Hey guys, my yearly emissions inspection is due at the end of the month so I took it in to Merchant's Tire to get it done. They told me they could not do my emissions inspection because when they hooked (or tried to) their machine up to my OBD there was some connection problem. I didn't quite understand what connection problem the technician was referring to but he said that a lot of '04 vehicles had this problem. He said that he could do a safety inspection which would take the place of the emission inspection. I can't remember the exact cost of the emission inspection, I think it is 20 something dollars but the saftey inspection was considerably less, $9. He said it was just as good, which I didn't get. Why would people pay ~$25 for something they could get for $9? Then he said he couldn't do the inspection anyway because the new inspection stickers (2006-20XX) were not in yet.

What the hell?

I have never heard of this before. I think the kid may have been doing a little puff puff pass with the mechanics. .

Anyone run into or heard of this problem?

Would my tuner have caused their machine not be able to link up?

I think I will call or take it to Ford to have them do it. Inspections are the same price no matter where you take it.

Sorry if I am not descriptive enough, but I don't even understand it

 

I thought that in the states that have inspections that all they did was test the emmissions with a probe connected to the exhaust. Why do they need to connect to the OBD? I know that when I lived in TX all they did was test the exhaust gases.

 

The tailpipe check is superceded by the OBDII check on newer vehicles (must be OBDII equipped of course) at least in some states like CT and NJ and perhaps others as well.

 

in Arizona 96 and newer vehicles get tested with an engine scan tool if no touble codes ur good anything older they test conventually with a dyno and exhaust gas inhalers but that does seem weird that the guy did a safty inspection instead of an emission scan maybe he just didnt no what the hell he was doing

 

Our trucks have the new protocol called "CAN". Perhaps his tool is not updated to talk to this.

-James-

 

They do that OBD type test in WA too....well at least for those that live in counties that require the test and arent smart enough to register their vehicles at a relative, who lives in a no emission test county's, address

 

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to call Ford today to see what's up. I'm still a little confused. My last vehicle was a 96 Ranger, so I am unfamiliar with this "new system". Maybe their equipment is old. Who knows.