Your Car Just Failed the Emissions Test. Now What?

It’s time to renew your tags and you received a notice that your vehicle needs an emissions test before you can do so. No problem. You head down for what you think will be a quick emissions test and bang! That nice man tells you that your car failed! In fact, he won’t even test it because the “Check Engine” light is on. This can’t be! Your car is nearly new, right?! What are you supposed to do now?!

Don’t panic. This may not be as big of a problem as you think. While you picture your savings flying out the window, you really don’t need to worry yet. In many cases, a failed emissions test does not lead to a huge repair bill.

Emission Testing in Illinois

All states have different laws regarding emission testing or smog tests, as many people call them. In Illinois, once your vehicle is 4 years old, testing is required every other year. You will be unable to register your vehicle until it passes the test.

Your vehicle can fail for a multitude of reasons, but some of the simplest reasons include:

• A loose, missing or cracked gas cap. Be certain that the cap has no cracks and is on tight. If your car is missing one, buy one ASAP.
• Your vehicle is long overdue for a tune-up. Some people believe tune-ups are a thing of the past, but this isn’t true. While tune- ups aren’t done as frequently as they used to in the past, they are still necessary. If your vehicle has more than 75K, check your manual and see what the manufacturer recommends. Or schedule a check-up with Hong Kong Auto Service.
• Your “Check Engine” light is on. The testing station won’t even consider looking at your vehicle if the light is on.

Don’t try to fool the emissions test, either. Some people believe if they remove the “Check Engine” light bulb or if they disconnect the battery, that this will reset the codes, and everything will be fine. This won’t work. Your car has a memory and those codes are still there, not to mention that the car still has a problem.

By the way, that “Check Engine” or “Service Engine Soon” light? If it stays steady, it’s probably nothing serious and you can drive the car. If it blinks, however, you should have your car looked at ASAP. It often means the engine is misfiring, which is a serious issue.

If Your Vehicle Fails

If your vehicle does not pass or cannot be tested because of the “Check Engine” light, you will need to take your vehicle to a qualified repair center with ASE-Certified technicians. While your brother-in-law might be OK when it comes to changing your oil, you don’t want to trust him with your car’s complicated emissions system.

Most repair shops will charge you a diagnostic fee, determine the issue and then tell you how much the repair will be. At Hong Kong Auto Service, we charge for 1 hour of diagnostic time, and then we re-evaluate at the end of the hour. In many cases, we will be able to determine the issue within that time. In more complicated cases, we will need approval for additional time.

Many people don’t understand why shops charge for diagnostics, mistakenly believing that mechanics simply hook up a computer that magically gives them a code and tells them what the problem is. This isn’t entirely accurate.

Diagnostic equipment gives the mechanics a code, but this is a guide only. For example, a code might say the engine is running rich. This means the engine is receiving too much fuel and it isn’t being burned but is going out the tailpipe. The code doesn’t tell the mechanic why this is happening or which part is not working properly. This is where the mechanic has to investigate further, which can take quite a bit of time. Time is money, and it’s no different for a mechanic.

Common Causes for the Check Engine Light

If your “Check Engine” light is on, many times it is simply an emissions part called an oxygen sensor or O2 sensor. Although it varies from vehicle to vehicle, these have a lifespan of about 60K, so you can expect to replace one or two in your lifetime. Costs can vary, but you can expect to pay about $200-$400 for this repair, which might sound expensive until you consider that not replacing it can lead to a damaged catalytic converter, which is about $1500.

Unfortunately, when people don’t maintain their cars properly, mechanics can find multiple codes. Sorting these out will take the mechanic more time, which means it can cost you more.

This is why you shouldn’t continue driving your car for months when the “Check Engine” light is on. Maintaining your car might sound expensive, but the damage it can lead to will end up costing you far more in the end.

Possible problems your car might have that can lead to a failed emissions test include:

• Bad O2 sensor
• Damaged (think worn out) catalytic converter
• Worn out spark plugs, spark plug wires, etc. (indicating a lack of maintenance)
• Leaking EVAP system. EVAP is evaporative emission control system. This keeps the gas vapors in the gas tank and inside the engine. This involves quite a few hoses, which become old, hard and crack, causing leaks. Finding which hose is leaking can be very time-consuming!
• Dirty air filter (another sign of poor maintenance)
• Defective check engine light itself (this does happen!)
• Leaking, broken or missing gas cap

There are more problems, but these are the most common issues.

Finding a Reputable Repair Shop

You don’t want to waste time or money with mechanics who start guessing and changing parts until that “Check Engine” light goes out. Even if they manage to do that, it doesn’t mean that the car is properly repaired. Many cars that do not have that light on still fail emissions.

This is why you can trust the ASE-Certified technicians at Hong Kong Auto Service. We will diagnose the problem, pull the codes from your car’s computer and analyze them, tracking down the problem until we find the faulty issue(s).

After receiving your approval for the repairs, our technician will replace the necessary part(s) and then test drive the vehicle to reset all of the emissions monitors. (You car cannot pass the emissions test until all of these monitors perform a self-test and send the “all clear” message back to the engine computer.)

We also take the vehicle to the emissions lane for you. This ensures that when you get your car back, you’re all set. Your car has been repaired and has PASSED the emissions test, and you don’t have to make a separate trip back to the emissions testing center.

Don’t let just anyone service or repair your vehicle. Trust the experts at Hong Kong Auto Service to keep your car running at its best and to pass your emissions test the first time, every time!