Damn NJ Inspection Stations!!!

[66CUDA]

Damn NJ insp. Stations are careless....A few months ago I took my Hyundai Accent thru (don't laugh they are very underrated cars) and it came out with a Check Engine Light On, code P0441 for a purge control valve defect...Easy fix but aggravating that I get it back with a red rejection sticker and a repair bill that you didn't have minutes earlier.
Then the other day I take the PT thru inspection and she passes but today the CEL comes on, code P0455. I get lucky and its the gas cap untightened from the NJ insp. gas cap pressure test. (I haven't refueled in almost a week so I know it was them.)

Wonder what will happen two years from now when I'm due for inspection.
Hmmm????

66CUDA

[CREWZIN]

HI. Not sure what you mean but if you take the negative battery cable off for a couple minutes, it clears the computer of the code you have and all the other codes that might be stored.

[66CUDA]

I had to disnconect the battery to clear the CEL. My OBD-II scanner said it cleared the code but the CEL wouldn't go out. If the CEL comes back, I may need a new gas cap which means they damaged it. Oh well...

66CUDA

[CREWZIN]

That particular fault usually doesn't go away until the computer checks the fault a few times. If the cap is OK the light will go out. Had it on my wife's car and the light stayed on until the next day after a few starts.

[Wakinglife213]

Originally Posted by CREWZIN

HI. Not sure what you mean but if you take the negative battery cable off for a couple minutes, it clears the computer of the code you have and all the other codes that might be stored.

This would not work in PA I'm a inspector here we have to reject cars that just had the computer cleared.

[CREWZIN]

Originally Posted by Wakinglife213

This would not work in PA I'm a inspector here we have to reject cars that just had the computer cleared.

How would that work exactly? We have a fault like this: P1684 - The battery has been disconnected within the last 50 starts. But 50 starts could be 2 months ago, or more, depending on how often the car is used, so how could you tell if it was "just" cleared or 2 months ago?

What happens if you just put a new battery in, or had some service work that required that the battery be disconnected. Half the procedures in the Haynes and Chilton manual start off with "disconnect the negative battery cable".

That's a stupid thing to do, fail someone for the battery being disconnected.

So, I just spent $1000 to have the timing belt replaced before anything goes wrong (preventative maintenance) and then I take it in for inspection and you fail me because the battery was disconnected?

[PT_Cuda]

Originally Posted by CREWZIN

How would that work exactly? We have a fault like this: P1684 - The battery has been disconnected within the last 50 starts. But 50 starts could be 2 months ago, or more, depending on how often the car is used, so how could you tell if it was "just" cleared or 2 months ago?

What happens if you just put a new battery in, or had some service work that required that the battery be disconnected. Half the procedures in the Haynes and Chilton manual start off with "disconnect the negative battery cable".

That's a stupid thing to do, fail someone for the battery being disconnected.

So, I just spent $1000 to have the timing belt replaced before anything goes wrong (preventative maintenance) and then I take it in for inspection and you fail me because the battery was disconnected?

The PCM kicks back that the emissions systems are not ready and have not been through enough cycles to say they are functioning properly and give readings.. =Big Fat You Fail at inspection/smog time..

Been there and through that with my mom's PT last month.. She didn't know since we just replaced the battery and she doesn't drive it much.. So I get to drive it like I stole it for almost a week it was ready and took it to have it retested.. Passed with flying colors..

[CREWZIN]

That kinda sucks, big time. Think some calls and letters to the local representatives would be in order explaining the error in the testing procedures, or a letter to every car owner explaining why their vehicle might fail if the battery has been touched or a scanning tool has been used within a week of the test. They could easily do that with the letter that's sent out telling the owner when the test is due.

They do still send that letter, right. They did when I lived in Philadelphia. I also worked at 2 gas stations and performed the twice a year inspection which was before they started with the smog testing. Both were money makers. The gas stations that performed the test and the state for the smog test.

[PT_Cuda]

Originally Posted by CREWZIN

That kinda sucks, big time. Think some calls and letters to the local representatives would be in order explaining the error in the testing procedures, or a letter to every car owner explaining why their vehicle might fail if the battery has been touched or a scanning tool has been used within a week of the test. They could easily do that with the letter that's sent out telling the owner when the test is due.

They do still send that letter, right. They did when I lived in Philadelphia. I also worked at 2 gas stations and performed the twice a year inspection which was before they started with the smog testing. Both were money makers. The gas stations that performed the test and the state for the smog test.

No idea in CA it was "you fail - DMV knows you failed you have to the day you are due to to pass". Up here we in WA we got a letter but by the time it got to mom's house I had already retested the car. Talking with the smog guy(we don't do inspection just OBD or sniffer smog up here) he understood exactly what happened as we were talking about it since he had never seen a PT fail before that was that new and obviously taken care of.

You basically get a smog certificate its e-mailed(you get a hardcopy) to the state by the time you drive from the smog station to the dmv office its there for you to pay and pick up your tags.. Which I did after making a stop to pick up mom. Strange up here you have to be the registered owner to pick up tags.. In CA they don't care you have the registration they don't care who gives them the money for the tags.

[Travis2k7]

Originally Posted by CREWZIN

So, I just spent $1000 to have the timing belt replaced before anything goes wrong (preventative maintenance) and then I take it in for inspection and you fail me because the battery was disconnected?

This is why I'm glad I no longer live in New York state.

Yearly vehicle inspections are such an annoyance especially for those of us who regularly maintain said vehicle.

The winter is harsh on vehicles as it is... my girlfriend's 2003 Kia (driven in Minnesota from '03 to '07) is beginning to have exhaust problems that I have no doubt are related to the road salt induced rust underneath.

I'll go visit in the summer but I will never set foot up there again in the winter, outside of a family emergency involving those who still live up there.