Georgia emissions testing (boooo!)

[hhoyal]

I live in the metro Atlanta area of Georgia, where emissions testing is mandatory for 2005 and older cars. My 2005 Prius is up for inspection this month, for the first time.

I had read articles about the horror stories 2004 Prius owners had last year. Apparently, the GA emissions testing software doesn't do right with the Prius. The cars fail the test!

I had hoped they had worked out the kinks in the past year, but that doesn't yet appear to be true. The story I'm getting from the GA Clean Air Force is that they have a procedure they've sent to the emissions test sites for how to get the Prius to pass. The bad news is that in the field, the test sites still can't get the cars to pass.

I've been to three sites so far, none of which will test my car. I called the GA Clean Air Force twice so far, and they tell me I need to force them to test my car and if they won't, then I should file a complaint about the location with the GA Clean Air Force. They also recommended that I tell the testers at the test site to call the customer service number for the GA Clean Air Force (presumably so they can enforce that my car be tested).

I'll give it my best shot, but I fear this is about to get ugly.

For the record, I don't blame the test sites. They are given inadequate testing software, told that they must perform the test which proves to fail more often than not, and then reprimanded for not testing properly when the test fails.

[ny biker]

Can you get the testing done at a Toyota dealer? That's where I always took my Camry, and where I plan to take the Prius when it needs inspections.

I was actually wondering just the other day about emissions test requirements for the Prius here in Virginia, since I thought I had read somewhere that California doesn't require it. But I have a while before I need to deal with that, and the dealer that sold me my car sells so many Prii that I expect they will know what needs to be done.

Good luck with yours --

[GreenLady]

Boy, that does suck. Here in Colorado, they have mobile emissions testing stations set up at freeway onramps. You just drive by 2 different ones on one day and you're done. Luckily, hybrids are exempt from emissions testing!!

[dogfriend]

Originally Posted by ny biker

Can you get the testing done at a Toyota dealer? That's where I always took my Camry, and where I plan to take the Prius when it needs inspections.

I was actually wondering just the other day about emissions test requirements for the Prius here in Virginia, since I thought I had read somewhere that California doesn't require it.

California won't require testing the Prius until at least 2010. They are still working on the test method.

CA Dep. Consumer Affairs- Bur. Automotive Repair - Bureau of Automotive Repair

Taking it to a Toyota dealer seems like a good suggestion. It might cost more, but they will be motivated to get it to pass.

[NoMoShocks]

It seems like if they cannot test it properly, they ought to give you an exemption until they figure it out.

Please don't missunderstand me. I don't want every Prius owner to move to Washington state, but Prius and I think all other vehicles classified as PZEV are completely exempt from mandatory testing.

Here, regular cars must have their tests conducted by a state inspection station every two years beginning on the vehicle's second annual registration renewal.

Beginning 2011, they will begin waiving the 8 percent sales tax when you buy a Prius. I am not sure if I can wait that long to get a new Plug in Prius with 80 MPG

[hhoyal]

Update: So I found a site that would test my emissions. Trouble is, my 2005 Prius failed!

The reports I've read are that the testing problems in GA lead to an aborted test, which is equivalent to failing in the eyes of the GA Clean Air Force. But my case appears to be different. My 2005 Prius failed outright according to the test. The reason for failure was that my CO+CO2% emissions were too high. Specifically, when conducting the idle RPM test my numbers were:

HC-ppm: 018
RPM: 0731
CO%: 0.04
CO+CO2%: 14.8
Result: FAIL (due to CO+CO2%)

I understand that by having a PZEV that I have a 15 yr/150,000 mi warranty on the emissions. So, I can go to the Toyota dealer to get things checked out. My hesitation is that I think the test is crap.

I'd rather take it to get tested again to see how I fare in another test. I've read some things about running the car on the highway pretty good just prior to the test and getting oil changed and verifying spark plugs. Do these things apply to my Prius I wonder? I change the oil regularly, and I've only got 16.5k miles on this car. The thing runs perfectly.

I've left messages with the GA Clean Air Force about next steps, but I don't have confidence in that route either.

[dogfriend]

What is the limit for CO+CO2? Sounds fishy to me. Perfect combustion is

CxHx + O2 -> H20 + CO2.

[hobbit]

Have those numbnuts *still* not figured it out? This is SO EASY
to work around. If you're in deep contact with the people in
the GA emissions-testing infrastructure, HAVE THEM READ THIS
and then PROPAGATE that information to all of their inspection
stations. This is absolutely unbelievable and inexcusable.
.
731 RPM is too low, by the way. The Prius idles at about 1000,
so yeah, that test was invalid. WTF were they doing to the car
to pull figures like that?
.
_H*

[dogfriend]

I didn't catch the fact that the idle speed is too low, but he is absolutely right. Are you sure they tested your car? Did you see them do it?

A former coworker from long ago told me about an inspection station in Oakland, CA that could pass any car. If the car under test was too high, they would stick the probe into the tailpipe of a different car instead.

[The Tramp]

Originally Posted by dogfriend

What is the limit for CO+CO2? Sounds fishy to me. Perfect combustion is

CxHx + O2 -> H20 + CO2.

This is the E.U. Emission test for my Prius:

RPM 780
CO corr 0,0%
Lambda 1,01 [-]
CO 0,009%
CO2 15,62%
HC 18 ppm
O2 0,21%
NOx 0 ppm


RPM 2190
CO corr 0.0%
Lambda 1,01 [-]
CO 0,004%
CO2 15,65%
HC 15 ppm
O2 0,21%
NOx 0 ppm