago. But they are for 2 wheel drives. AWD/4WD are/were exempt from the dyno, not the smog check. Like an RV. You still went through the smog inspection but did not go on the dyno.

Guess something must have changed.

My Boxster smog inspection is due again in 2 months so I will check it out.

JasonAndreas

That was the entire reason for OBD2 and the ECU/CAT/O2 tamper regulations that were part of the federal Clean Air Act.

Nicolaasdb

how do you know you need a smog test in CA...sorry for the dumb question..bought my first car in LA a little over a year ago.

996superfly

When it's time for your registration renewal, DMV will stated in the form if you need smog test or not. Usually, every other year DMV requires you to passed the smog test.

I heard that in the future, cars will be equipped with ODBIII syst. DMW can track each individual vehicle with wireless. In this method, DMV can demand selected cars to fix the problem before the next registration due.

Tool Pants

I'm rusty on the Kalifornia requirements so don't quote me - go to the DMV site.

If the car is purchased new then no smog for the first 4 years, but smog every 2 years after. However, if the car is resold during the initial 4 years then smog. When the car is old enough and you have to do the 2 year smog you have to do yet another smog if the car is sold, unless the prior smog inspection was done less than 90 (or is it 60) days before. For some unfair reason if a dealer does a smog then that smog certificate is good for 6 months, but just 3 (or is it 2) months for us consumers.

When we get the registration notice it tells you if a smog inspection is reguired.

In the old days we paid extra for a paper smog certificate if you passed, that was mailed in with your registration fees. Now if you pass it is sent electronically to the DMV, but we still pay for the certificate.

Now we have a test only place and test and repair, so you have to go to what the DMV says to go to.

Some small areas did not have to do the dyno, but I do not know if that changed in 2006.

It is a racket.

Russ Murphy

No doubt. I'd like to see some statistics that actually indicate that the bulk of emmissions actually come from the passenger car fleet.
Certainly there's lots of them, but most cars run time can be measured in minutes vs. hours and most cars are pretty small displacement motors (relatively). Think of all the large displacement commercial trucks (OTR, construction, etc.) that run as close to 24/7 as they can. Which run cleaner, your 996 or an ancient dump truck that is spewing so much particulate matter that you can't even see behind it??? You don't see any of those beasts at the State Emmisions stations. Pisses me off.

Nicolaasdb

thanks guys....will look out for my new registration papers.

cdodkin

So also be warned that in CA they now look for any exhaust mods before they even start the Smog test.

Plus they look for any intake mods like CAI.

If the mods do not have CARB stickers on them, you fail the smog test right there.

After that you get the dyno, the exhaust probe, the gas cap probe, and the ODB port probe.

If you've reset your CEL to get past the smog test, they can see that and will fail you.

The complete set of internal ODB code tests have to be completed and logged in the EMU before the Smog test, and this can take days/weeks depending on how much you drive.

CA Smog Test sucks!

newport996

Just had mine done not too long ago...I TOLD the guy it was AWD...He said...Oh...ok...Good thing you said something....I always tell them about my car.....sorry you had this issue....hope you get it all settled. With Ca...you dont have too much choice where you go...I had to go to a "test only" station...The place looked like a shack....BUT it was certified....so I got it done and immediately....