Cautionary Tale for Montero Owners Who Need To SMOG Their Car

[mike5]

Sorry I missed the year. Check out this document which I believe covers all MY99 Mitsubishi vehicles. Look up the item, note the pattern, then scroll down for the cycle steps. But first you have to scan the car to see what's not set.

http://www.mitsupartsworld.com/Endeavor TSB/tsb0413012.pdf

 

[Howah]

Thanks to the OP of this post, I was finally able to bring this appendix j to a smog station that i repeatedly went to after about 200 miles or so because the monitors were not ready. Smog tech took a look at the appendix j printout and called bar to confirm and then and there the smog test was done. If not for this post, i would have been at who knows, 1000 miles and monitors would still not be ready. Thanks

 

[Clem]

http://www.mitsupartsworld.com/Endeavor TSB/tsb0413012.pdf

Thanks, mike5!

Clem

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

I am in New Mexico, and have the same issue. Drove hundreds of miles and not ready. Will have to plan a trip to the state office. So stupid, the amount of ENVIRONMENTAL damage wasting resources on silly smog checks does....but we cannot let it go.

 

[Clem]

New CA SMOG Changes...Hard for older cars to pass

Thanks to the OP of this post, I was finally able to bring this appendix j to a smog station that i repeatedly went to after about 200 miles or so because the monitors were not ready. Smog tech took a look at the appendix j printout and called bar to confirm and then and there the smog test was done. If not for this post, i would have been at who knows, 1000 miles and monitors would still not be ready. Thanks

Thanks to all who posted here to help me out...My montero passed smog this weekend!

I decided to roll the dice (i.e. did not buy a code scanner) and used the Montero to commute to work for two weeks then went back for the retest. My 99 has about 102K miles and passed all emissions parts of the test with no problems.

The smog guy showed me the "new" CA smog requirements (I think the law changed in May 2015 or there abouts). Appendix J no longer applies. All autos regardless of year have to be have the readiness codes set to pass CA smog (for OBD-II). The place I went to even charges more for 1996-1999 models now as a result of the law change. Even hybrid cars in California now need to have smog checks.

Hope this info can help someone else!

Clem

 

[nckwltn]

The smog guy showed me the "new" CA smog requirements (I think the law changed in May 2015 or there abouts). Appendix J no longer applies. All autos regardless of year have to be have the readiness codes set to pass CA smog (for OBD-II). The place I went to even charges more for 1996-1999 models now as a result of the law change. Even hybrid cars in California now need to have smog checks.

same story from my smog guy.... Thankfully I just did smog this year, so I'm good for a couple more years!

 

[TheMole]

Bumping this up because I needed to smog at a STAR station for my registration and I passed the emissions part, but failed the obd2 part because some of my readiness monitors were incomplete. I don't get it because I have not reset any codes or disconnected the battery for at least 5k miles. Is this one of those cases where these monitors reset when you turn the car off? I may try to make an appointment with a smog ref.

 

[pugslyyy]

Bumping this up because I needed to smog at a STAR station for my registration and I passed the emissions part, but failed the obd2 part because some of my readiness monitors were incomplete. I don't get it because I have not reset any codes or disconnected the battery for at least 5k miles. Is this one of those cases where these monitors reset when you turn the car off? I may try to make an appointment with a smog ref.

Which readiness monitor is giving you the problem?

 

[TheMole]

Which readiness monitor is giving you the problem?

The smog guy mentioned the EVAP, but I used the torque app and from what I remember it was showing EVAP, CAT, O2, and EGR. I'll take a screenshot of it in a bit. I've always had an Ultragauge plugged into the obd2 port, but don't think it should affect the readiness monitors.

edit: added pic

 

[pugslyyy]

The smog guy mentioned the EVAP, but I used the torque app and from what I remember it was showing EVAP, CAT, O2, and EGR. I'll take a screenshot of it in a bit. I've always had an Ultragauge plugged into the obd2 port, but don't think it should affect the readiness monitors.

edit: added pic

View attachment 353116

Hmm, that's a bunch of incompletes. Sure seems like the battery was disconnected or went flat or something - either that or the place testing it did a reset and tripped all the readiness monitors in an attempt to make a buck.

I would follow the instructions here - http://www.obdautodoctor.com/scantool-garage/obd-readiness-monitors-explained/ on how to run an OBD drive cycle and check it again.

 

[mike5]

Here's the deal:

- Go drive the car in various conditions and then hook up your app again. I bet you more will be complete. When you turn the car off those will probably reset. Clearing codes will reset all of them. Ultimately you may end up with one monitor set to not ready.
- Appendix J no longer applies.
- Document I provided shows the steps to get each monitor to run.
- Pre 2000 cars can have one readiness monitor be set to NOT READY per rules...none for 2000 and newer.
- Monteros have a known issue with getting all monitors set. The documentation I provided confirms this.
- Most (almost all) SMOG stations will NOT risk smogging a car with one readiness monitor not set as it could count against them in the eyes of the state.

Ultimately if you end up with one monitor not set and no matter what you do you can't get the readiness test to run, find a shop that will SMOG with one readiness monitor not set. Otherwise appointment with Referee station.

Good luck.

 

[TheMole]

Thanks guys I'll try to find a place to go through the drive cycles, but there's just too much traffic out here haha. If those monitors do reset when I turn the car off I would have to complete them all and drive right to the smog place after. That leaves only Saturdays...

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

My smog cost 300.00 with a certified letter from the dealer...96 is the worst.

 

[TheMole]

My smog cost 300.00 with a certified letter from the dealer...96 is the worst.

Ouch that is terrible!

Here is the updated tsb which includes the 98.
http://www.obdclearinghouse.com/documents/newdocuments//Mitsubishi/tsb0313005.pdf

After reading the tsb a few times, it looks like all the ones that I have showing incomplete (besides EVAP) need to be completed on the "first drive cycle". Does this mean that I have to reset the ECU and then carry out the steps? I followed the o2 sensor steps last night, but it still showed incomplete.

 

[mike5]

Do NOT reset the ECU. That only hurts what you're trying to accomplish. First Drive Cycle refers to the car being cold I believe. Keep in mind a few things:

- The idea of readiness tests is that they run on their own in the course of regular driving. So some of these will happen.
- Some readiness monitors may get set to incomplete once you turn the car off. So drive the car, go through the tests, stop the car (leave it running) and check the readiness status with a scanner. If set, head straight to the smog shop and make sure they don't turn off the car either.
- The documentation provided is a little weird. You'll note on page 2 it says: "For 1998 and later models, refer to Group 13 in the appropriate service manual, under “OBD–II
Drive Cycle." In theory the drive cycles should be more or less amongst different cars.