Thought I'd seen everything with New York laws . . .

I just failed motor vehicle inspection, and must admit. Even as a New York State resisdent, I'm a bit shocked.

We have over a dozen cars and trucks we drive, off and on. Some just for winter, some just for summer, some just for towing, some just for long trips, etc.

Until recently, most have been pre-OBD-II computer systems. In New York, only 1996 and newer vehicles with OBD-II must be hooked into the State computer, and look good to it, to pass inspection.

Here's the deal. We have a 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan AWD. Beautiful condition, and we're trying to keep it that way. Never drive it in winter salt. Mostly a summer rig.

The battery goes dead in two months if not started once in awhile - as it is supposed to do (it's in the owner's manual). So, I put a battery disconnect on it and also an on-board 1 amp, self-regulating trickle charger.

Inspection expired today, April 1st and I had an appointment to get it inspected this morning. Turned the battery on, started it and drove about 12 miles to the inspection station. I failed ! And why? State computer says I haven't driven it enough since the battery was turned on. Seems my computer record is "guilty" until proven "innocent." I got a sheet of paper telling me to drive it for at least one week, with stop-and-go driving, and then get re-inspected. And, I only get one chance for this re-inspection.

These law makers are absolutely nuts! I could see their point IF unhooking the battery actually erased error codes, but it does not. I'd have to use a code scanner to do that.

I know many newer laws are absolutely absurd, but this one is beyond even that level of stupidity.

My older diesels aren't subjected to any of this nonsense AND the fee is only $12 instead of $21.

Same thing happened to me with our 02 GrandAm....I put in a new battery right before I took it in for emissions and it failed....drove it around for 60 miles and it still failed...took it in a week later and it passed. I guess the computer has to develop a history of different operating conditions before the test equipment will accept them.

some of the OBD2 scans take a while to complete, cannot pass inspection until they complete, keeps people from clearing codes then getting inspection

in CA, no safety inspections but some smog tests involve exhaust sniffer in tailpipe while running car thru a series of speeds on a dyno

NY has no shortage of inspectors and regulators, just jobs for regular folks

OBD11 systems require a complete drive cycle before the readiness monitors will do a complete test . There is a drive cycle proceedure you can do , or just drive it for day or 2 and it will complete it itself . I'd have to look at process for drive cycle . It's not just looking for erased codes they are after. It;'s just to make sure all the monitors are ready . Pain in

don"t have to worry with that in western mo. but i work on fords every day and unhooking the battery will most defintely clear the keep alive memory of the computer. now if it has a hard fault where some part is bad at all times it will immediately reset. we fight this all the time where people bring in cars and say the malfunction light comes on and when you test it you get a p1000, which means it"s been cleared and hasn"t been driven enough to clear out the p1000, usually from going to parts store to pull codes for free. they don"t realize they now have made it impossible for me to have a clue of the problem till it"s driven long enough to reset the code again.

Thank God I live in Rural Oregon.
Walt

Yeah, it sucks. Same thing happened with my '01 F-150. I put a new battery in it a week before I got it inspected, and it failed. All sensors, etc., hadn't had enough time to test out ok with the computer. Do yourself a favor, go to Autozone, rent a scanner and scan it every day until it shows all sensors have checdked out. THEN, take it back for re-inspection and on your way home, return the scanner to autozone. It's a pain in the butt, but it worked for me.

I had a 02 Grand Am also. Got it out of the body shop took it to the inspection station. Failed guy told me to drive it around for a week. Then come back. Passed. And people ask me why I like the older cars.

I think all this crap has been mandated by EPA based on air quailty in NYC.

You haven't been putting fuel in it and drumming up taxes.....

Shame uponya

Safety inspection? Smog testing? Whats all that nonsense? Thank goodness I live someplace those don't exist.

The more I read on here about safty inspections, burn permits, hitch law, and every other hoop some folks have to jump through I am so very glad I live in the rural flat part of KY.

Dave

Shound be only $10 for the diesel thats all I pay.

Plowboy...you said it right..nothing like living in rural Tenn and Ky. I don,t see how they mak it in some of those states.

They have been doing that in MA for years
Computer says it not ready. Had a Saturn once check engine lite would come on occasionally i thought if i cleared it no problem, wrong computer said not ready, drive a few more days.

Could it be that your computer record is not really guilty, just empty? I can't remember what we changed on one of our vehicles, but it wouldn't pass- needed to build a little "history"

But do you remember when KY required a yearly safety inspection AND a big, dumb looking insurance sticker? Then the legis..../bozos finally got rid of that junk, now about any officer can give you one when they want to:-(

I am a young pup at only 32 but I have never seen an insurance sticker or had a ride inspected. Guess Ky is going the same way most other states are going. Just read in the paper where Steve was going to sign a law say'n folks were going to by law have to get train'n before they can set off charges in the coal mines. Guess zone'n laws will be next.

Dave

Yep, I think it was about the mid 70"s or so when it ended. I think I had a few insurance stickers but not any safety stickers, they are/were a waste of time that made the state money. Hope they never go back!

Just had my daughters 2001 Malibu done. Code would not clear drove it for almost a thousand miles still showed "not ready"
Guy called NYS trouble line solution: keep it in the garage overnite had to be a cold start with the ambient temperature between 40° and 80° let it run up to operating temperature and shut it down,depressing the brake for 3 minutes.
What a crock.
I like the idea of safety inspections but this emissions is horrible.