So
your car is due for its annual
state inspection...
With the new expanded emissions
law having been adopted this month, into the out lying counties.
IS MY VEHICLE
REQUIRED TO HAVE THE EMISSIONS TEST?
If you car is between 2 and 24
years old and is
registered in Brazoria, FortBend,
Galveston, Harris,
Montgomery, Collin, Denton, Ellis,
Johnson, Kaufman,
Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant
counties you will be
required to PASS an emissions
test.
WHY IS MY CAR
BEING TESTED?
Your car's engine, just like millions
and millions of other cars all over the world can be a significant producer of three pollutants considered to be hazardous
to your health.
HYDROCARBONS
[HC] ,which occurs when your car's combustion process is incomplete.
CARBON MONOXIDE [CO] which develops when your cars
air/fuel mixture doesn't have
enough air in it.
OXIDES of NITROGEN [NOX] which reacts with sunlight to form smog.
Your car is tested to insure that
it's continuing to run as clean as it was designed to, and if not to identify which pollutants are being produced in excessive
amounts, and need to be brought under control by having your engine serviced.
ARE MY CAR'S
EMISSIONS REALLY A SERIOUS PROBLEM?
Motor vehicles are the single
largest cause of CO and smog on the planet.
In a typical city, cars and trucks
cause up to 75% of the HC emissions that cause smog and 90% of all the CO
pollution.
30% of cars that are 5 to 7 years
old put out excessive emissions.
55% of all cars over 7 years old
exceed emission standards.
WHAT CAN I DO
TO PREPARE MY CAR?
The single best [and easiest]
way to pass an emissions test is to have regular tune-ups every year.
A properly tuned car should pass
any emissions test every time.
If you haven't had your car serviced
regularly, getting a thorough tune up before you have it tested is still the best bet to get through an emissions test without
problems.
WHAT TO DO IF
YOUR VEHICLE FAILS THE EMISSIONS TEST?
Step
1: The Vehicle Inspection Report
If your vehicle fails test, you
will receive a Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) detailing which tailpipe emissions exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's
standards.
Step
2: The Repairs
Fix the items that failed the
inspection or take your vehicle to a qualified service technician for the appropriate repairs, i.e. STUTTGART AUTO CENTER.
Step
3: The Retest
Take your vehicle to the same
inspection station within 15 days for a free retest
SOME REASONS
WHY YOUR VEHICLE MIGHT FAIL AN EMISSIONS TEST.
EXCESSIVE HYDROCARBONS
(HC)
These emissions result from unburned
fuel. Check for problems with the following:
Internal engine trouble
Faulty air pump
Ignition system
Exhaust gas recirculation system
(EGR)
Catalytic converter
Gas Cap
EXCESSIVE CARBON
MONOXIDE (CO)
High amounts of carbon monoxide
occur in a rich fuel mixture when there is too much or too little air reaching the combustion chamber. Check for problems
with the following :
Mis-adjusted carburetor
Faulty fuel-injection system
Dirty air filter
Worn rings or valve guides
Air pump system
OXIDES OF NITROGEN
(NOx)
High levels of NOx can be caused
by excessive temperature in the combustion chamber of a damaged catalytic converter. Check for problems with the following:
Air injection system
EGR system
Combustion chamber deposits
Dirty fuel injectors
IF YOU THINK
THAT THE REPAIR IS TO COSTLY… WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Get an other opinion with a specialty
shop that works on cars like yours.
Check into the Extensions and
Waivers program.
1. LOW INCOME TIME EXTENSION
2. PART AVAILABILITY TIME EXTENSIONS
3. LOW MILEAGE TIME EXTENSIONS
4. INDIVIDUAL VEHICLE WAIVER
