CA no longer shows emission results on Smog Test

[user52165]

Just shows pass or fail with very little detail. HC, CO, NO, CO2, 02 figures are not listed. Had a test 7-5-16. Previous test on another car in April 2016 had complete results but RPM, timing and some other figures had been dropped previously also.

BTW, on a related note - if it is possible to believe, the CA DMV is enough more backlogged. inefficient, and callous than ever.

 

[opus1]

Illinois hasn't for years, probably when they eliminated the tail-pipe test and went strictly to connecting to the OBDII port.

 

[supton]

I wonder if CA went to just reading the OBDII port, and not sniffing? I'd think sniffing is only required for OBDI and older cars. Yes you can spoof an OBDII into thinking all is well; but IMO an owner capable of doing that is just as capable of undoing mods, getting their car sniff-tested, and then putting the mods back on. With the same net result (a car that pollutes excessively most of the time).

I have no love for the OBDII check but will be first to admit that it keeps me from hacking up the emissions system on my vehicles.

 

[HerrStig]

Some state systems will pass a vehicle with less than the full number of monitors active. Use that info to your benefit.

 

[totegoat]

AAA makes getting tags easy.

 

[Lyman]

Oh that sucks. I am due next February for smog. I always liked seeing the results after the test. You can tell a lot about what's going on by those results.

 

[Nate1979]

Did you ask the person doing the test why the values are not listed any more?

 

[OneEyeJack]

Showing specific details would mean that the test if you failed is meant to help you remedy problems and then pass. The problem is that these agencies are there to punish you, and in many cases not assist you in compliance.

Where I work there are two sets of fire extinguishers. One set is for passing OSHA. The other set are located where the local fire department, the insurance company safety rep and the employees agree are placed where they will actually be useful and accessible in the case of a fire. With OSHA the placement is not negotiable. You can't even discuss the situation with their reps. It's do it exactly as they say or they will shut you down and they will tell you that in so many words.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Did you ask the person doing the test why the values are not listed any more?


They probably won't know. They just work there. You would probably have to contact your states's Motor Vehicle Department.

 

[Lasthope05]

PA is pretty relaxed. In Philadelphia if driven under 5000 miles a year its exempt and cars years 2000 and older are allowed 2 not ready codes. 2000 and newer are allowed 1. Its really not hard to pass emissions at all.

 

[bdcardinal]

Depending on the year of the vehicle, they only do the OBDII test now.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Did you ask the person doing the test why the values are not listed any more?


They probably won't know. They just work there. You would probably have to contact your states's Motor Vehicle Department.



Agreed, they don't know/care about those kinds of things in most cases. They are trained in how to use the equipment and keep people happy, not to explain the technical details of it.

It's the same as how a lot of quick-lube places don't know the first things about API certification, HTHS, or the oil chemistry.

 

[Malo83]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Depending on the year of the vehicle, they only do the OBDII test now.

Works for me! just did my 08 Malibu LTZ, in and out in 10 mins

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Showing specific details would mean that the test if you failed is meant to help you remedy problems and then pass. The problem is that these agencies are there to punish you, and in many cases not assist you in compliance.

Where I work there are two sets of fire extinguishers. One set is for passing OSHA. The other set are located where the local fire department, the insurance company safety rep and the employees agree are placed where they will actually be useful and accessible in the case of a fire. With OSHA the placement is not negotiable. You can't even discuss the situation with their reps. It's do it exactly as they say or they will shut you down and they will tell you that in so many words.

CA DMV is't a very nice agency to deal with. CA OSHA is the worse of all California agencies, never upsetting OSHA reps, they can destroy your company and you have no recourse. Never say anything and making a face to OSHA reps, you will gain nothing for treating them without respect.

Personally, I think most local fire department personnel are very easy to deal with, they would help you if you ask nicely.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Depending on the year of the vehicle, they only do the OBDII test now.

I agree, it has something to do with certain year a car will have snip test, other year just connect a reader to OBDII
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Did you ask the person doing the test why the values are not listed any more?


They probably won't know. They just work there. You would probably have to contact your state's Motor Vehicle Department.

Originally Posted By: dparm
Agreed, they don't know/care about those kinds of things in most cases. They are trained in how to use the equipment and keep people happy, not to explain the technical details of it.

It's the same as how a lot of quick-lube places don't know the first things about API certification, HTHS, or the oil chemistry.

I asked them once 5-6 years ago, the answer I got was "that's the way it is". They didn't try to make "customer happy", they know that drivers need them and nothing we could do to them. There aren't many smog test stations in Orange County, anywhere I went I had to wait more than 1 hour.

Smog test is one of the "maintenance" we hate the most in California. But we need it to get renew tag.

 

[bdcardinal]

I do enjoy getting the printout. It gives a good idea on how the car is running. Part of the smog certification is taking classes on engine performance and what all the readings mean. I took a bunch of them, but did not get my certification because the penalties for making mistakes because too extreme for my tastes.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I do enjoy getting the printout. It gives a good idea on how the car is running. Part of the smog certification is taking classes on engine performance and what all the readings mean. I took a bunch of them, but did not get my certification because the penalties for making mistakes is too extreme for my tastes.

I think this one of the reasons many smog test station were closed the last 5-10 years.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I do enjoy getting the printout. It gives a good idea on how the car is running. Part of the smog certification is taking classes on engine performance and what all the readings mean. I took a bunch of them, but did not get my certification because the penalties for making mistakes is too extreme for my tastes.

I think this one of the reasons many smog test station were closed the last 5-10 years.


No doubt. I know a few techs who did not renew their license when the new rules happened. The fine for first offense went up a ton. The BAR has undercover cars with a hidden problem that should not pass. They know it is something that you don't normally check because it is normally right like ignition timing on a mid 90s Chevy truck. Or they will change some little rule that they know not everyone knows about and then tag the tech and the shop for passing the car.

 

[raytseng]

the old smog check protocol was inefficient and this saves millions of unneeded smog checks.

this is why the price for regular smog check also decreased a bunch in price as many places can do the simple test now with just a couple computer stations and not investing in a huge dyno.

if you want a print out you can still get one but you have to pay for a unnecessary that isnt required for you and the tech making $15/hr is going to look at you weird and wonder why you are wasting money that he'd have to work 3hrs to earn.

near nobody is going to pay $50 for the rolling smogcheck at a STAR smogstation just to get a bunch of numbers if not required.

then again people here get oil tests done just for the fun of it so different strokes

 

[Anduril]

I don't get why the cutoff for the rolling test is 2000 and not 1996? Don't all OBDII cars have the same tests in their ccomputers? I know my wife's car and mine have the same engine and the same ccomputer, yet hers requires the dyno te$ t and mine does not.