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Keeping up with routine vehicle maintenance can help ensure your car passes the emissions test on the first try. California has some fairly rigid standards for emissions and many other states follow their lead because according to federal law, other states can adopt California’s automotive emissions rules because they are stricter than federal regulations.

In California, technicians are required to perform smog inspections on vehicles as-is; however, the vehicle owner can request an adjustment or repair in advance. Technicians also are not allowed to refuse inspection of a vehicle if they know about pre-existing problems that will result in the vehicle not passing the emissions test.

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Zero Emission Vehicles

A unique aspect to California’s emissions standard is the ZEV mandate, which seeks to further reduce automotive greenhouse gas emissions. The mandate states by the 2025 model year, 15.4 percent of cars from automakers selling in the state will have to meet the ZEV requirements. Washington D.C. and 10 other states, including Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont, all plan to follow California’s lead.

A zero-emissions vehicle includes two advanced technology vehicles. One type of ZEV uses an electric-drive system powered by rechargeable batteries. The other type is an electric-drive vehicle with fuel cells that make electricity from compressed hydrogen gas fuel in an onboard electrochemical process.

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Finding Potential Emissions Problems through Maintenance

Following your recommended car maintenance schedule means doing regular oil changes and filter replacements. This allows a technician to find potential emission problems, such as missing smog components or disconnected vacuum hoses, before they are noticeable to you. If your check engine light is on, you want it to be checked out and taken care of before heading out to vehicle emissions testing locations because that can result in an automatic failure.

Here are three maintenance concerns that signal you may not pass the emissions test:

Obvious issues—seek repair if your vehicle is having obvious problems, such as not driving, running or functioning properly. Most likely, it will not pass the emissions test and you will have wasted money on the inspection fee.

Tire pressure—make sure your tires are properly inflated. Your vehicle’s tire pressures should be even and correct. This allows the technician to test drive your car with better stability and control. The engine will maintain a steady load, which will increase the likelihood of passing the test.

Get an oil change—most car manufacturers recommend oil changes every 5,000 miles so if you’re due, it’s best to get it done before the emissions test. Contaminated oil in your engine can result in failing the emissions test. You are also putting your vehicle at risk for premature engine wear if you don’t follow the recommended car maintenance schedule for oil changes.

It is important to keep up with the regular maintenance schedule for cars in order to pass the emissions test. Don’t wait until you notice a problem to seek emissions repairs. Through regularly completing your scheduled car maintenance, you should catch any issues before they crop up.

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Bill DeBoer

Written by Bill DeBoer

William J. DeBoer (Bill Jr.) is Co-owner and Vice President at DeBoer’s Auto. As the company’s General Manager, Bill has been responsible for bringing innovations in daily operations to the full-service, high-tech auto repair facility for 20+ years. Passionate about computers from an early age, Bill’s interest in technology gravitated to cars while he was in college. By obtaining a Certificate in Automotive Technology followed by a B.S. in Business Management from Penn State, Bill was able to fuse his interests into a car technology specialization and join the family business shortly thereafter.