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

Georgia emissions testing (boooo!)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by hhoyal, Feb 6, 2008.

  1. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2004
    2,077
    295
    0
    Location:
    Ormond Beach,Fl.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I always thought that putting the car in defrost mode with max heat would make it idle all the time.
     
  2. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    4,089
    468
    0
    Location:
    Bahstahn
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    "Guy" is full of shit. In neutral, the engine would idle until
    it ran out of fuel or the hybrid battery could no longer supply
    enough converted 12V power to keep the system up.
    .
    The A/C trick has been noted in other places, but it is much
    more of a klunky process and may not work as desired in winter.
    .
    *Please* go as public as you can with this, and feel free to
    use my page and your interactions to date as references. This
    nonsense *HAS* to be solved ASAP and permanently.
    .
    _H*
     
  3. boulder_bum

    boulder_bum Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2007
    1,371
    38
    0
    Location:
    Castle Rock, CO
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    The idea that the Prius would even be subjected to an emissions test is a little asinine.

    I'm glad I live in Colorado where the lawmakers exempt the Prius.
     
  4. hhoyal

    hhoyal New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    The saga ends...for me anyway

    I was granted a waiver for my failed emissions tests. I am off the hook for this year. Some interesting notes in conclusion

    * The part of the test that I supposedly failed (CO+CO2 reading) is not supposed to be a measurable of the test. There is no maximum allowed value for this that is supposed to be graded. So why does my test tell me that failed? I couldn't get an answer, but it could accurately be described as a glitch or bug in the software.

    * They said that I am alone in reporting this type of failure. I'm the first they know of that failed for this reason. Personally, I have a sneaking suspicion that they will be getting some more calls in the next few weeks as more 2005 Prii are scheduled for their test. (Anyone Prius owner that passed the GA emissions test, I'd be interested to know what you scored for CO+CO2)

    * According to the GA Clean Air Force, there is a big software upgrade due in the next couple of months that will address all of the GA testing problems for the Prius. I should have no problem with my test next year. Consider me a cynic.
     
  5. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2007
    7,512
    1,185
    0
    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I like to speculate about what is going on behind the scenes:

    I would almost be willing to bet money that the original software for testing was written by a temporary contractor or possibly by a permanent employee who is no longer available.

    No one in charge of the program knows how the software works or how to modify it.

    Now they have hired a new temporary contractor to completely rewrite the software for next year.

    And no one in charge of the program will know how the new software works or how to modify it.

    And so on.
     
  6. GoCarGo

    GoCarGo In the pool

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2008
    16
    0
    0
    Location:
    nowhere
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    123-456-7890
     
  7. Devil's Advocate

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2005
    922
    13
    1
    Location:
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Sounds like another example of Big Government bureaucracy run amok.

    We have a similar test in NV and I had to test mt Prius when I moved out of CA. This was over a year ago and the tech (if you can call a guy with a dip in and bad teeth a tech) sat in the Prius and modulated the throttle for about a minute to keep the ICE running and the car passed fine first time. Don't remember what the reading were right now though.
     
  8. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
    19,604
    8,036
    54
    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    First Montana: What an irony that you can remove all smog devices off your biggest gas guzzlin' land yachts with no consequences, and even sell it the next day with no consequences ... even if it's new, or old. Nothing like the smell of raw gas, while driving with the windows open while in town.

    Second CA: What an irony that in the state with the most cars, regardless of county, they would exempt all SULEV's from ANY smog tests (and even in 2010, they MAY extend this status).

    I'd get on the phone, talk to your legislators, and let them know that such dumbness (in light of more rational states, and even less rational states) ought to be brought into the media spotlight. Maybe that would light a fire under them.
     
  9. KTPhil

    KTPhil Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2005
    1,379
    20
    0
    No, Cali is not doing this. ALL new cars are exempt for a period of time, not just hybrids. It is simply that hybrids have a longer exemption, based on two reasons:
    1) Testing processes and equipment are not able to test hybrids yet. There is a lengthy testing and certification process the state must go through to validate and certify the new methods.
    2) This is tolerated because hybrid emissions are so much lower that even if the system degrades, the impact to emissions will often still leave them compliant with standards for that year.
     
  10. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
    19,604
    8,036
    54
    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Non SULEV cars in CA get to skip the first test (normally done every other year), so that puts the 1st test out to 4 years. And Toyota (as well as non-oem service places) allready succesfully test plenty of cars in many states. Yes, many ARE saying the test system needs to be dialed in better if/when CA starts testing SULEV's ~ however that doesn't negate tha fact that the legislators ARE considering longer exemptions for SULEV's. Even so, tho point was (getting lost) the Georgia folks CAN make a dif by putting their legislators to work on it.
     
  11. prim2

    prim2 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2007
    64
    0
    0
    Location:
    Toronto
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    "* They said that I am alone in reporting this type of failure. I'm the first they know of that failed for this reason. Personally, I have a sneaking suspicion that they will be getting some more calls in the next few weeks as more 2005 Prii are scheduled for their test. (Anyone Prius owner that passed the GA emissions test, I'd be interested to know what you scored for CO+CO2)"

    Someone in that department is either ignorant of the facts or is outright lying to you. This issue made the national television news last year and was specific to Georgia.
     
  12. ron69424

    ron69424 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2007
    75
    2
    0
    I also live in the Atlanta metro area and was dreading having to get my emmissions testing done to get my '08 tags. So I decided to try to get my new tags without the test. I have an '04 and an '05 Prius and both tags were due by the end of Dec. Low and behold, they gave me my new tags without asking for the emissions test!:eek: I live in Clayton County so it may be different where you are. Good luck.:D
     
  13. MaulWalker

    MaulWalker New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2007
    23
    0
    0
    Location:
    Marietta GA USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Originally, one of the major telecommunications firms (who has since been acquired) wrote the software, provided the PC, printer, and telecom links for the GA emissions program. I don't know if we still have the contract.

    Lynn
     
  14. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2007
    7,512
    1,185
    0
    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Did they provide for updates and bugfixes in the original contract or was it a one time contract and they handed it off to the Georgia Clean Air organization?

    My speculation is basically that no one in the Georgia Clean Air organization understands the software, so they cannot update it to accomodate the Prius.
     
  15. joerdie

    joerdie New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2008
    61
    0
    0
    Location:
    Cincinnati Ohio
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    This whole thing is just silly. I truly can't imagine that a letter to a congressman wouldn't fix tis issue in like half an hour. Someone in GA is an idiot.

    The funny thing is, I heard about this issue three or more months ago and assumed it would go away. It's sad that it is still plaguing us to this day.
     
  16. hhoyal

    hhoyal New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I hear what you are saying prim, but you misunderstood. Normal Prius failures of the GA emissions test are that the test aborts, which is equivalent to a failed test in the eyes of the law. My test finishes (didn't abort), but I still failed. So it's my type failure that they are saying is an anomaly. I don't believe them, but that is what they are saying.

    Yes, there are other Prius drivers in GA failing due to aborted tests every day. Yes, the testing problem has existed since last year, which was the first year 2004 Priuses were tested in GA. The GA Clean Air Force though thinks that since they can get some Priuses to pass with their special steps this year, that they have fixed the problem. They have not.

    GA made a mistake in forcing testing of Toyota based hybrids that their testing software doesn't handle properly. They continue to get bad press for it, and they are about to get some more from me. Keep on fighting the good fight, as they say...
     
  17. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2005
    991
    3
    0
    Location:
    Duluth Georgia
    I have a 2005 and was dreading my emissions test in Ga. At the last possible minute I went to the inspection station, the operator did the magic test movements (hit power twice, hit accelarator twice, hit power again, or something like that). In 3 minutes I passed and was out of there, no problems at all.


    Also, that morning I sent an email to the State Testing authority, here's the exchange:

    From: ------
    Sent: Friday, April 25, 2008 7:35 AM
    To: [email protected]; [email protected]
    Subject: Prius inspection


    Sir or Madam:

    Please send us information on how you plan on inspecting the Prius this year (2008) and what changes have been made or are planned. I am not able to find this information on your website.

    Also, please note that I also plan on posting this info on the PriusChat online community (priuschat.com) to share with approximately 40,000 other drivers, many of them Georgia drivers.


    Best regards,
    -------


    --------------------------------- The Response -------------------


    Thank you for contacting Georgia’s Clean Air Force.


    The Prius has controller area network (CAN) technology installed in it. These CAN-equipped vehicles will not pass the OBD test due to non-communication; therefore your vehicle will receive a two speed idle (TSI) test. Inspectors have received instructions on how to test your particular vehicle.

    We are in the process of rolling out new software to the emissions inspections stations that will test all CAN-equipped vehicles to communicate during an OBD inspection. All emissions inspection stations will have upgraded software by July 1, 2008.

    Please call Georgia’s Clean Air Force with the city you live in and we will be happy to provide you with a list of stations who have already upgraded their software, thus allowing your Prius to communicate during an OBD inspection.

    Georgia's Clean Air Force
    cleanairforce.com




    Just sharing what I know and have experienced with my fellow GA drivers....

    BigDaddy
     
  18. mingoglia

    mingoglia Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2007
    846
    10
    0
    Location:
    Gilbert, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    As others have said I find this thread comical. I certainly regret the hassle you're going through, but the fact that the most fuel efficient automobile on the road is being denied an emissions certificate is indeed ironic.... Solving problems such as this when they're completely 100% out of your control is frustrating. It's laughable, but unfortunately expected when dealing with a government sanctioned facility. :rolleyes: I would have taken the advice of another posted and sent a letter to my congressman. Better yet I would have sent a letter to my congressman and CC'd your local Toyota dealership as well as Toyota's corporate offices (using certified mail). Heck, just for giggles I would have probably CC'd one of those local news shows that investigates consumer issues....

    Mike
     
  19. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    4,089
    468
    0
    Location:
    Bahstahn
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Heh, and did you then spend the rest of your trip in
    inspection mode? Good thing it wasn't snowing, huh?
    .
    _H*
     
  20. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    4,089
    468
    0
    Location:
    Bahstahn
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm dredging up an ancient thread because I encountered something
    equally ancient today that just made me chuckle.
    .
    I went for inspection [in Mass, not Georgia] to the garage I
    usually go to, where by now they really should have had any number
    of Priuses through their premises, but they were still pretty
    shakey on getting a good OBDII read on the thing. The guy said
    that he had gotten instructions from the Massachusetts RMV on how
    to handle these things, and waved a battered, crumpled piece of
    paper he'd pulled off the windowsill. I asked him for a closer
    look, and found that it's the same printout of my idle instructions
    that I had given them last year. They still had it there to
    refer to. But even with all that and the personal attention I've
    given them trying to bring them up to speed on this, they clearly
    still had no idea what was really going on, and started talking
    about needing the key to "start the car" when it was already powered
    up and only needed a foot applied to pedal to make the engine run.
    .
    Eventually, they just brought me into the bay and had me do it.
    .
    At least they figured out that they needed to unplug my Scangauge
    to get their reader connected up.
    .
    Unrelated note: if you're going for inspection soon, and you've just
    come through the winter, check your lightbulbs before you go. Lamp
    filaments are more likely to pop when cold and then hit with full
    supply voltage, and of course many of our cars have been through
    a stem-to-stern salt soaking and higher likelihood of connector
    corrosion. This time it wasn't one of the license plate lamps
    which it was a previous time and was briefly whacked back into
    life enough to pass; this time I'd lost a front marker light and
    fortunately had a couple of spare 168 type wedge-base 5W bulbs
    kicking around to pop in there before setting off.
    .
    I want to start replacing various lamps with LEDs, but it's hard
    to determine from product pictures if LED modules will be bright
    enough in the right directions to be within spec and work well
    with the existing reflectors, etc etc.
    .
    _H*