1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

HELP! Moving to Georgia - what's the deal with emissions testing?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by CCC712, Aug 17, 2008.

  1. CCC712

    CCC712 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2008
    22
    0
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    So I took a job in Columbus GA and now I'm reading all this crap about the Prius not passing Georgia's emissions test. But I haven't seen any recent posts about the issue... so Georgia residents - what's going on? Did they fix the problem? If not, what's the procedure to get my car registered with a failed test?
     
  2. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2007
    1,340
    26
    0
    Location:
    san jose, ca
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    yeah thats all i hear too are stories, nothing recent, just people getting failures and then
    having to get exemptions on a case by case basis
     
  3. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2008
    2,224
    139
    0
    Location:
    Midwest
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Is Columbus requiring emissions testing, now? As best I can tell it is only the Atlanta area that requires emissions testing. Heck, GA didn't even require safety inspections.

    Emissions testing is typically limited to regions with smog concerns (typically metropolitan areas.)
     
  4. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2007
    1,340
    26
    0
    Location:
    san jose, ca
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    searching some georgia sites and some non georgia sites, the short answer is yes. , the toyota prius is required to pass an emissions test. if the prius is newer then 3 model years then it is exempt from testing. they must of found a way to keep the engine on to test it, i bet

    georgia links
    georgia's smog check site
    Georgia Clean Air Force: Motorists

    some dmv related site
    Untitled Page

    (from dmv.org, not affliated with georgia)
    If your vehicle operates on only natural gas, propane, battery electricity, or hydrogen, it does not require an emissions test.



    If your vehicle is one of the following hybrid vehicles and you live in one of the emissions-testing counties, you WILL need to pass the emissions test:
    • Toyota Prius
    • Honda Insight
    • Honda Civic
    • Ford Escape
    also from dmv.org




    All gasoline-powered passenger cars and light trucks 1982 and newer in the following Georgia counties must pass an emission inspection before being issued license plates:
    • Cherokee
    • Clayton
    • Cobb
    • Coweta
    • DeKalb
    • Douglas
    • Fayette
    • Forsyth
    • Fulton
    • Gwinnett
    • Henry
    • Paulding
    • Rockdale
     
  5. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2008
    2,224
    139
    0
    Location:
    Midwest
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    No, Columbus is not in one of those counties. None of the adjacent counties are on the list either. So the OP appears to be home free.
     
  6. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2007
    1,340
    26
    0
    Location:
    san jose, ca
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    rats,

    we needed up to date information on prius smog testing methods
     
  7. gunguy05

    gunguy05 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2008
    61
    3
    0
    Location:
    Georgia
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    +1... on the NO emissions testing. Columbus is in Muscogee county. and that is not on the list. They may not let you in the county though... with that obama sticker and all... :)
     
  8. rcaine

    rcaine Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2008
    138
    17
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I lived in Columbus for 9 years before returning to the Atlanta area. It is not included in the testing requirement. It's for the metro area only. I quess I'm going to have to ask about the testing method used although when we get our Prius we'll have 3 years before we have to get it tested.

    I know their are some quirks to the testing. Ten years ago we had trouble getting our older Honda's to pass the testing. Our mechanic had to make several adjustments to get them to pass, then reset them after testing.
     
  9. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Hmm, this defeats the point of emissions testing... Most modern vehicles do not allow adjustment to spark timing, idle speed, or air/fuel mixture as those are all controlled by the engine ECU. Those likely were the parameters adjusted by your mechanic in the past.

    Too bad we don't have any GA Prius owners who recently had their vehicles tested, to contribute to the string. I am wondering whether the state has discovered the Prius inspection mode yet.
     
  10. alanh

    alanh Active Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2007
    1,175
    99
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Hobbit has a page where he describes how to keep the engine idling. Essentially, you shift into neutral while the engine is running; it will then stay running until you shift to park.
     
  11. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    This is OK if your state's emissions testing does not require the vehicle to spin a dynamometer with the drive wheels.

    If the testing protocol requires spinning a dynamometer (so that the drivetrain is under load), then inspection mode would be required. This is where you make the vehicle IG-ON, then fully depress the accelerator pedal 2x when in P, then 2x in N, then 2x in P, then make the vehicle READY.
     
  12. CCC712

    CCC712 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2008
    22
    0
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Phew! I'm becoming more and more thankful that I'm an hour away from ATL instead of right inside it. One less hassle to worry about. I still hope they fix it soon since I'll probably move to Atlanta eventually.

    As for the Obama sticker, I live in Nashville now (which isn't much better than rural GA) and I haven't been shot at so far ;). It's also a car magnet which means it's removable when necessary (NRA meeting time). But I don't plan on removing it anytime soon because it matches the Spectra Mica Blue so nicely :D