Did this drive cycle this morning on my 2005 Honda Civic, it was said bad cat and oxygen sensor and after the drive cycle, all readings on the ob2 reader were all green check marks and passed smog. I am grateful for the video.
I don't comment on a lot of videos. But I'm taking the time to say thank you on this one, took my Mini Cooper 2013 on a drive cycle (no A/C test required) and passed smog within the hour. Been behind on registration for two months!
Worked perfectly for my 2005 Lexus RX330 with 195,000 miles. Thank you. I've been stressed prepping for annual emission test in Virginia due to my check engine light coming on regularly. Your suggestion worked perfectly for me using one driving cycle and I was able to pass my Virginia Emissions Test. My 2005 Lexus RX-330, with 195,000 miles, gets a Check Engine Light regularly with no other problems. Car runs perfectly. Happens every 150 - 400 miles after resetting OBD II error codes. OBD II indicates catalyst Bank One or Two are outside manufacturer specified threshhold. I usually do an error code reset and keep driving. Came upon your video while prepping for annual emissions test. I ran through your procedures and I got all monitors to register OK. Without going home, I immediately went to emission testing station and my vehicle passed. I'm good for another year. Saved me alot of stress and money.
This is reassuring because I have the exact same Lexus and we're having the same issue. I just ordered the OBD monitor and ready to give it a go. Is it ok to turn off the engine after the drive cycle completes?
@@samuelriebel5535 I did not turn off my RX 330. I drove directly to the inspection station when the drive cycle was complete and OBD indicated I would pass. Not taking the chance an engine restart would trigger Check Engine and VSC lights.
@@dpj118 did you leave the car running while you went in to get it smogged? I'm most likely going to do the same but shut off my engine, go in and have the paper work done then when the technician is ready, he can start the car and hopefully all will be well.
I've been fussing around with the car for days trying to get the last 3 monitors to be ready. Followed this video and worked the first time. Thank you!
They did pass in an unexpected order though. I had CAT O2S HRT not ready. CAT became ready shortly after the idle (which was surprising, I thought it depended on the others). The other two only got set around the end.
Why are you all so weak minded? It's literally nothing. You turn on your car, wait 3 minutes with the a/c defroster, drive 50mph for 3 minutes, slow down and do again. Don't you already do that daily? Quit being such snowflakes you're ridiculous. This man is making it simple for you and all you can do is complain. Grow up you bunch of pansies.
It’s definitely a racket by the state I’m in California and it’s absolutely ridiculous... just hold the meter up to my tailpipe and let me know if I’m polluting the atmosphere ... thanks for sharing the video but damn ginnaaa lol
This video has saved me from a big headache. Just recently bought a used car for a really good deal but the catch was the catalyst wasn’t ready. Found this video and after 4 driving cycles the car was ready for smog!
I'm so glad I found this video! I got a new battery for my Mini Cooper a few months ago but I don't drive much so I failed my smog check. I drove along 680 in the middle of the night on a holiday weekend and followed your drive test and passed smog on Monday. Thank you so much!!!!!!
Emission test relying solely on OBD2 monitors has added stress to car owners whose OBD2 monitors have shown to be not ready when their cars are taken to the emission test centers. Now, they have to perform all kinds of procedures, which mostly are difficult to complete (maybe not to experts), to get the monitors ready. If the monitors are not ready, let's say just couple of them, car owners should have the option to get their cars tested through I/M 240 dynamometer or another test which truly measures the pollutants coming from the car's emission. Local governments who require emission test and emission test centers opted not to do this anymore for cars equipped with OBD2 technology. I'm not exactly sure why they resorted to that, maybe because it takes longer or the equipment required for I/M240 are way too expensive to purchase and to maintain. Emission test is no longer an emission test if the only option is testing OBD2 monitors. It should be called emission monitors test or test for a car's emission technology but it should no longer be called emission test per se. OBD2 testing is efficient and clean, yes, but give the car owners an option to get the pollutants coming from their cars' emission actually tested through I/M 240 (or another method that is truly testing emission and not the car's technology) when their OBD monitors are showing not ready especially if they are not throwing any codes.
I agree with you. I live here in Ohio and it’s bullshit they have it. I remember reading somewhere a long time ago that the reason they don’t charge anymore which was 20.00, is because the state got enough money for cigarette tax! Which is bullshit. So that tells me they are only in it for the money. There are counties that have it and some that don’t. It’s not like each individual county is in its own bubble we all share the same air. So why are the majority of the counties exempt? Just like you said, it should be done with the “Tail Pipe Test”. That’s true Emissions. And we should have the option. It’s getting tested either way. It’s all Bullshit and Political. I did do a damn drive cycle on mine and it better have worked. Ha. Big Jim
You are absolutely right about this adding stress to life. I have tried and tried. Kind of hard to be able to do all this “drive this way and don’t brake” stuff in L.A.
5 years in DMV hell we could not get our Ford Expedition to clear the codes, two shops told us to go somewhere else because they have ran out of ideas and patience, it only has 79K miles on it. Thanks Ford for the misery.
2000 Cavalier 2.4L required California smog check in beginning of August 2024. On 7/17 a smog test showed O2S not ready. Drove the vehicle daily but would not go to ready. On 8/27 I got up early and tried the cycle mentioned on the video. Due to traffic I deviated some but still went through it as best as possible. When done, I plugged in my OBD2 reader and it showed ready. I drove straight to the smog station and I passed. Thank you so much for the easy instructional video.
Thank you very much for this video, I had changed battery about week ago and don’t pass smog test, mechanical guy told me just go driving more,but every time I drove about 70mile back, it all show same problems,I almost desperately for that, then I watch this video, and get up 6 am at morning, do exactly what you said and go to highway driving, and I paased, so appreciate that.
Great, a list of procedures would be helpful but I think I can remember. 1/2 throttle to 55 for at least 2 1/2 min. Drift to below 20 mph, then 3/4 throttle to 55 for 5 minutes. Brake then good to go..
Re took my smog check test today here in California. All I did to pass was drive on the highway for 30 miles before going, and keeping my engine on when I got there
Nukem384, you are AMAZING. Anyone that reads this is no joke. I am a single woman in my 60's and own a 2001 Ford Mustang. I also live in California so every other year I have to get my car smogged in order to get it registered. I bought the car in 2022; the party I purchased the car from had the car smogged that year. In March this year my battery was replaced by Triple A. In early July when I went to the smog station which is adjacent to my mechanic, he asked if I did something with my battery and I said I had my battery replaced. By that time I had already put several hundred miles on my car. Apparently, it's not the mileage but how you drive the car. The smog station gave me a drive cycle which is SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER than Nukem's. Two weeks ago I spent FOUR hours doing everything on that drive cycle to the letter and still failed. I was beginning to panic as my registration is due in July. Although I paid my registration fee DMV still sent a letter saying my registration was incomplete. I also ride public transporation (BART) and in the past have been ticketed by BART police twice in one day for expired tags. This morning I woke up early at 3:00 am as my main concern was where was I going to find a stretch of road where I could drive 20 mph for five minutes. Someone was watching over me because I found the perfect road. For whatever it's worth I also replaced my fuel cap. After I ran Nukem's drive cycle I drove straight to my mechanic's. I was ecstatic when he told me I passed. Nukem, thank you so much for sharing this Drive Cycle. It really works.
@@nukem384 I am so grateful and thankful I saw your post. After my car failed the smog the first time the smog place gave me a drive cycle they give to their customers. It was A LOT longer than yours and took significantly more time. I had begun to think I was never going to pass. A big shout out to you Nukem. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much. Even after driving over 500 miles, it wasn’t ready, and I tried various methods, but nothing worked. After watching this video, I succeeded in one go.
4:09 is accurate. I had OBD2 connected while watching real-time monitors and that’s exactly how I got monitors to get the check marks. However, I had to coast to zero mph so it may be slightly different for certain makes. I had a 2007 Chevy Silverado.
@@nukem384 I have an O7 gmc sierra but it wont coast down to zero, only to about 6 to 8 mph. Even going slightly uphill it wont go down to zero. It will slowly creep about 5 mph. Cycle drive won’t get the evap or co2heat ready. Guess ill have to go pay extra somewhere to pass it.
Hi, my name is Ryan. Thank you so much for an awesome tip on drive cycle. It really works! And i would strongly recommend this to anyone who need to pass smog test with OBD2. Once again, thank you.
It’s a great and reliable video. Was facing this kinda issue back then with my emission test so I had to look for a way, which was how I came across Stray Admin who has got years in experience of helping lots of citizens pass they’re Smog test too.
Perfect video explaining how to know when my 2017 Chevy Volt would be I/M ready. I failed inspection after my car was repaired for EVAP even after driving for a month on gas and EV.
Effective method. The tricky part is finding highway with little to no traffic. My code can possibly be repaired if I replace OEM gas cap. I did pass smog. 👍thx.
@@nukem384 Right. So I had to time it in AM so once I went thru the various tests I can then drive car over. Had about 3/4 full tank, and drove 30mi. My mechanic told me no hard stops so I was very careful. Years back my light went on as I pulled into smog shop. Btw I have a toy Celica gt 2001. Thx 👍 again
THANK YOU!! I replaced a battery on Saturday and with your tips (combined w/ other guy) and I passed the smog check on Monday. I couldn't find a smog place on on Sunday.
THANK YOU SOO MUCH !!! - KEPT FAILING THE READINESS FOR INSPECTION BCUS OF MY 02 SENSOR!! - GOT UP THIS MORNING DROVE FOR ABOUT AN HR … & IT WORKED !! P.S. I DRIVE A MERCEDES C250 !!! - UGH SO HAPPY BECAUSE I BEEN DRIVING THE HELL OUT OF THIS CAR
This worked for my 05 Toyota Corolla! It passed I only did this drive cycle twice .. it could’ve passed the first time but I didn’t wanna take any chances… thank youuuu
Working on test results goes to legal handling, having a friend in there won't be bad, said this till i got to Stray Administration, the UA-cam channel gets to you close to the person and works you to the right part i mean thr best...❤❤❤
I tried this on my 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (2.4L). I bought it brand new and this year was the 1st time I had to take it for a smog test (CA). It failed last week so this morning I took a 4AM drive and followed each step. By 9AM the Santa Fe passed the smog. Thank you! 👍👍
What about traffic stops between my house and the freeway, any impact on this? Your video is awesome, truly wish I saw it before try to smog yesterday. Thank you.
MAN~ Wish I'd seen this 4 months ago... I went in and they kept telling me to drive it around 40 mi then come back did that over and over again till I'd racked up about 360 mi and still the computer said needed to be driven. I didn't know that having my dead battery replaced caused that :( They said my catalytic converter was toast and that had just been installed in 2018. So I went back and now here we go again, that shop that installed the first one told me I needed to drive around. I explained what had been happening and sounds like he's going to get them to stand behind the warranty and install the new converter. Man this has been the biggest hassle! I have a Toyota Matrix and haven't driven much due to Covid and lost my job... at this point I think I'm going to get it installed and sell the car and get as much for it as I can get. It's a 2003 Matrix and looks sweet.
Boooo. The whole driving around thing is a really old school way of thinking. Any old timer mechanic will tell you to do that. This drive cycle really helps cut down those miles. And if it doesn't work after like 3 tries, then you actually have something wrong with the car that needs to be fixed. In your case, sounds like your cat was defective or something. Hopefully they can fix it so you can get rid of the car. Really happy we have EVs now, no more of this hassle lol.
How complete the drive cycle quickly: (Geared for Hondas and Acuras) 1) Make sure car is cold and hasn't been driving, 2) Make sure you have 1/4 to 3/4 tank of gas, 3) Let car idle for 2.5 minutes (With A/C on full blast and defroster on) ECU will run O2 sensor heat self test, air injection system passive air test, evap purge test and misfire detection test 4) Turn off A/C, 5) *Get on freeway as fast as possible * and drive 55mph at 1/2 throttle , for 3 minutes ECU will run test on O2 response test, air intrusive system test, EGR flow test, purge valve test, missfire detection and fuel trim test, 6) Then let off gas pedal and let the car coast down to 20mph, DO NOT BRAKE OR SHIFT GEARS DURING THIS TIME, Ecu will run an EGR flow test, purge valve test and a fuel trim test, 7) Once down to 20mph, Do 3/4 throttle to get to 55mph and run for 5 minutes, ECU will run catalytic monitor diagnostic test, **May have to do this few times with old cats** Huge thanks! 👍
I will do it tonight. I live in OC area Little Saigon . I own 2005 Honda odyssey. I just replaced my front down stream. O2 SENSOR or bank 2 sensor 2 with code p0157. It took me almost 2 hours to get it out. My socket I bought did not fit perfectly so I cut the wire from old sensor so it would fit to remove it. It was on tight since factory 20 years ago. Denso 234-4368 is for front oxygen sensor behind the cat. Anyway, afterinstallation I cleared the code and drove around to buy stuff from FB market place in Long Beach and Cerritos area. It cleared everything except the evap monitor not ready . I will do this steps tonight around 3 to 4am. I have an itchy eczema baby she itchy every night around 2 to 3 am so I drive her around to sleep
BEFORE they do the smog ask them to "run the OBD2 and see if the car is smog ready to test" which they have to do for free - if you ask! if it's not ready, they cannot charge you anything. The first thing they will do anyway is check the obd2! But, if you ask to check if its smog ready before the smog and its not they cannot fail you. Otherwise, They will run the scan and might fail you if its "not ready" but you have to ask for the obd2 scan before they start the smog!!! Or, get a free scan at Auto zone or Orielys first.
I went to Autozone and they ran an inspection and they said everything was fine. I kept failing inspection when I went to other places prior to Autozone. The people at Autozone said that someone took my codes off (catalyst evaluation and oxygen sensor). I’m not sure what that means.
Thank you for this video! Have two very low use vehicles needing smog checks and had some concern there might be issues. Took your advice and bought an Autel OBD2 scanner, one model up from the one shown (an MS309). The MS309 has an improved display with a summary test result screen, so it was easy to see immediate results. All was good with the Autel tests and both vehicles then passed at the smog center. One thing to add, with the low use vehicles, awhile back I’ve lost data due to run down batteries. Bought a dual trickle charger and repair unit from Norco (Genius line). You might want to include a link for those, too, as the tricklers can directly contribute to test success by preserving data continuity. Thanks again!
Hello there. Great clip here. But, I actually tried the portion of the cycle last night with my 06 S2000 when I have CAT not ready, and it didn't work. But, not sure if I did it right. I saw one of the comments asking if I can skip all the parts and start from 20mph accelerating to 50mph with 3-quarters of the throttle for 5 mins. I was at 53mph with 3rd gear for more than 5 min, but didn't work for me. I'm trying to review what I did wrong or different than what you shared. 1) Is gas still need to be at somewhere in 2 quarters (more than 1 quarter less than half a tank)? 2) Can I shift up and stay at 50mph? or need to stay at 3rd gear? 3) Do I need to be at 3-quarters of throttle at 50mph? If so, I need to be on 2nd gear since my car is a high-rev car. 4) how precisely do I need to be with 3 quarters of throttle and the speed at 50mph?(as I went over 50) Thanks in advance.
I would try again and do the whole thing, not just a piece of it. Just follow the video with what I did. Don't upshift, you want to stay in the same gear. Yes, you'll lug the engine. And yeah, fill the gas at least 2 quarters.
how do you switch gears to what when you have to slow down to 20mph & speed up again for catalytic converters test…? thought it has to be in drive the whole time…
Thank you so much!!! I'm trying to do a drive cycle yet again. This is so aggravating. Oxygen sensor keeps saying not ready. So I'm gonna give it another try. Thanks for your help
@@bellamamma767 You might have to do it a couple times for the ECU (car computer) to run the test. If I remember correctly, the o2 test is the hardest one to get the ECU to go, so be patient if it doesn't work for a few times.
Thanks for the info. This is all so new to me! I’ve been doing this since may. I put over 900 ( I took pics before each emission test)miles doing this on and off, and just did my 5th emissions test. I got an incomplete result. The dam O2 again not ready. I took it to the dealership and they did drive cycles and had the same issue with the O2 not being ready; they had no answer for me why. They reset my sensors ( or so they said) and now I got 3 of them not ready. I’m so screwed😜. I’m gonna have to go to the emissions repair place.
@@bellamamma767 If you've driven that many miles and the O2 hasn't cleared, there's something wrong. I'm assuming that's street and freeway? If that's the case, you've actually got an issue. Probably a bad O2 sensor. They do tend to die, so I would use the CEL to get the correct one/s replaced, then try. Sounds like you've been wasting a lot of time running in circles trying to fix something that's not fixable by driving :(
You have an actual issue then. This drive cycle doesn't magically make check engines go away. Read the check engine, figure out what it is, and then fix it before your next smog.
@@nukem384 it's p0742 and transmission repairs are very very costly and can not afford ..what I want is before check engine light comes on to complete the drive cycle and pass my smog it is already overdue for 3.montjs
I have a 2012 Mini Cooper, would this be something that would work? I've tried the Mini specific drive cycle, doesn't seem to work. I've failed SMOG test a few times do to CAT not being ready, so hopefully this will help! When we have to do "multiple" drive cycles.. is the trick then to get it to the 55 and coast down, and get back to 55.. continuously?
It doesn't hurt to try and see what happens. I would give it a couple tries and see. Yes, you have to go 55 and let is coast, just like I explained in the video for the ECU to do its thing. If you've done it a couple times, and it doesn't work, you might have an actual CAT issue, like you need a new CAT. The drive cycle can't magically fix everything, sometimes actual parts are broken.
The CAT "not ready" issue may be fix by turning on the car and wait for the temperature gauge to rise, then step on gas and reb the rpm to 3,000 for 3 minutes.
OK so I have a "97 Ford Escort (155,000 miles) with a check engine light on. My friend thought he was helping and disconnected my battery before I tested. Then I went in to test a day or so later when the engine was cold. You guessed it, it failed. So I bought the fuel additive that "guaranteed pass smog test" and my friend changed my oil and oil filter. Since my CE light had come back on when I was trying to do these drive cycles every other day, he disconnected my battery AGAIN after I thought I had explained why that was such a bad idea the first time. While trying again to do drive cycles and make sure the engine was warmed up this time....the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I don't know what to do except junk the car. I can't afford to get a diagnostic let alone a fix. I had a mechanic tell me a couple of years ago that the code that it was showing then was a sensor deep in my engine and the labor alone would run about $1000 plus parts.
Any an OBDII car, like yours, you can't "cheat" and disconnect the battery. That was an old OBDI trick. If a mechanic told you you have a sensor issue that's causing a CE, you need to get it fixed. Doing this drive cycle a thousand times isn't going to help. This drive cycle helps reset your monitors. It doesn't magically fix CE and issues with your car. So sorry to say, you have a tough choice. You need to get it fixed or figure something else out for transportation.
All these cars driving and revving and idling polluting the air...but yet these emission tests are to help keep the air clean...yup..makes perfect sense to me🤣
I have a question? This all sounds good, but I don’t live in a place that we have emissions. I bought a car recently and 50 minutes into my drive the check engine light came on. Got it tested and it’s the catalytic converter. The seller’s argument was there’s no way it could be because it just passed emissions 6 days ago. What does that mean? Did I get scammed? Thank you!
@ Thanks for the response! I have enough things on him I could do something, but I don’t have the energy for it. Funny looking back how fast he was moving and took that money and ran. Lesson learned!
Agree with the other person that responded. They basically cleared it long enough to get the car to "pass." Probably cleared it and ran straight to the smog station. I'm curious though, if you live in a state? that doesn't do emissions, why was the seller smogging it? Is that a requirement to sell a car?
@@nukem384 We have 5 towns that have it and the rest of the state we don’t. I know it’s really strange. I think he did it to “prove” there was no catalytic converter problem. He got it done 6 days before he sold it. Maybe others would have wanted it?!
My check engine light seems to go through a cycle, two weeks on and then off. The code says cat converter. It's a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid with 216,000 miles. I'm due for inspection in NJ next month. The car runs great and I can't afford a new car. Will this work? How do I keep the check engine light from coming back on?
That sounds like you actually have an issue with your cat. And at 216k, I would believe it. This drive cycle to basically to reset your monitors, so it might help, but I think in your case, you should get your cat looked at. It might just be time to get a new cat.
If I need to repeat the drive cycle, do I need to let the vehicle cool off for 8 hours or can I just repeat the deceleration/acceleration steps during the same session?
Ok it’s me again with another car. 2015 Mazda 3. Check engine light came on due to P0421 code. I put cataclean it helps. Registration Renewal came it needs a smog. Check engine light came back On. Put cataclean again cleared the light, tomorrow at 2 am I’ll follow your procedure again🙂. I will update, thanks.
Is one drive cycle good for one time? Meaning if I turn the car off after doing all this, do I have to re-do all of this again? Or did the car recognize all the internal tests?
Accord 2006. I had the 5 flashes on the CEL. I followed your steps and now it is solid and goes out after 20 sec. How sure should I be that I'm Ready? Is the CEL indicator as good as the scanner? I only have a cheap scanner that report error codes, nothing for readiness. Thanks.
Hmm...you might need to do a little more research on what your scanner is telling you. Since I don't have that same type of scanner, I'm not really sure I can answer your question.
What if my air conditioner doesn’t work on my ‘98 gmc truck. Can I skip this part or do I still do this step as you mentioned? Mine has to do with catylac converter, ekg & ekg box ??? Thanks
I have a 2015 Dodge Challenger with only 50k miles, took it in for the first smog and failed due to 'oxygen sensor monitors NOT READY'. I hope this cycle helps me out, I also recently ran some cataclean with 91 octane fuel. Fingers crossed it passes.
Battery died on 05 CRV 2 months before, it's hardly driven, I was able to get all the monitors up to date except for the CAT. when you say you need to repeat the cycle few times, do I need to wait for the car to cool overnight and run the A/C, rear defrost each time or do I just keep performing the 55mph to 20mph? Also can I leave the scanner plugged in during the test and will it auto update the status or do I need to restart the car to see the updated status?
I would wait until the car has cooled and try again. You can try to just do the piece for the CAT, maybe you start with that to save you some time and hope it works? But starting over from the beginning is your best bet. You can leave the scanner plugged in, but I believe you at least need to run through all the monitors for it to update. Safest bet is to just remove scanner and plug back in after you've redone your test.
Very helpful, thank you! Is there a time limit as far as how long you have to get to the test center before your car isn't ready if you already have a not ready for your catalytic converter? I know that was all over the place, but hopefully, you understand what I'm asking. lol
I wouldn't wait too long if you can get the monitor to ok status. I would literally go to the smog center either that day or the next just to get that chore out of the way.
Do you have to unplug the scanner if you are finish with the drive cycle? Or you have to take it of. My check engine light comes on very fast what should I do
Use the reader and figure out what the code is telling you, then fix it. The drive cycle can't magically fix everything. If you have an actual issue where the CEL is coming on, it needs to be fixed before smog.
Question ❓ I haven't disconnected the battery in two years, but smog check Guy said I had to take out on Freeway to reset. I don't drive the van much and I am surprised it needs resetting. Maybe the test tech was busy and just blowing me off. Is this common?
Uhh yeah sounds like he's blowing you off. There's no reason to reset the battery if it doesn't need it for some reason. If your car is ready for a smog, then it should just be tested and done. Resetting your battery when everything is fine would make you do this process just to get the monitors reset.
The car won't let you do that anymore. That's an old OBDI thing, where you could disconnect the battery, go straight to the smog and pass. Modern cars today on OBDII, that doesn't work and actually if you were to disconnect the battery, you'd have to do a drive cycle to get everything reset or all your monitors wouldn't be ready.
Just cause your monitors are ready don’t mean you pass smog. They still have to do a smoke test and visual inspection of under the hood.. monitors readiness is just a part of the test
@@d3adzone414 i failed my visual for smog test in California lol i had a spacer on my oxygen sensor and they found it! Smh California is hard ass state to live in
Like do it for you? Highly doubt they would do that just because they probably wouldn't know how. So I'm not sure they could charge you for something they don't know how to do.
If your check engine goes on at any time, you're going to fail. If that's the case, you probably actually have an issue that needs to be addressed. Doing a drive cycle to try and make it temporarily go away isn't going to fly with smog.
Clear explanation. :) Wondering, why would we need to get to the freeway as quickly as possible? I ask because where I live, I don't have access to the freeway without stopping and going by the time I get there. Plus, I was thinking about driving to an area several minutes away (also stop and go to get there) that may be safer to hold a speed for several minutes without getting in the way of other drivers. Would that completely negate all the tests running after sitting idle?
If you can't get to the freeway quickly, it's ok, just get to it as fast as you can. It has to do with the car warming up which could impact the monitors readings. Just try and do your best. Awesome handle BTW. I had some pretty authentic takoyaki from a street vendor in Osaka straight out of those circular molds they use one year. Really good!
@@nukem384 Oh, I see gotcha. I may have to do one tonight, another early morning, then again after work tomorrow. I have a 2003 Toyota Matrix XR, so I hope this does the trick! If not, it'll be a sad day for me...😭 Awesome btw that you've tried takoyaki in Osaka (the best way, really). I lived in Kyoto for 3 years and went to Osaka or Kobe almost every week lol! Okonomiyaki is my favorite, though. 😅
@@takoyakiball Hopefully you'll only have to do it once, it everything works out Kyoto is beautiful! Been there and Kobe as well. Love okonomiyaki too! We make that at home every now and then.
I had all the monitors complete except for catalyst. I didn't know what part of the drive cycle reset this..your explanation and what to do when I was able to reset. After warm up,55mph for 3 minutes then throttle off and coast to 20mph,no brakes or gear down Did I the the freeway early in the morning with flashers on. If your freeway has hills,when you throttle off try to time it going up hill,that brings you to 20mph faster Then 3/4 throttle back to 55 for 15 minutes. That should make it
You can actually go into the vehicles manual and it will tell you how to check your vehicle for being ready for the smog inspection and see if the check engine sign which is usually a little engine on your dash is blinking 5 times or if the little engine sign just goes off , just go to emissions and check the drive cycle procedures in the manual best to do the drive cycle late at night or when you can drive your vehicle at 50/ 60 mph for a solid 20 mins at those speeds with out changing speeds lower then 50 or 60 mph!
NO I/M on FIXD. Did your freeway drive Twice 4am Sunday. Still has Solid engine light. The FIXD Told me and 3 guys with scanner to replace 02 sensor. I did 100 back. I cleared history on FIXED. LAST YEAR I PASSED SMOG Now 10,000 later problem!
Hey Darrell. Thanks again for this helpful information. If the catalyst monitor per the 5 test of the drive cycle results in a 'not ready', do I have to do all 5 tests again or can I just do the 5th test? Please LMK. Thanks!
Is there a reputable source (online or not) to find drive cycle specifications? How many drive cycles does a vehicle have? Are we simply at the mercy of the internet to find the drive cycle requirements for our vehicles? The manufacturer wasn't able to tell me anything. The car manual has nothing to say. Recently, I was able to find something online for my make, model and year, but how can I trust that this is accurate? I have an OBD2 device on order that should be arriving within a week or so. I will definitely be consulting this video and others when it arrives and I am able to plug it in and see if I can get it to work. I am not sure, but I am wondering if at least part of the problem is that all the electronics need to be off while trying to trigger the various systems. IDK...am I not supposed to turn on my radio / music, lights, heating, AC, nothing except the engine? The battery was replaced, but that was months ago. Relatively recently, about two weeks or less I had the oil done on my car and the shop didn't identify any other problems that required attention. My car should be in good working order. It is very unlikely that my car is the problem. This has been a problem the past 3 times I have had to get my car through DEQ. I am not looking forward to the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars for an auto shop to deal fix this because I can't figure out what I am supposed to do. It is utter insanity that I have to pass a test which is required by law and no one can tell me what I need to do for my car to pass. I want to be in compliance, but I have yet to find a sufficiently detailed explanation of how to complete the drive cycles for my specific car.
Yea it's a tough situation. In the service manuals they sometimes have a drive cycle, it goes by other names depending on the manufacturer. But I have seen some manufactures that do not have anything to help. It will be good if you get you OBD scanner and know exactly what Monitor you need to complete you can focus on that one monitor. Sometimes the Diagnostic steps for that particular system error hint at good driving pattern to test out the repair and that is also a good pattern to set the monitor. List out your Year, make , model and engine size and I will see what I can find.
@@stevew9563 2008 Mazda / Mazda3... Also the check engine light on my dash is off...which should be further proof my car is in good condition. I plan to experiment with the OBD2 tomorrow and if necessary do some more driving and test my car again. I live in an area where it is dark, rainy and overcast for a good chunk of the year, so it is asking a lot to warm up and drive my car around without lights or heating in order to trigger the drive cycle. If I have to do it this way then I will. But it sure isn't practical to attempt triggering the drive cycle as part of my routine driving. Days that I work I get up when it's dark and I go home in the dark.
@@stevew9563 I honestly don't know whether it's turbo or non turbo. I tested my car again at DEQ and it's still not passing. Word for word this is what I was given a few years ago at my auto shop and I found something very similar if not identical looking around online very recently. Remarks in () is my commentary... Pre-requisites: MIL off and no DTCs present, this is where clearing your codes comes in. Fuel level between 15% to 85%. All accessories off (Ok, what counts and doesn't count as an accessory? If I turn my lights on at ANY point is that an automatic fail? If I turn my lights on, but then turn them off and say I try procedure (5) can I get the system to trigger? Am I not allowed to use my wipers? Nothing, nothing at all other than the engine needs to be running?) Cold start, preferred 8 hour cold soak w/ engine between 68 and 86 deg F at start-up 1) Start vehicle and idle 5 min (exactly?) 2) Rev engine in neutral or park to 2300-2700 rpm for 15 seconds (exactly?) 3) Rev engine in neutral or park to 3800-4200 rpm for 15 seconds (exactly?) 4) Idle engine for 20 seconds with cooling fan stopped (so...am I supposed to run the fan and then stop it at this step for at least 20 seconds?) 5) Accelerate to 52-55 mph, maintain speed in high gear for 1.5 minutes (Do certain steps have to be done in sequence one after the other? Do all the steps have to be done in sequence 1-7 or else the drive cycle fails?) 6) Decelerate to 15 mph and then drive for 13 minutes at speeds ranging from 15 to 35 mph 7) Maintain steady 25 mph for 50 seconds (exactly) I think the online version of this said that each of these numbers corresponds to a different sensor / system. If that is true, which number corresponds to each of the systems? Four are unready according to DEQ: Catalyst, Evap, O2 sensor, EGR/VVT
hi sir i did this routine and i put about 150 miles on my mitsubishi galant all monitors are ready but the evap system and egr system just wont get ready whatever i do and when the evap finally got ready my engine light came on and now i reset monitors again and have to start over but not sure why the egr is always incomplete any suggestions?
I would say get that checked out by a mechanic. Running this drive cycle can't fix everything, and if it keeps coming back or you're driving a ton of miles, you probably actually have a problem with that system that needs to be fixed.
@@nukem384 Cool. Never tried that but I'm thinking that it will be about 2000 RPM with the automatic so we're just cruising. I can actually check half throttling and see what is actually the RPM reading while in Parked. Thanks, Darrell!
Link is in the description to get one. You'd have to look at a separate tutorial for your specific car. But usually the plug is in the driver footwell somewhere.
![4 Tricks to Use to Pass an Emissions Test Every time - [How to Pass an Emissions Test]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gr4g-nTZXUk/mqdefault.jpg)
Did this drive cycle this morning on my 2005 Honda Civic, it was said bad cat and oxygen sensor and after the drive cycle, all readings on the ob2 reader were all green check marks and passed smog. I am grateful for the video.
Glad it helped
I don't comment on a lot of videos. But I'm taking the time to say thank you on this one, took my Mini Cooper 2013 on a drive cycle (no A/C test required) and passed smog within the hour. Been behind on registration for two months!
Excellent! Glad the video helped!
Worked perfectly for my 2005 Lexus RX330 with 195,000 miles. Thank you. I've been stressed prepping for annual emission test in Virginia due to my check engine light coming on regularly. Your suggestion worked perfectly for me using one driving cycle and I was able to pass my Virginia Emissions Test. My 2005 Lexus RX-330, with 195,000 miles, gets a Check Engine Light regularly with no other problems. Car runs perfectly. Happens every 150 - 400 miles after resetting OBD II error codes. OBD II indicates catalyst Bank One or Two are outside manufacturer specified threshhold. I usually do an error code reset and keep driving. Came upon your video while prepping for annual emissions test. I ran through your procedures and I got all monitors to register OK. Without going home, I immediately went to emission testing station and my vehicle passed. I'm good for another year. Saved me alot of stress and money.
Glad it helped and you passed!
try some catoletic converter cleaner -
This is reassuring because I have the exact same Lexus and we're having the same issue. I just ordered the OBD monitor and ready to give it a go. Is it ok to turn off the engine after the drive cycle completes?
@@samuelriebel5535 I did not turn off my RX 330. I drove directly to the inspection station when the drive cycle was complete and OBD indicated I would pass. Not taking the chance an engine restart would trigger Check Engine and VSC lights.
@@dpj118 did you leave the car running while you went in to get it smogged? I'm most likely going to do the same but shut off my engine, go in and have the paper work done then when the technician is ready, he can start the car and hopefully all will be well.
I've been fussing around with the car for days trying to get the last 3 monitors to be ready. Followed this video and worked the first time. Thank you!
They did pass in an unexpected order though. I had CAT O2S HRT not ready. CAT became ready shortly after the idle (which was surprising, I thought it depended on the others). The other two only got set around the end.
@@molozful Awesome! Glad the video helped!
This is the most ridiculous thing. I have better things to do with my time-but I'm forced to do this to pass the Smog test…
Couldn't agree more especially now with the price gouging in gas prices.
Agreed it’s bs
Why are you all so weak minded? It's literally nothing. You turn on your car, wait 3 minutes with the a/c defroster, drive 50mph for 3 minutes, slow down and do again. Don't you already do that daily? Quit being such snowflakes you're ridiculous. This man is making it simple for you and all you can do is complain. Grow up you bunch of pansies.
It’s definitely a racket by the state I’m in California and it’s absolutely ridiculous... just hold the meter up to my tailpipe and let me know if I’m polluting the atmosphere ... thanks for sharing the video but damn ginnaaa lol
@@Certified_gainster 😂😂😂
This video has saved me from a big headache. Just recently bought a used car for a really good deal but the catch was the catalyst wasn’t ready. Found this video and after 4 driving cycles the car was ready for smog!
Excellent! Glad it helped!
Did you reset your OBD2 scanner before doing the 4 drive cycles?
@@TropicalBonesHow do you reset it? I don’t know
I'm so glad I found this video! I got a new battery for my Mini Cooper a few months ago but I don't drive much so I failed my smog check. I drove along 680 in the middle of the night on a holiday weekend and followed your drive test and passed smog on Monday. Thank you so much!!!!!!
Glad it helped!
Thank you very much for this video. Had my car in storage for years trying to figure this out. This was the video that did it! No issues anymore!!!
Awesome! Glad it helped!
@@nukem384 Hi I have a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan. EGR monitor is INCOMPLETE how can I get it fix?
@@efrenhern56tvgcghtbt0hhioa2 Take it to a mechanic and have them fix it. Probably not something this drive cycle will help fix.
I how does the car has to park before this procedure?
After using your drive cycle method above, my 2006 Lancer just passed the emissions first time! thank you so much!
Glad it helped!
Worked perfectly on my 00 Camry . Did exactly as you explained first try just passed emissions!! Thanks dude great video
Glad it helped
Emission test relying solely on OBD2 monitors has added stress to car owners whose OBD2 monitors have shown to be not ready when their cars are taken to the emission test centers. Now, they have to perform all kinds of procedures, which mostly are difficult to complete (maybe not to experts), to get the monitors ready. If the monitors are not ready, let's say just couple of them, car owners should have the option to get their cars tested through I/M 240 dynamometer or another test which truly measures the pollutants coming from the car's emission. Local governments who require emission test and emission test centers opted not to do this anymore for cars equipped with OBD2 technology. I'm not exactly sure why they resorted to that, maybe because it takes longer or the equipment required for I/M240 are way too expensive to purchase and to maintain. Emission test is no longer an emission test if the only option is testing OBD2 monitors. It should be called emission monitors test or test for a car's emission technology but it should no longer be called emission test per se. OBD2 testing is efficient and clean, yes, but give the car owners an option to get the pollutants coming from their cars' emission actually tested through I/M 240 (or another method that is truly testing emission and not the car's technology) when their OBD monitors are showing not ready especially if they are not throwing any codes.
I agree with you. I live here in Ohio and it’s bullshit they have it. I remember reading somewhere a long time ago that the reason they don’t charge anymore which was 20.00, is because the state got enough money for cigarette tax! Which is bullshit. So that tells me they are only in it for the money. There are counties that have it and some that don’t. It’s not like each individual county is in its own bubble we all share the same air. So why are the majority of the counties exempt? Just like you said, it should be done with the “Tail Pipe Test”. That’s true Emissions. And we should have the option. It’s getting tested either way. It’s all Bullshit and Political. I did do a damn drive cycle on mine and it better have worked. Ha.
Big Jim
And we are polluting more by performing drive cycles.
You are absolutely right about this adding stress to life. I have tried and tried. Kind of hard to be able to do all this “drive this way and don’t brake” stuff in L.A.
Exactly, this is all BS. Where's the cheat code to bypass it?
5 years in DMV hell we could not get our Ford Expedition to clear the codes, two shops told us to go somewhere else because they have ran out of ideas and patience, it only has 79K miles on it. Thanks Ford for the misery.
2000 Cavalier 2.4L required California smog check in beginning of August 2024. On 7/17 a smog test showed O2S not ready. Drove the vehicle daily but would not go to ready. On 8/27 I got up early and tried the cycle mentioned on the video. Due to traffic I deviated some but still went through it as best as possible. When done, I plugged in my OBD2 reader and it showed ready. I drove straight to the smog station and I passed. Thank you so much for the easy instructional video.
Glad it helped!
Thank you very much for this video, I had changed battery about week ago and don’t pass smog test, mechanical guy told me just go driving more,but every time I drove about 70mile back, it all show same problems,I almost desperately for that, then I watch this video, and get up 6 am at morning, do exactly what you said and go to highway driving, and I paased, so appreciate that.
Excellent! Glad the drive cycle fixed the problem!
same ! guy told me i need to keep driving it even tho i did already. hope this helps me man i need to pass desperately
Been being told to drive also 🤦🏻♂️
Great, a list of procedures would be helpful but I think I can remember.
1/2 throttle to 55 for at least 2 1/2 min. Drift to below 20 mph, then 3/4 throttle to 55 for 5 minutes.
Brake then good to go..
Thanks for the summary!!!
Re took my smog check test today here in California. All I did to pass was drive on the highway for 30 miles before going, and keeping my engine on when I got there
My smog shop is always packed so my car gets stuck sitting in the parking lot cooling down every time.
U got balls lucky
Nukem384, you are AMAZING. Anyone that reads this is no joke. I am a single woman in my 60's and own a 2001 Ford Mustang. I also live in California so every other year I have to get my car smogged in order to get it registered. I bought the car in 2022; the party I purchased the car from had the car smogged that year. In March this year my battery was replaced by Triple A. In early July when I went to the smog station which is adjacent to my mechanic, he asked if I did something with my battery and I said I had my battery replaced. By that time I had already put several hundred miles on my car. Apparently, it's not the mileage but how you drive the car. The smog station gave me a drive cycle which is SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER than Nukem's. Two weeks ago I spent FOUR hours doing everything on that drive cycle to the letter and still failed. I was beginning to panic as my registration is due in July. Although I paid my registration fee DMV still sent a letter saying my registration was incomplete. I also ride public transporation (BART) and in the past have been ticketed by BART police twice in one day for expired tags. This morning I woke up early at 3:00 am as my main concern was where was I going to find a stretch of road where I could drive 20 mph for five minutes. Someone was watching over me because I found the perfect road. For whatever it's worth I also replaced my fuel cap. After I ran Nukem's drive cycle I drove straight to my mechanic's. I was ecstatic when he told me I passed. Nukem, thank you so much for sharing this Drive Cycle. It really works.
Excellent!!! Glad the video helped!
@@nukem384 I am so grateful and thankful I saw your post. After my car failed the smog the first time the smog place gave me a drive cycle they give to their customers. It was A LOT longer than yours and took significantly more time. I had begun to think I was never going to pass. A big shout out to you Nukem. Thank you for sharing.
Tried this on my 08 Silverado It passed ! Thank you!!
Congrats! Glad it know it works on other car manufacturers other than Honda's!
Thank you so much. Even after driving over 500 miles, it wasn’t ready, and I tried various methods, but nothing worked. After watching this video, I succeeded in one go.
Glad it helped!
2:54 Let the car sit overnight. Have a full tank of gas. ✅
3:04 Idle the car for 2.5 minutes with AC at full blast and rear defroster ON ✅
4:09
55 mph half throttle 3 minutes
And then coast to 20mph
4:09 is accurate. I had OBD2 connected while watching real-time monitors and that’s exactly how I got monitors to get the check marks. However, I had to coast to zero mph so it may be slightly different for certain makes. I had a 2007 Chevy Silverado.
Thanks for the verification!
@@nukem384
I have an O7 gmc sierra but it wont coast down to zero, only to about 6 to 8 mph. Even going slightly uphill it wont go down to zero. It will slowly creep about 5 mph. Cycle drive won’t get the evap or co2heat ready. Guess ill have to go pay extra somewhere to pass it.
Followed exactly and just passed smog here in Cal!!!!! Yeah!!! Thank you so much!
Congrats! Glad it helped! Our state is so liberal with these smog checks, that's for sure!
@@nukem384 yes sir. It absolutely is! They suffocate us with their liberal policies!!!!
Congrats! I been stressing driving around like a clown!
Liar
I drove only fifty miles following his f
Directions. You save me lot of money
Great video with best instructions
Thank You Sir
Glad it helped
Hi, my name is Ryan. Thank you so much for an awesome tip on drive cycle. It really works! And i would strongly recommend this to anyone who need to pass smog test with OBD2. Once again, thank you.
Glad it helped!
It’s a great and reliable video. Was facing this kinda issue back then with my emission test so I had to look for a way, which was how I came across Stray Admin who has got years in experience of helping lots of citizens pass they’re Smog test too.
All I had to do was just to hit the UA-cam search icon and type in Stray Administration, he popped right after.
Perfect video explaining how to know when my 2017 Chevy Volt would be I/M ready. I failed inspection after my car was repaired for EVAP even after driving for a month on gas and EV.
Thanks
Effective method. The tricky part is finding highway with little to no traffic. My code can possibly be repaired if I replace OEM gas cap. I did pass smog. 👍thx.
Yes. That's why I mentioned late at night or early morning. It's your best shot at having less people on the highway. Congrats!
@@nukem384 Right. So I had to time it in AM so once I went thru the various tests I can then drive car over. Had about 3/4 full tank, and drove 30mi. My mechanic told me no hard stops so I was very careful. Years back my light went on as I pulled into smog shop. Btw I have a toy Celica gt 2001. Thx 👍 again
I followed the steps today and I finally passed the smog test yay ! Thank you
Yay, congrats! 2 more years of no worries :)
Liar. Your band is James Bond😂😂 You know damn well you didn’t get on that freeway and do all these ridiculous steps
THANK YOU!! I replaced a battery on Saturday and with your tips (combined w/ other guy) and I passed the smog check on Monday. I couldn't find a smog place on on Sunday.
Awesome! Glad it helped!
THANK YOU SOO MUCH !!! - KEPT FAILING THE READINESS FOR INSPECTION BCUS OF MY 02 SENSOR!!
- GOT UP THIS MORNING DROVE FOR ABOUT AN HR … & IT WORKED !!
P.S. I DRIVE A MERCEDES C250 !!! -
UGH SO HAPPY BECAUSE I BEEN DRIVING THE HELL OUT OF THIS CAR
Glad it helped
Big thanks....tried this morning very early. Checked the im readiness and all oks..passed my smog....I guessed another year...
Awesome!
This worked for my 05 Toyota Corolla! It passed I only did this drive cycle twice .. it could’ve passed the first time but I didn’t wanna take any chances… thank youuuu
Glad it helped
my man, this tutorial actually worked!
Awesome, glad it helped!
i learn something new, my smog tect told me I have a big problem, but it only needs a cycle test. thanks for the info
No problem! Glad it helped!
Working on test results goes to legal handling, having a friend in there won't be bad, said this till i got to Stray Administration, the UA-cam channel gets to you close to the person and works you to the right part i mean thr best...❤❤❤
Dang I love UA-cam. Thanks bro, this is super useful hack
No problem! Glad it helped!
Watching this video helped me learn how to make enchiladas
Did they come out Good?
I tried this on my 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (2.4L). I bought it brand new and this year was the 1st time I had to take it for a smog test (CA). It failed last week so this morning I took a 4AM drive and followed each step. By 9AM the Santa Fe passed the smog. Thank you! 👍👍
Glad it helped!
What about traffic stops between my house and the freeway, any impact on this? Your video is awesome, truly wish I saw it before try to smog yesterday. Thank you.
MAN~ Wish I'd seen this 4 months ago... I went in and they kept telling me to drive it around 40 mi then come back did that over and over again till I'd racked up about 360 mi and still the computer said needed to be driven. I didn't know that having my dead battery replaced caused that :( They said my catalytic converter was toast and that had just been installed in 2018. So I went back and now here we go again, that shop that installed the first one told me I needed to drive around. I explained what had been happening and sounds like he's going to get them to stand behind the warranty and install the new converter. Man this has been the biggest hassle! I have a Toyota Matrix and haven't driven much due to Covid and lost my job... at this point I think I'm going to get it installed and sell the car and get as much for it as I can get. It's a 2003 Matrix and looks sweet.
Boooo. The whole driving around thing is a really old school way of thinking. Any old timer mechanic will tell you to do that. This drive cycle really helps cut down those miles. And if it doesn't work after like 3 tries, then you actually have something wrong with the car that needs to be fixed. In your case, sounds like your cat was defective or something. Hopefully they can fix it so you can get rid of the car. Really happy we have EVs now, no more of this hassle lol.
How complete the drive cycle quickly: (Geared for Hondas and Acuras)
1) Make sure car is cold and hasn't been driving,
2) Make sure you have 1/4 to 3/4 tank of gas,
3) Let car idle for 2.5 minutes (With A/C on full blast and defroster on)
ECU will run O2 sensor heat self test, air injection system passive air test, evap purge test and misfire detection test
4) Turn off A/C,
5) *Get on freeway as fast as possible * and drive 55mph at 1/2 throttle , for 3 minutes
ECU will run test on O2 response test, air intrusive system test, EGR flow test, purge valve test, missfire detection and fuel trim test,
6) Then let off gas pedal and let the car coast down to 20mph,
DO NOT BRAKE OR SHIFT GEARS DURING THIS TIME,
Ecu will run an EGR flow test, purge valve test and a fuel trim test,
7) Once down to 20mph, Do 3/4 throttle to get to 55mph and run for 5 minutes,
ECU will run catalytic monitor diagnostic test, **May have to do this few times with old cats**
Huge thanks! 👍
Glad it helped
I will do it tonight. I live in OC area Little Saigon . I own 2005 Honda odyssey. I just replaced my front down stream. O2 SENSOR or bank 2 sensor 2 with code p0157. It took me almost 2 hours to get it out. My socket I bought did not fit perfectly so I cut the wire from old sensor so it would fit to remove it. It was on tight since factory 20 years ago. Denso 234-4368 is for front oxygen sensor behind the cat. Anyway, afterinstallation I cleared the code and drove around to buy stuff from FB market place in Long Beach and Cerritos area. It cleared everything except the evap monitor not ready . I will do this steps tonight around 3 to 4am. I have an itchy eczema baby she itchy every night around 2 to 3 am so I drive her around to sleep
BEFORE they do the smog ask them to "run the OBD2 and see if the car is smog ready to test" which they have to do for free - if you ask! if it's not ready, they cannot charge you anything. The first thing they will do anyway is check the obd2! But, if you ask to check if its smog ready before the smog and its not they cannot fail you. Otherwise, They will run the scan and might fail you if its "not ready"
but you have to ask for the obd2 scan before they start the smog!!!
Or, get a free scan at Auto zone or Orielys first.
Wished I read this comment I already paid for the test (minus the certificate part)
I went to Autozone and they ran an inspection and they said everything was fine. I kept failing inspection when I went to other places prior to Autozone. The people at Autozone said that someone took my codes off (catalyst evaluation and oxygen sensor). I’m not sure what that means.
Thank you for this video! Have two very low use vehicles needing smog checks and had some concern there might be issues. Took your advice and bought an Autel OBD2 scanner, one model up from the one shown (an MS309). The MS309 has an improved display with a summary test result screen, so it was easy to see immediate results. All was good with the Autel tests and both vehicles then passed at the smog center.
One thing to add, with the low use vehicles, awhile back I’ve lost data due to run down batteries. Bought a dual trickle charger and repair unit from Norco (Genius line). You might want to include a link for those, too, as the tricklers can directly contribute to test success by preserving data continuity.
Thanks again!
Correction: NOCO Genius line chargers
Glad the video helped!
Will this work on a diesel engine? Ford 350???
Hello there. Great clip here. But, I actually tried the portion of the cycle last night with my 06 S2000 when I have CAT not ready, and it didn't work. But, not sure if I did it right. I saw one of the comments asking if I can skip all the parts and start from 20mph accelerating to 50mph with 3-quarters of the throttle for 5 mins. I was at 53mph with 3rd gear for more than 5 min, but didn't work for me. I'm trying to review what I did wrong or different than what you shared. 1) Is gas still need to be at somewhere in 2 quarters (more than 1 quarter less than half a tank)? 2) Can I shift up and stay at 50mph? or need to stay at 3rd gear? 3) Do I need to be at 3-quarters of throttle at 50mph? If so, I need to be on 2nd gear since my car is a high-rev car. 4) how precisely do I need to be with 3 quarters of throttle and the speed at 50mph?(as I went over 50)
Thanks in advance.
I would try again and do the whole thing, not just a piece of it. Just follow the video with what I did. Don't upshift, you want to stay in the same gear. Yes, you'll lug the engine. And yeah, fill the gas at least 2 quarters.
how do you switch gears to what when you have to slow down to 20mph & speed up again for catalytic converters test…? thought it has to be in drive the whole time…
If you have an automatic, yes youre right. Im explaining with the stick shift I have in the video
@@nukem384 ooo 👍 okay…i see now…ty
Life saver 🙌
Glad it helped
I’m going to try this on my 2015 Mazda mazda3 Itouring piece of 💩 😊 I’ll keep you posted !
Lol good luck!
Thx you very much, your video helped me get my truck to pass 💯💯💯
Glad it helped
I’m not good with cars, what do you mean by full or half throttle? I’m just trying to learn.
Push the gas pedal half way down, or all the way down. Half and full throttle :).
Thank you so much!!! I'm trying to do a drive cycle yet again. This is so aggravating. Oxygen sensor keeps saying not ready. So I'm gonna give it another try. Thanks for your help
@@bellamamma767 You might have to do it a couple times for the ECU (car computer) to run the test. If I remember correctly, the o2 test is the hardest one to get the ECU to go, so be patient if it doesn't work for a few times.
Thanks for the info. This is all so new to me! I’ve been doing this since may. I put over 900 ( I took pics before each emission test)miles doing this on and off, and just did my 5th emissions test. I got an incomplete result. The dam O2 again not ready. I took it to the dealership and they did drive cycles and had the same issue with the O2 not being ready; they had no answer for me why. They reset my sensors ( or so they said) and now I got 3 of them not ready. I’m so screwed😜. I’m gonna have to go to the emissions repair place.
@@bellamamma767 If you've driven that many miles and the O2 hasn't cleared, there's something wrong. I'm assuming that's street and freeway? If that's the case, you've actually got an issue. Probably a bad O2 sensor. They do tend to die, so I would use the CEL to get the correct one/s replaced, then try. Sounds like you've been wasting a lot of time running in circles trying to fix something that's not fixable by driving :(
I tried this cycle but the thing is at around 17 or 18 miles check engine light comes.back...whay can I do
You have an actual issue then. This drive cycle doesn't magically make check engines go away. Read the check engine, figure out what it is, and then fix it before your next smog.
@@nukem384 it's p0742 and transmission repairs are very very costly and can not afford ..what I want is before check engine light comes on to complete the drive cycle and pass my smog it is already overdue for 3.montjs
thank you very much for my honda civic it worked perfect 👌
Glad it helped
Hi thank you for the tips.i did what you said and it work i passed the inspection.thanl you so much
Glad it helped!
I have a 2012 Mini Cooper, would this be something that would work? I've tried the Mini specific drive cycle, doesn't seem to work. I've failed SMOG test a few times do to CAT not being ready, so hopefully this will help! When we have to do "multiple" drive cycles.. is the trick then to get it to the 55 and coast down, and get back to 55.. continuously?
It doesn't hurt to try and see what happens. I would give it a couple tries and see. Yes, you have to go 55 and let is coast, just like I explained in the video for the ECU to do its thing. If you've done it a couple times, and it doesn't work, you might have an actual CAT issue, like you need a new CAT. The drive cycle can't magically fix everything, sometimes actual parts are broken.
The CAT "not ready" issue may be fix by turning on the car and wait for the temperature gauge to rise, then step on gas and reb the rpm to 3,000 for 3 minutes.
OK so I have a "97 Ford Escort (155,000 miles) with a check engine light on. My friend thought he was helping and disconnected my battery before I tested. Then I went in to test a day or so later when the engine was cold. You guessed it, it failed. So I bought the fuel additive that "guaranteed pass smog test" and my friend changed my oil and oil filter. Since my CE light had come back on when I was trying to do these drive cycles every other day, he disconnected my battery AGAIN after I thought I had explained why that was such a bad idea the first time. While trying again to do drive cycles and make sure the engine was warmed up this time....the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I don't know what to do except junk the car. I can't afford to get a diagnostic let alone a fix. I had a mechanic tell me a couple of years ago that the code that it was showing then was a sensor deep in my engine and the labor alone would run about $1000 plus parts.
Any an OBDII car, like yours, you can't "cheat" and disconnect the battery. That was an old OBDI trick. If a mechanic told you you have a sensor issue that's causing a CE, you need to get it fixed. Doing this drive cycle a thousand times isn't going to help. This drive cycle helps reset your monitors. It doesn't magically fix CE and issues with your car. So sorry to say, you have a tough choice. You need to get it fixed or figure something else out for transportation.
All these cars driving and revving and idling polluting the air...but yet these emission tests are to help keep the air clean...yup..makes perfect sense to me🤣
Lol I know right. Help keep the air "cleaner", there I fixed it for you haha.
Not to mention how dangerous it is to be doing all these things in a crowded city. Whoever signed off on this mandate is an idiot
what do you mean by half and 3/4 throttle? Stepping on gas pedal half way and 3/4 of the way?
Yes
this method worked great for me on 2015 kia soul
Glad it helped
I have a question? This all sounds good, but I don’t live in a place that we have emissions. I bought a car recently and 50 minutes into my drive the check engine light came on. Got it tested and it’s the catalytic converter. The seller’s argument was there’s no way it could be because it just passed emissions 6 days ago. What does that mean? Did I get scammed? Thank you!
Yup got scammed. They cleared the code and sent it through emission test with a pending code so no Check Engine light yet.
@ Thanks for the response! I have enough things on him I could do something, but I don’t have the energy for it. Funny looking back how fast he was moving and took that money and ran. Lesson learned!
Agree with the other person that responded. They basically cleared it long enough to get the car to "pass." Probably cleared it and ran straight to the smog station.
I'm curious though, if you live in a state? that doesn't do emissions, why was the seller smogging it? Is that a requirement to sell a car?
@@nukem384 We have 5 towns that have it and the rest of the state we don’t. I know it’s really strange. I think he did it to “prove” there was no catalytic converter problem. He got it done 6 days before he sold it. Maybe others would have wanted it?!
Make sure that engine temperature is above 170. If not O2 sensors will not reset
Moore .. 😢 sad..I got the same problem whit my car 🚗 arghhh my ballss 🥵😂🍺🍻 🎸👽
i’m bout to change my o2 sensors now and sell my car today.. but first i have to get a smog. will my car be able to smog??
Does it have to be plugged in while driving ??
No. While driving, just do the steps and then test after you've done the steps.
My check engine light seems to go through a cycle, two weeks on and then off. The code says cat converter. It's a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid with 216,000 miles. I'm due for inspection in NJ next month. The car runs great and I can't afford a new car. Will this work? How do I keep the check engine light from coming back on?
That sounds like you actually have an issue with your cat. And at 216k, I would believe it. This drive cycle to basically to reset your monitors, so it might help, but I think in your case, you should get your cat looked at. It might just be time to get a new cat.
If I need to repeat the drive cycle, do I need to let the vehicle cool off for 8 hours or can I just repeat the deceleration/acceleration steps during the same session?
To be safe, yes, I would let the car cool off. Then reset and try again.
YOUR THE MAN BRO!!!
Glad it helped!
Totally worked for me.. Honda Accord 2997.. Thanks
They require smogs on cars from the future??? Lol jk jk, glad it worked for you!
@@nukem384 he actually has a flying car. 😁
@@nukem384 i read the same thing I was like from the future that’s so funny
@@allymarie5442 Haha :P
It’ll be easier to get into heaven.
Ok it’s me again with another car. 2015 Mazda 3. Check engine light came on due to P0421 code. I put cataclean it helps. Registration Renewal came it needs a smog. Check engine light came back On. Put cataclean again cleared the light, tomorrow at 2 am I’ll follow your procedure again🙂. I will update, thanks.
Good luck!
Is one drive cycle good for one time? Meaning if I turn the car off after doing all this, do I have to re-do all of this again? Or did the car recognize all the internal tests?
One time should be good. You wouldn't have to keep doing it every time you turn the car on again if all the monitors were good after that first try.
Accord 2006. I had the 5 flashes on the CEL. I followed your steps and now it is solid and goes out after 20 sec. How sure should I be that I'm Ready? Is the CEL indicator as good as the scanner? I only have a cheap scanner that report error codes, nothing for readiness. Thanks.
Hmm...you might need to do a little more research on what your scanner is telling you. Since I don't have that same type of scanner, I'm not really sure I can answer your question.
no flashes mean you are good to go.
@@linsan4362 Thanks. I passed!!!
What if my air conditioner doesn’t work on my ‘98 gmc truck. Can I skip this part or do I still do this step as you mentioned? Mine has to do with catylac converter, ekg & ekg box ??? Thanks
Yeah. As long as the AC doesn't throw a code, you should be fine.
I have a 2015 Dodge Challenger with only 50k miles, took it in for the first smog and failed due to 'oxygen sensor monitors NOT READY'. I hope this cycle helps me out, I also recently ran some cataclean with 91 octane fuel. Fingers crossed it passes.
Good luck!
Yeah, I bought that $20 device and it's nice. I don't have to bite my nails when I'm at the smog test station.
Absolutely
Battery died on 05 CRV 2 months before, it's hardly driven, I was able to get all the monitors up to date except for the CAT. when you say you need to repeat the cycle few times, do I need to wait for the car to cool overnight and run the A/C, rear defrost each time or do I just keep performing the 55mph to 20mph? Also can I leave the scanner plugged in during the test and will it auto update the status or do I need to restart the car to see the updated status?
I would wait until the car has cooled and try again. You can try to just do the piece for the CAT, maybe you start with that to save you some time and hope it works? But starting over from the beginning is your best bet.
You can leave the scanner plugged in, but I believe you at least need to run through all the monitors for it to update. Safest bet is to just remove scanner and plug back in after you've redone your test.
When you say repeat the test a couple times do you mean let engine cool and start step 1 or just the 55mph test again?
By the way 2012 impala
2012 impala
Yes, if you're going to try again, you need to let the engine cool off and start from scratch. Warming the engine up is part of the process.
So park it overnight?
06:03 - “you just drive around a couple miles…” 😂
Very helpful, thank you! Is there a time limit as far as how long you have to get to the test center before your car isn't ready if you already have a not ready for your catalytic converter? I know that was all over the place, but hopefully, you understand what I'm asking. lol
I wouldn't wait too long if you can get the monitor to ok status. I would literally go to the smog center either that day or the next just to get that chore out of the way.
@@nukem384 ok I thought it was literally a matter of a very small time frame, like 30 minutes to a couple of hours tops. Thank you so much!
Do you have to unplug the scanner if you are finish with the drive cycle? Or you have to take it of. My check engine light comes on very fast what should I do
Use the reader and figure out what the code is telling you, then fix it. The drive cycle can't magically fix everything. If you have an actual issue where the CEL is coming on, it needs to be fixed before smog.
Question ❓ I haven't disconnected the battery in two years, but smog check Guy said I had to take out on Freeway to reset. I don't drive the van much and I am surprised it needs resetting. Maybe the test tech was busy and just blowing me off. Is this common?
Uhh yeah sounds like he's blowing you off. There's no reason to reset the battery if it doesn't need it for some reason. If your car is ready for a smog, then it should just be tested and done. Resetting your battery when everything is fine would make you do this process just to get the monitors reset.
excellent and informative video.
Glad it helped
Thanks for the tips! If I reset and turn off the codes, will it pass Smog check? Thanks
The car won't let you do that anymore. That's an old OBDI thing, where you could disconnect the battery, go straight to the smog and pass. Modern cars today on OBDII, that doesn't work and actually if you were to disconnect the battery, you'd have to do a drive cycle to get everything reset or all your monitors wouldn't be ready.
Just cause your monitors are ready don’t mean you pass smog.
They still have to do a smoke test and visual inspection of under the hood.. monitors readiness is just a part of the test
That depends on the state. Here in GA its all bout monitors ready and a gas cap
And thats just within city limits. Other countys dont need emissions
@@d3adzone414 i failed my visual for smog test in California lol i had a spacer on my oxygen sensor and they found it! Smh California is hard ass state to live in
@@myyoutubechannel3161 lmao damn thats some bad luck lol
@@d3adzone414 im tellin you bro mfs are on it out here lmao under the car with mirrors and shit! SOB!
Can drive more than 5 minutes when you coast the second time?
Can the dealership help you with driving cycles? I have a acura tsx 2011
Like do it for you? Highly doubt they would do that just because they probably wouldn't know how. So I'm not sure they could charge you for something they don't know how to do.
What if my check engine light goes on after the second start? Can I pass the test with just one key start of the engine ?
If your check engine goes on at any time, you're going to fail. If that's the case, you probably actually have an issue that needs to be addressed. Doing a drive cycle to try and make it temporarily go away isn't going to fly with smog.
Clear explanation. :) Wondering, why would we need to get to the freeway as quickly as possible? I ask because where I live, I don't have access to the freeway without stopping and going by the time I get there. Plus, I was thinking about driving to an area several minutes away (also stop and go to get there) that may be safer to hold a speed for several minutes without getting in the way of other drivers. Would that completely negate all the tests running after sitting idle?
If you can't get to the freeway quickly, it's ok, just get to it as fast as you can. It has to do with the car warming up which could impact the monitors readings. Just try and do your best.
Awesome handle BTW. I had some pretty authentic takoyaki from a street vendor in Osaka straight out of those circular molds they use one year. Really good!
@@nukem384 Oh, I see gotcha. I may have to do one tonight, another early morning, then again after work tomorrow. I have a 2003 Toyota Matrix XR, so I hope this does the trick! If not, it'll be a sad day for me...😭 Awesome btw that you've tried takoyaki in Osaka (the best way, really). I lived in Kyoto for 3 years and went to Osaka or Kobe almost every week lol! Okonomiyaki is my favorite, though. 😅
@@takoyakiball Hopefully you'll only have to do it once, it everything works out
Kyoto is beautiful! Been there and Kobe as well. Love okonomiyaki too! We make that at home every now and then.
I had all the monitors complete except for catalyst. I didn't know what part of the drive cycle reset this..your explanation and what to do when I was able to reset.
After warm up,55mph for 3 minutes then throttle off and coast to 20mph,no brakes or gear down
Did I the the freeway early in the morning with flashers on. If your freeway has hills,when you throttle off try to time it going up hill,that brings you to 20mph faster
Then 3/4 throttle back to 55 for 15 minutes. That should make it
Thought it was 5min after dropping to 20mph
You can actually go into the vehicles manual and it will tell you how to check your vehicle for being ready for the smog inspection and see if the check engine sign which is usually a little engine on your dash is blinking 5 times or if the little engine sign just goes off , just go to emissions and check the drive cycle procedures in the manual best to do the drive cycle late at night or when you can drive your vehicle at 50/ 60 mph for a solid 20 mins at those speeds with out changing speeds lower then 50 or 60 mph!
NO I/M on FIXD. Did your freeway drive Twice 4am Sunday. Still has Solid engine light. The FIXD Told me and 3 guys with scanner to replace 02 sensor. I did 100 back. I cleared history on FIXED. LAST YEAR I PASSED SMOG Now 10,000 later problem!
Is this the way they do smog in California?
Yes. CA is infamously known to have really strict emissions standards compared to other states.
Hey Darrell. Thanks again for this helpful information. If the catalyst monitor per the 5 test of the drive cycle results in a 'not ready', do I have to do all 5 tests again or can I just do the 5th test? Please LMK. Thanks!
You can try and do just that part again.
@@nukem384 Thanks, Darrell!
Is there a reputable source (online or not) to find drive cycle specifications? How many drive cycles does a vehicle have?
Are we simply at the mercy of the internet to find the drive cycle requirements for our vehicles?
The manufacturer wasn't able to tell me anything. The car manual has nothing to say. Recently, I was able to find something online for my make, model and year, but how can I trust that this is accurate?
I have an OBD2 device on order that should be arriving within a week or so. I will definitely be consulting this video and others when it arrives and I am able to plug it in and see if I can get it to work.
I am not sure, but I am wondering if at least part of the problem is that all the electronics need to be off while trying to trigger the various systems. IDK...am I not supposed to turn on my radio / music, lights, heating, AC, nothing except the engine? The battery was replaced, but that was months ago. Relatively recently, about two weeks or less I had the oil done on my car and the shop didn't identify any other problems that required attention. My car should be in good working order. It is very unlikely that my car is the problem.
This has been a problem the past 3 times I have had to get my car through DEQ. I am not looking forward to the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars for an auto shop to deal fix this because I can't figure out what I am supposed to do.
It is utter insanity that I have to pass a test which is required by law and no one can tell me what I need to do for my car to pass. I want to be in compliance, but I have yet to find a sufficiently detailed explanation of how to complete the drive cycles for my specific car.
Yea it's a tough situation. In the service manuals they sometimes have a drive cycle, it goes by other names depending on the manufacturer. But I have seen some manufactures that do not have anything to help. It will be good if you get you OBD scanner and know exactly what Monitor you need to complete you can focus on that one monitor. Sometimes the Diagnostic steps for that particular system error hint at good driving pattern to test out the repair and that is also a good pattern to set the monitor.
List out your Year, make , model and engine size and I will see what I can find.
@@stevew9563
2008 Mazda / Mazda3...
Also the check engine light on my dash is off...which should be further proof my car is in good condition.
I plan to experiment with the OBD2 tomorrow and if necessary do some more driving and test my car again.
I live in an area where it is dark, rainy and overcast for a good chunk of the year, so it is asking a lot to warm up and drive my car around without lights or heating in order to trigger the drive cycle. If I have to do it this way then I will. But it sure isn't practical to attempt triggering the drive cycle as part of my routine driving.
Days that I work I get up when it's dark and I go home in the dark.
@@jennifertennent8319 - Lets see ifa link works in here: drive.google.com/file/d/1CvDSU93zGkKDBvCNF1HOeXzN3-v-Lv4X/view?usp=sharing
@@jennifertennent8319 - I assumed you had the 2.3 non turbo engine correct me if I am wrong.
@@stevew9563
I honestly don't know whether it's turbo or non turbo.
I tested my car again at DEQ and it's still not passing.
Word for word this is what I was given a few years ago at my auto shop and I found something very similar if not identical looking around online very recently.
Remarks in () is my commentary...
Pre-requisites: MIL off and no DTCs present, this is where clearing your codes comes in.
Fuel level between 15% to 85%.
All accessories off (Ok, what counts and doesn't count as an accessory? If I turn my lights on at ANY point is that an automatic fail? If I turn my lights on, but then turn them off and say I try procedure (5) can I get the system to trigger? Am I not allowed to use my wipers? Nothing, nothing at all other than the engine needs to be running?)
Cold start, preferred 8 hour cold soak w/ engine between 68 and 86 deg F at start-up
1) Start vehicle and idle 5 min (exactly?)
2) Rev engine in neutral or park to 2300-2700 rpm for 15 seconds (exactly?)
3) Rev engine in neutral or park to 3800-4200 rpm for 15 seconds (exactly?)
4) Idle engine for 20 seconds with cooling fan stopped (so...am I supposed to run the fan and then stop it at this step for at least 20 seconds?)
5) Accelerate to 52-55 mph, maintain speed in high gear for 1.5 minutes (Do certain steps have to be done in sequence one after the other? Do all the steps have to be done in sequence 1-7 or else the drive cycle fails?)
6) Decelerate to 15 mph and then drive for 13 minutes at speeds ranging from 15 to 35 mph
7) Maintain steady 25 mph for 50 seconds (exactly)
I think the online version of this said that each of these numbers corresponds to a different sensor / system. If that is true, which number corresponds to each of the systems?
Four are unready according to DEQ: Catalyst, Evap, O2 sensor, EGR/VVT
hi sir i did this routine and i put about 150 miles on my mitsubishi galant all monitors are ready but the evap system and egr system just wont get ready whatever i do and when the evap finally got ready my engine light came on and now i reset monitors again and have to start over but not sure why the egr is always incomplete any suggestions?
I would say get that checked out by a mechanic. Running this drive cycle can't fix everything, and if it keeps coming back or you're driving a ton of miles, you probably actually have a problem with that system that needs to be fixed.
I'm dealing with the same shit. Changed almost the whole EVAP system except fuel pressure sensor on gas tank. 2 many variables
When you are running the test do you have the OBD II scanner plugged in and connected?
I didn't. But I've heard of other people doing this. Probably better to not have it plugged in though.
Had enough of the emissions testing. About to register vehicle in an exempt county.
Thanks Man Good Video!
Glad it helped
Thank you, Darrell. What is meant by half throttle?
Half throttle as in push the gas pedal only halfway down instead of to the floor.
@@nukem384 Cool. Never tried that but I'm thinking that it will be about 2000 RPM with the automatic so we're just cruising. I can actually check half throttling and see what is actually the RPM reading while in Parked. Thanks, Darrell!
Thank you..you even made me cry😢
Glad it helped!
Where can I get one of these readers at and fir a 2000 Lincoln towncar? And how do I know where to be plugging it in at abd in my car??
Link is in the description to get one. You'd have to look at a separate tutorial for your specific car. But usually the plug is in the driver footwell somewhere.
Do u have to clear the old dtc codes or should u leave them in there . (The check engine light is off)
I would try and clear them. If the reader is telling you something isn't ready, I don't think you can pass smog.
Will the Maxiscan M300 work on a 2005 kia sportage with the 6 Cylinder? Let me know Asap!!!! Thank you
It should. These devices are universal, so they should work in any car.