Where to check for cheapest smog test station & certificate in California

[Falcon_LS]

Where in CA? No point recommending a shop in Anaheim if you're in San Francisco.

 

[Snagglefoot]

By the way, do they do a full on tailpipe test?

 

[JeffKeryk]

By the way, do they do a full on tailpipe test?

My understanding is OBD II forward just reads the stored codes.
If you clear the codes just before the test, you will fail.
Don't ask me how I know.

 

[Malo83]

And don't forget the twenty in the ashtray where the tech can see it.

 

[nthach]

My understanding is OBD II forward just reads the stored codes.
If you clear the codes just before the test, you will fail.
Don't ask me how I know.

Yep - per CARB/BAR, only one OBD-II status monitor can be incomplete. The misfire monitor is always running. I believe the cat, EVAP and one other monitor has to be complete for a smog to be successful.

 

[Ed_Flecko]

Where in CA? No point recommending a shop in Anaheim if you're in San Francisco.

I live in Sacramento.



Ed

 

[another Todd]

I lived in California. At least in California you don't have to get a new car tested for the first five years. In Utah you don't have that luxury. It's every other year regardless of miles. So-there is the only upside other than the weather I can think of about living in California. If you live in Cali and own a home you are not poor.

New cars in California that do not need a smog test for 5 years are charged a "no smog required" fee by California at registration renewal. The fee is about the same amount I pay for a smog test so they rip you off even on new cars...the whole program is a rip off now. They plug into your OBD2 diagnostics plug, if there is no check engine light or other problems they look at a couple things like making sure your cat is there, and glance under the hood and they are done. $45 for 5 minutes work, it takes longer to do the paperwork. No tailpipe tests anymore for OBD2 vehicles 2000 and newer.

 

[CKN]

New cars in California that do not need a smog test for 5 years are charged a "no smog required" fee by California at registration renewal. The fee is about the same amount I pay for a smog test so they rip you off even on new cars...the whole program is a rip off now. They plug into your OBD2 diagnostics plug, if there is no check engine light or other problems they look at a couple things like making sure your cat is there, and glance under the hood and they are done. $45 for 5 minutes work, it takes longer to do the paperwork. No tailpipe tests anymore for OBD2 vehicles 2000 and newer.

That "no smog fee" was not assessed when I lived there. Apparently effective in January of 2019.

 

[UG_Passat]

My understanding is OBD II forward just reads the stored codes.
If you clear the codes just before the test, you will fail.
Don't ask me how I know.

It's stored codes AND verifying emissions monitors readiness.

You can have no CEL's, but can fail for emissions monitors readiness.