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Car Smog Test

If the check engine light is only coming on when your on the freeway it might be a problem that the computer is only recognizing at cruising speeds. Your best bet would be to have a certified mechanic read the...

Hi, thanks for writing in. This is likely an issue related to the catalytic converter (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-catalytic-converter) which may be the converter itself or the O2 sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-oxygen-sensor) which is a sensor that monitors the productivity of the converter as it...

Hello. When a vehicle sits for this long there can be a number of issues keeping it from starting and running right. You do need to replace the battery, and you should replace all of the fluids before starting it...

Neither of these issues should cause you to fail a smog test. Smog test look at your cars emission output. The radiator might be leaking and need to be repaired but it has nothing to do with your emissions. The...

What you do next depends on what particular part of the smog test your car failed. The car is tested for HC, CO and NOx levels. Different problems will raise the levels of different pollutants. If your car failed the...

In your case I would recommend getting a second opinion. Enlist the help of a professional, such as one from YourMechanic, to scan your vehicle for trouble codes. The check engine light and the smog test failure are certainly related....

Hello, thank you for writing in. The first person to tell you this was correct to a certain extent. If the system is not warmed up, the readings cannot be taken accurately. However, if the engine is warmed up and...

Hi there. Take a scanner and check the computer (ECM) for any codes that could be pending. Check to see what the codes are and correct the code by performing the repair on the area that is not working or...

Hi there. The P0010 (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/p0010-obd-ii-trouble-code-a-camshaft-position-actuator-circuit-bank-1-by-paul-lancette) code is coming on for the VVT-I (variable valve timing with intelligence) system is malfunctioning. Changing the engine oil and filter could solve this issue and fix most of the problems. But if changing the...

Hi there. The smog test for vehicles of 1996 and newer will pass if the engine light is off and the gas cap passes the sealed test. As long as the gas cap is sealing to the fuel inlet tube...

The AC on this car is known to have failures from the compressor such as leaking lines, control module problems, and evaporator issues; there are too many possibilities to give a good diagnosis without checking it first. The smog test...

Hi there. Your smog check is measured as to how efficiently your vehicle is burning fuel and air. Smog is reliant on many different components. Your EGR valve, vacuum, and also your catalytic converter are factored potential factors. I would...

Hello. The catalytic converter acts as a filter (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/what-does-a-catalytic-converter-do) for exhaust gasses emitted from the vehicle. This purpose of this is to reduce the pollutants that are expelled into the environment. The first thing you could try is adding a...

Catalytic converters (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/catalytic-converter-replacement) do have a federal required warranty that most people are unaware of, talk to your dealer to find out if you are still covered. Early catalytic converter failure can be cause by other factors including coolant contamination...

Hello! I will be happy to assist you. On your particular vehicle, random misfires are commonly caused by things such as low fuel pressure, a faulty oxygen sensor, bad vacuum lines, or faulty air flow sensors; a broken or loose...

When you take your vehicle to get a smog check, the smog technician will place your Volvo through a series of tests to determine if your vehicle is polluting the environment. If your Volvo did not pass smog, they will...

Yes this would reset the computer monitors for your smog test to pass. You should drive the vehicle for at least a week or more driving in all types of situations. Have a mechanic scan the computer to see if...

There are countless potential causes for your illuminated check engine light. The mechanic manually turned off the light, but it came back on because the problem has not been fixed. The first place to start is retrieval of the stored...

Hello! Your oil change appointment should not impact your car's ability to pass a smog test immediately after having the oil changed as the oil change has nothing to do with your car's emissions system or functionality.

Hello. If your monitors are showing not ready, then that is because the computer was recently reset or the battery may have been replaced. If either of these occurred, then there is a specific amount of driving that needs to...