‘Check engine’ light on? Expect to fail new Drive Clean test

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It fails on the simple fact that if a sensor it not responding it goes into a not ready mode and is an automatic fail.
Even if you have next to nothing for emissions coming out of the tailpipe.
The old dyno way of doing of running the tests were much more forgiving.
 
Diesel said:
Instead of everyone bitching about this where it won't help, everyone should dig up some articles and/or organize data about how this new form of emission test does not prevent pollution and call, visit, or write your MPP.

Nothing will be done about it bitching here, but going after the MPPs might.
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This is an indication that there are far too many bureaucrats with nothing better to do than create new rules and regulations that screw over the driving public. I think that there are so many cars passing the test that the ruling lieberals needed a way to fail more cars, therefore justifying the drive clean programs continuing existence.
 
wonderings said:
Why does the light on mean you will fail? If the emissions are ok, why should it matter what lights are on in the car?
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Because Ontario. :D

vrus said:
not trolling

what if you actually just removed the light/bulb ?
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vrus said:
not trolling

what if you actually just removed the light/bulb ?
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Issue #1: Part of the procedure is to check that the MIL comes on when the ignition is first switched on. Remove/tape over bulb = FAIL

Issue #2: The main part of the procedure involves hooking up the official scanner to the OBD-II port and scan the ECU for stored codes and readiness codes ... and the ECU doesn't care whether the MIL works or not, the codes will still be there and the readiness bits will still be NOT there, if there is something wrong.
 
so in specifics, my 06 vw jetta has had the engine check light on for 3 yrs, two dealers have checked it. It gives a code that is mutliple possibilities, and after about $2-300 per check and light still on we say, forget it next time will be the charm, now it looks like it needs fixed. VW oakville says could be 600- to 1000. , they have to change parts till they get the right one.
Anybody else been in this boat?
 
crankcall said:
so in specifics, my 06 vw jetta has had the engine check light on for 3 yrs, two dealers have checked it. It gives a code that is mutliple possibilities, and after about $2-300 per check and light still on we say, forget it next time will be the charm, now it looks like it needs fixed. VW oakville says could be 600- to 1000. , they have to change parts till they get the right one.
Anybody else been in this boat?
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Go to a private mechanic that specializes in VW ?

If anything, at least the diagnostic labour rate will be cheaper. Good luck.
 
The new system is both good and bad, here are two recent examples I have personally seen:

Friend 1) Car has CEL with a few codes (random misfire and evap system mostly). He tested under the old system in Dec and passed (with surprisingly good tail pipe results considering the car is close to 400,000). He would have failed under the new system (multiple failed monitors).

Friend 2) Took it in under the old system in Dec, motor is blowing the blues big time but no CEL or codes, it failed on the tail pipe output. He waited to Jan and took it back in, pass under the new system, still blowing the blues nothing changed.... close to 500,000 km.

So in short in some cases this new system will be a bigger net in some cases the old was a bigger net. There is a good argument that maybe they should be doing BOTH now if they really cared about emissions!

For the OP, the valve you needed was likely "repairable" the evap valves (I assume it was the purge valve) on many cars just needs a good clean due to it sticking (I use MAF cleaner followed by WD40), problem is location on your vehicle (if you get it out might as well replace it). If it was under the hood it is an easy job to access and clean.

As a side note for everyone, be careful about overfilling the fuel tank. When the gas pump clicks off leave it at that and don't do the top up to the next dollar or worse yet next $5 (specially if you are far from the next dollar). This will increase the risk of pushing fuel into the evap system on many cars and sooner or later you are going to get evap system failures that will now have to be fixed...

IMO this is worse for cars/trucks that have the evap on the tank (both for the cost of repair and how easy it is to get fuel where it is not supposed to be by over filling).

edit, sorry caught your comment after I posted about filler neck, the above could still apply though to others with purge valve issues...
 
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crankcall said:
so in specifics, my 06 vw jetta has had the engine check light on for 3 yrs, two dealers have checked it. It gives a code that is mutliple possibilities, and after about $2-300 per check and light still on we say, forget it next time will be the charm, now it looks like it needs fixed. VW oakville says could be 600- to 1000. , they have to change parts till they get the right one.
Anybody else been in this boat?
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TDI or gas?

do you know the code they pulled?

I got a $50 scanner at harbour freight and works like a charm for checking and clearing codes on my 06 jetta tdi
 
Mr.Azim said:
I know my Dad will be.

So if the car's ECU is flashing a check engine... this new system won't pass it, regardless of the code? Once it sees a fault, it's thumbs down.
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Is it flashing all the time, a constant light or just flashing now and again. CEL usually stays on if there is a code but can flash during short periods of misfire.

Best bet do an OBD2 reading and see what codes are there and if any of the monitored systems are failed or incomplete--those are the fails.
 
Nick_f said:
TDI or gas?

do you know the code they pulled?

I got a $50 scanner at harbour freight and works like a charm for checking and clearing codes on my 06 jetta tdi
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Already talked about but remember that just cleared codes will result in incomplete monitors and will result in a fail.
 
Great, my plate renewal is coming up and i gotta do the emissions...now i'm all paranoid whether its gonna fail or not.

No CEL, but i did get CELs previously, misfire and evap crap when i overfilled the tank once and when i didnt tighten the fuel cap...i cleared the codes and its been good so far...still, i dont like crap that i cant see...
 
Followup to my check engine light VW challenge. I was given the name of an independant garage, I didnt get the chance to see them, as last year I had the master cylinder changed with the vaccumm booster, the booster was leaking and the master/booster had a spec change and had to be changed as assembly $1200.
This morning the booster started acting up, it makes a servo clicking sound under load and the pedal sinks slowly while you are stopped. The garage that did that was 1yr on parts and I was just past. So looking at $500 booster, and brakes while its there anyway, probably $1000-1200.
I asked about the check engine light and mechanic (whom I've known for years and trust) said well we'll be at $450 in no time then you can get the pass for emissions, the light may or may not be off.

So looking at $1-1200 in brakes, $450 in emissions, some other little bits and pc and the fact my TDI was at 281,000km its time for another timing belt at 1000. The TDI engine would have gone 500,000 quiet happily, everything around it would come apart slowly.

I traded it in this tonite, Its an 06 purchased in 07, paid $33,000. all in, it was VERY nicely equipped. Got $3,500 trade in. When my investment guy looses $28,000 in 6 yrs I want to club him.
 
If you buy a car with CEL on does it still have the $450 conditional pass, or do you have to pass the registration e-test.
 
crankcall said:
I traded it in this tonite, Its an 06 purchased in 07, paid $33,000. all in, it was VERY nicely equipped. Got $3,500 trade in. When my investment guy looses $28,000 in 6 yrs I want to club him.
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That is some serious depreciation.
 
backmarkerducati said:
Is it flashing all the time, a constant light or just flashing now and again. CEL usually stays on if there is a code but can flash during short periods of misfire.

Best bet do an OBD2 reading and see what codes are there and if any of the monitored systems are failed or incomplete--those are the fails.
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It stays on, solid light.
 
A buddy at work brought up a question and it got me thinking. Would it be possible to swap computers between vehicles?
 
imnothng said:
A buddy at work brought up a question and it got me thinking. Would it be possible to swap computers between vehicles?
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Won't help. If the vehicle has a bad emission control subsystem, the new ECU will promptly recognize it and show the same faults that the old ECU did.

Besides, a lot of newer vehicle ECU's are tied to the rest of the vehicle and have to be electronically matched up to the instrument cluster, transmission ECU, etc., and the process of doing so will clear the readiness status ...
 
Okay so i just did the new emissions end of Jan.

Ironically enough i had a bad ICV (Idle Control Valve) which was causing the car to intermitently have hunting idle....it drops to idle then shoots up to 2K then drops to idle again...usually i could restart the car and it would go away. Two days before e-test the CEL came on. great!! Thanks Murphy! An hour later in the work parking lot the ICV and Throttle Body were removed, cleaned and reinstalled, my MPG meter also doubles as a check engine reader/reset. Reset the CEL and took it into the e-test.

Basically there's a dozen or so boxes with diff system and it just says "passed" or "Not applicable"
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