Air Repair Obdii Review

OBDII
Review
Volume 3 Number 1
From the Editors Desk:
February 2007
This publication has been assembled for the benefit of repair shop personnel who specialize in vehicle emission
repairs. It is a compilation of articles that have appeared in Air Repair to help technicians better understand
particular aspects of the vehicle emission program and the repair process. The editors of Air Repair hope
technicians find this publication a useful and ready resource to add to their technical libraries.
Contents
OBDII
Shop Management
What Do We Know About OBDII Now?......................2

Sample VIR for Vehicle Failing OBD Test
for a Cat Code.............................................................3
Ensure Success of OBDII Repairs.................................3
RDRs (Repair Diagnostic Reports) for OBD
Tests Changed.............................................................4
Setting Readiness to Pass the OBD Test.......................5
Dont Turn That Light Off . ..........................................6
Difficult-to-Set Readiness Monitors..............................8
How Long Do Motorists Have to Get Their
Vehicles Tested?..........................................................8
Catalytic Converters and OBDII...................................9
Technical Tip .............................................................10
Transmission Codes . .................................................10
Setting Monitors that Defy Standard Methods............10
Mode 6 Information.....................................................11
Communication and Thorough Research Make

for Good Customer Relations......................................24
National Automotive Service Task Force....................25
How My Shop Benefits from Emissions Testing.........27
Service Writer Praises Shop Management Seminar ...28
Case Studies
Readiness Monitors
Stubborn Monitors.......................................................11
OBDII Readiness Case Study......................................12
The Unexpected is Just a Little Tougher to Fix...........14
Five Time Reject A Case Study................................15
ALL Enabling Criteria Must Be Present to
Run Monitors............................................................15
Meeting the Enabling Criteria is Crucial.....................16
Driving Isnt Always the Fix after Eight Rejects.........17
How Fast Am I Going?................................................18
Communication Issues
How to Check a Vehicle That Wont Communicate....18
How Important is Wiring.............................................19
Clean Cables Could Mean a Clean Pass......................20
Keep Alive Memory (KAM)
The Repair Facility Performance Report (RFPR)

and REI
Emissions Test Vehicle Owners Using the RFPR........29
Sample of Repair Data Report with Current REI for
an Individual Repair Shop........................................29
Back of VIR Simplified for Quicker Completion........30
Quick Reference Information

Outreach Information.................................................. 31
Federal Emissions Warranties .................................... 31
Aftermarket Catalytic Converters .............................. 31
Common OBDII Known Manufacturer Issues
and The Fixes . ........................................................ 32
OEM Service Web sites.............................................. 34
How to Deal with OBDII Canadian Vehicles............. 35
Vehicle Emission Testing in Illinois
General Information................................................. 35
Difficult to Set Readiness Monitors............................ 36
OBDII Chart................................................................ 36
Air Repair Review is published

by Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Ron Wohrle, Editor
Ken Beauvais, Editor
Send all address changes, mailing requests and
letters to the editor to:
Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC)
Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency
Vehicle Emissions Test Program
PO Box 767
Elk Grove Village, IL 60009-0767
Three Strikes and Its Out............................................21

If the Light is On, the Vehicle is Broken.....................23
Mystery SolvedVacuum vs. Pressure.........................23
phone: (847) 758-3434

fax: (847) 758-3420
E-mail: repair.outreach@epa.state.il.us
Any Vehicle Can Pass the Test . ..................................20

A Lucky Solution to a Stubborn Problem....................20
February 2007
Air Repair OBDII Review
What Do We Know About OBDII Now?

From the January 2005 issue of Air Repair.
By Al Santini
Illinois has been testing OBDII systems with pass fail criteria for about a year now, and we know much more about
how the system works or does not work than we knew in
January 2004. But first a quick review...
A vehicle that is presented for an OBDII test will first
receive a gas cap test and then be scanned through the
DLC. The vast majority of the vehicles will in fact communicate via the DLC and most that will not are either
missing B+ on pin 16 and/or ground on pin 5. If the vehicle will communicate via the DLC, a check of applicable
readiness monitors will occur. If the correct number of
monitors have been run, MIL function is analyzed and the
vehicle passes or fails. This abbreviated explanation gives
an overview of the test. More information is available in
the Outreach OBDII seminars.
So what do we know about the test after months of
testing thousands of vehicles? The first item of interest is
the system is doing exactly what it was designed to do.
Remember that OBDII is an emission testing strategy that
includes most of the engine management functions that
were present in OBDI. The design of OBDII is supposed
to allow independent testing of emission functions with
the ability to identify failures that might allow the vehicle
to produce in excess of 150 percent of the Federal Test
Procedure. Without a doubt it is doing exactly this. Technicians that attend the OBDII seminars indicate that vehicles
that have the MIL illuminated or commanded on do have
something wrong and can be fixed to a level that will allow
the MIL to be commanded off by the PCM. There has been
virtually no false MILs on vehicles. If the MIL is on - there
are fixable problems. Once they are fixed the MIL will be
commanded off. The system is doing exactly what it was
supposed to do.
However, readiness or lack of monitors run remains
an issue. Currently 16 percent of the vehicles are rejected
because of insufficient monitors run. These vehicles fall
into one of three different categories:
Category One - A couple of monitors remain unset.
Frequently these vehicles require some specific driving
conditions to get the monitors to run. The customer just
does not drive the vehicle in the correct manner. An
example of this is a person who does not drive the vehicle
at highway speeds. It is likely that the Catalytic Converter
monitor might not run. The technician will be required to
drive in a very specific manner paying attention to speeds
and loads that will allow the monitor to run. Note: Dont

forget running a monitor is what allows the system to

generate a DTC. No monitor = no diagnostic trouble code
generated. The CD that is given out at the OBD seminars
helps greatly by identifying the driving conditions required
for monitor completion.
Category Two - A specific monitor or group of
monitors will not run. Many times this situation occurs
because the system has determined that there is a problem
in something that is used in the diagnostic procedure. For
example, a bad O2S heater will prevent the O2S monitor
from running. If the O2S
monitor does not run, then
CODES DESCRIPTION
STATUS
CAT
Catalyst Efficiency Status:
NOT READY
the CAT monitor will not
CATHEAT
Catalyst Heating System Status:
Not Supported
EVAP
Evaporative System Status:
Not Supported
run. If one of the moniAIR
Secondary Air System Status:
Not Supported
AC
Air Conditioning Refrigerant Status:
Not Supported
tored systems relies on
O2S
Oxygen Sensor System Status:
NOT READY
O2SHEAT
Heated Oxygen Sensor System Status:
Ready
another monitored system
EGR
Exhaust Gas Recirculation System Status: NOT READY
to function, then a difficulty (DTC) interrupts the
sequence. You might see in this case a DTC and insufficient monitors run. Repair the vehicle and after the DTC is
removed the sequenced monitors now run. The illustration
shows a vehicle with a bad O2S heater. The heater monitor
has run, generated a DTC and shut down everything that
uses the O2S as an input.
Category Three - No monitors run. This may sound
bizarre but does happen every so often. It appears that if
certain components are slightly beyond normal criteria, the
PCM might prevent the monitors from running until the
component is replaced. We have seen examples of O2Ss
preventing all monitors from running and yet the vehicle
has no O2S DTCs. Should this happen? Probably not, but
oh well....
If everything worked exactly as it should 100 percent
of the time, probably none of us would be needed. Many
times these vehicles need to be approached as if they were
an OBDI system. Scan them and use your DSO to identify
suspect sensors. It is also a possibility that they will need
to be reflashed.
Dont let the monitor
issue cloud your thinking.
Something is preventing
them from running. Try to
drive the required trace. If
that does not work, start
looking for something that
is preventing the system from running the monitors. The
system will work as designed and identify problems once
the monitors have run.
Volume 3 Number 1
Sample VIR for Vehicle Failing OBD Test for Cat Code
From the April 2004 issue of Air Repair.
The catalyst monitor must be

set to ready on a retest if the
MIL was commanded on for
any catalyst codes:
REJECT
REPRINT
N = No Cat Code
C = Cat Code
N/A
OBDII
Retest Code
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
PASS

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXX
MAZD
REJECT - NOT READY

626 DX
1996
N/A
LDV, S
4
2.0
AUTOMATIC
3049

XXXXXX XXXXXX
01/22/2004
00:14:36
13:28:34
OBDII
11
3
A
YOUR VEHICLE COULD NOT BE TESTED

BECAUSE IT HAD NOT COMPLETED ALL
REQUIRED OBD SYSTEM EVALUATIONS.
THE FOLLOWING SYSTEMS COMPONENTS
WERE REPORTED AS NOT READY
CAT, EGR
SEE REVERSE SIDE AND THE REPAIR DIAGNOSTIC
REPORT (RDR) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
N
N
961464 53.1
02/2004
Check out the

Repair Facility
Performance
Report
for more
information on
OBD.
VOID
VOID
VOID
Ensure Success of OBDII Repairs

OBDII testing will increase repair technician accountability. What can repair technicians do to get themselves and
their customers ready for this change in emissions testing
procedures?
1.
Have the Right Tools and Skills
Make sure you have the OBDII scan tools necessary

to work on your customers vehicles. Unless you work
exclusively on one manufacturers vehicles, one scan
tool will not be sufficient to service every OBDII
vehicle.
Become familiar with the function of readiness
monitors and learn how to set them.

If you are repairing a vehicle with a Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL) on, make sure you address
both the generic and manufacturer-specific diagnostic
trouble codes (DTCs) stored in the OBDII system.
Make sure to access the OBDII systems Freeze
Frame data before you clear the DTCs so that you
can accurately investigate the vehicles operating
conditions that led to the MIL being turned on.
Review the vehicles service history; especially if
this is the first time you are repairing the vehicle.
Sometimes, previous repairs will point you in the right
Continued on page 4.
February 2007
Ensure Success of OBDII Repairs

Continued from page 3.
direction. If you understand what repairs have been

attempted in the past, you will have a better chance
of repairing problems that either exist as a result of a
previous repair or are recurring in nature.
Do not clear the DTCs without fixing the problem.
Verify that the repairs you have performed have
legitimately turned off the MIL.
Seek out OBDII-related repair training. Area seminars
and courses are available from several sources and are
listed elsewhere in this publication.
2.
Have Easy Access to Critical Information
Be sure to check Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) and

Recall information sources, especially with DTCs that
are difficult to diagnose.
Have dedicated access to the Internet. By federal rule,
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are being
required to provide all independent repair technicians
with access to manufacturer-specific information via
the Internet. These Web sites will be online within the
next year.
3.
Communicate With Your Customers
Take the time to teach your customers not to ignore

illuminated MILs. If the light is on, the vehicle
requires repair. Inform customers that the longer they
ignore the MIL, the higher the repair is likely to cost,
especially if the vehicle is past its warranty period.

Take the time to teach your customers to address
illuminated MILs prior to their vehicles emissions
test. If the OBDII system is functioning properly and
the MIL is not illuminated, the vehicle will pass its
emissions test.
If you are repairing vehicles that have failed the
emissions test and have reset the OBDII system after
completing repairs, remind your customers not to
drive directly from your shop to the emissions test
station, especially if you did not reset the readiness
monitors. Most vehicles will need to be driven for a
few days to encounter all of the operating conditions
necessary to reset the readiness monitors.
OBDII is about pollution prevention. OBDII systems detect minor problems that can raise either tailpipe or evaporative emissions before they become major problems. If
you teach your customers to bring their vehicle to you as
soon as the MIL turns on, and you correctly repair their
vehicle each time they bring their vehicle to you with the
MIL on, you will be protecting both the value and performance of their vehicle and the air that we breathe.
RDRs for OBD Tests Changed

Repair Diagnostic Reports (RDR) are printed for each

vehicle that fails an emissions test or is rejected. Since
vehicles that fail the OBD test do not receive an exhaust
test, exhaust readings and graphs are not printed. Up to 12
DTCs in the datastream will be printed. However, a vehi-
Sample RDR for vehicle failing OBD test.

cle will fail the OBD test for DTCs that only commanded
the MIL to illuminate. The code that commanded the MIL
to illuminate may not be one of the 12 DTCs listed.
If a vehicle is rejected, the RDR will list readiness
status.
Sample RDR for vehicle rejected from OBD test.

Volume 3 Number 1
Setting Readiness to PASS the OBD Test

By Dave Skinner, Training Manager, National Center for Vehicle
Emissions Control and Safety (NCVECS) at Colorado State University
emissions inspection. Therefore, we will not cover con-
What is Readiness?
For other monitors, the vehicle must be prepared and

driven in a specific manner designed to test the systems
being monitored. OBDII systems refer to these as noncontinuous monitors. These non-continuous monitors
cannot be set using a scan tool and must see the driving
conditions required to run the monitor in order for it to set
to complete.
These required driving conditions are referred to as
drive traces and define the preconditions and driving
conditions necessary to set the readiness monitors. There is
a universal drive trace, but it may not set readiness on all
OBDII equipped vehicles. In addition, the universal drive
trace may require significantly more driving than is necessary to set any one monitor.
From model year 1996 on, U.S. vehicles include software

designed to indicate when emissions control systems
have a defect that may lead to elevated tailpipe emissions.
Because of this, overall vehicle condition can be assessed
electronically at an emissions test station using a data link
between a computer and the OBDII equipped vehicle. To
ensure that the data provided to the test station reflects
actual vehicle condition, the vehicle computer will report
whether or not data in the computer is current and valid.
This check is referred to as readiness. If the vehicle fails
a readiness check, it will be denied an emissions test.
Readiness Monitors
The checks the computer performs on the vehicle system

are referred to as readiness monitors. While a vehicle
could have up to twelve monitors designed into the computer, these are the most common monitors:
Misfire
Fuel
Comprehensive Component (acircuit and
computer check)
Oxygen Sensor (and oxygen sensor heater)
Catalyst
Evaporative Emissions System
EGR
Secondary Air
Before readiness is set for any of these monitors, the
components must be observed as operating properly by
the computer. If the computer cannot observe this through
normal system operation, it will operate the components
in a manner that checks that systems performance. This is
called an intrusive test since the computer check is performed outside of normal system operating parameters.
A monitor setting to ready does not assure that the
vehicle is defect free; completed readiness monitors only
indicate that the applicable component has been checked,
and passed muster.
Continuous Monitors
The top three monitors listed above are designed to continuously check for system defects on all OBDII equipped
vehicles. These monitors report as complete at all times,
and will not cause a vehicle to be rejected during a vehicle
tinuous monitors.
Non-Continuous Monitors
Drive Trace Types
Since many different readiness monitors may be present

on a vehicle, drive traces can be designed to set all monitors present with one trace or designed for specific monitors on the vehicle. It should be noted that both catalyst
and evaporative monitors require more driving than other
monitor drive traces. These drive traces may be available
in manufacturers service information or from service
information sources in the aftermarket.
Readiness and Verifying Repairs
While setting readiness may verify a vehicle repair, the

National Center for Vehicle Emissions Control and
Safety (NCVECS) does not recommend using readiness
to verify a repair. If proper diagnosis and repair procedures have been followed, no additional verification should
be necessary.
Readiness and Blocked Codes
Due to the complex interrelations between OBDII system

components and monitors, it is possible for one defect to
mask or block an additional defect. Because of this, it is
possible to perform a valid repair on a vehicle only to have
an additional defect identified by the readiness monitors.
In order to avoid this outcome, for most repairs
NCVECS recommends setting the following six readiness monitors in order to identify blocked codes:
Misfire
Fuel
Continuous
Oxygen Sensor
EGR (if present)
Secondary Air (if present)
February 2007
Setting Readiness to PASS the OBD Test

In addition, NCVECS recommends setting the catalyst or

evaporative monitor when the defect repaired involved
those systems. If those systems did not have a defect prior
to repair, the time involved to set the monitors may exceed
the benefit gained through monitor setting.
Drive Trace Tips

Safety
Extreme care must be exercised in order to operate the

vehicles safely while setting readiness. NCVECS recommends that two technicians set readiness, with the second
person monitoring drive trace and scan tool information
and the driver devoting maximum attention to operating
the vehicle safely.
Preconditions
The most critical issue surrounding drive traces is that

preconditions must be in place for the readiness monitors
to set. For example, if an evaporative readiness monitor
requires an eight-hour cold soak, a timer in the computer
is counting the minutes. This requirement will prevent the
monitor from running during the first seven hours, fiftynine minutes of cold-soak.
Existing Problems
If readiness will not set quickly, there may be a defect

present which will set a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC).
Readiness sets fairly quickly on vehicles without defects.
However, a computer trying to confirm a system defect automatically lengthens the monitoring process. This procedure may keep readiness for certain monitors from setting
until the defect is confirmed.
Driving Style and Terrain
Since readiness monitors require specific speed and load

conditions in order to run the monitor, drive traces work
best with smooth, steady throttle and brake inputs. In
addition, flat roads provide the most effective surface for
setting readiness monitors. Constantly changing loads or
throttle inputs may prevent monitors from running and
readiness from completing.
Using a Dynamometer
When using a dynamometer to set monitors, pay close

attention to intake air temperature on the vehicle data
stream. Readings in excess of 100 F at road speed may
cause monitors to shut down and keep readiness from setting.
Drive Trace Options
If the drive trace you have does not set readiness, consult
the factory service information.
As more and more states perform OBDII type emissions inspections, factories will receive greater pressure
to provide readiness information specific to vehicles that
require specialized drive traces in order to set certain
readiness. Use drive traces from other models from the
same manufacturer, or use a drive trace from a company
that shares engineering information with the company that
built the car.
Selecting a different gear could also make a readiness
monitor run. Since monitors are load sensitive, selecting
D over OD on an automatic transmission, or 4th gear
rather than 5th gear on a manual may change engine loading enough to run the monitor.
Dont Turn That Light Off!

From the October 2003 issue of Air Repair.
By Al Santini, Outreach Seminar Presenter
Sometimes the way we have done things in the past is not

necessarily the best method for the present. Hopefully,
by the end of this short article you will have a different perception regarding the use of a repair baseline. A
baseline is the indicator that will tell us when a repair is
complete and successful. For years we have used many
different baselines such as the infrared, a test drive, the
O2S pattern, etc. Some shops have even relied on the
emission retest as their baseline. If the vehicle passes,
those shops consider the job complete. If it fails, it is back
to the drawing board. Personally, I really dont believe
that we technicians should use the EPA and Envirotest to

tell us when the vehicle is fixed.... Always remember that
your REI is at stake. To have a vehicle that you worked on
fail the retest causes your REI to drop. If your REI drops
below 75 percent, your shop will no longer be in the book.
In 1996, OBDII hit the road with its drive cycles,
monitors, and specific test sequences that were substantially different from the IM240 test that we had become used
to. Here is the basic question: Should we use the same test,
repair and baseline verification sequence for an OBDII
failure that we use for an IM240 failure? The answer
depends on your understanding of both the Illinois OBDII
test and system monitors.
Volume 3 Number 1
Dont Turn That Light Off!

A quick review of the Illinois OBDII test is necessary

here. The key to understanding pass and fail status lies
in the check engine light or MIL (malfunction indicator
light). If the light is commanded off, the vehicle passes; if
it is commanded on, the vehicle fails. Simple... So the first
and very important baseline for your repair should be the
MIL. The MIL needs to be commanded off, prior to sending the vehicle back for a retest. A common misconception
is that trouble codes (DTCs) in memory cause the vehicle
to fail. Not so... A vehicle could have 10 DTCs in memory
and as long as the MIL is off, it would still pass the OBDII
test.
There is a relationship to monitors that fits in here.
DTCs are generated by the PCM diagnostic strategies and
the running of system monitors. Specific driving conditions are necessary for specific monitors to run and are
vehicle VIN specific. Some vehicle monitors are easily run
during normal driving, while other monitors may never run
on certain vehicles. Vehicles that are currently being tested
need to have most of the monitors run or they will not be
tested at the emission station. The test currently allows a
maximum of two monitors not run (one monitor on 2001
and newer vehicles.) Any more and the vehicle is rejected.
One other wrinkle to the monitor issue concerns the catalyst monitor. If the original vehicle failure was because
the MIL was on and the DTC generated was for catalytic
converter efficiency, then the CAT monitor MUST be run
prior to a retest. If the original failure was for something
other than the CAT, the test falls back to the maximum
of two monitors not run without any concern as to which
monitors they are. If you are confused at this point, please
reread this paragraph. Its understanding is important for
the rest of this article.
Think about how we have repaired IM240 failures
with the MIL on. For years we have practiced the clear
the code and see if it comes back procedure. This still
works very effectively for an IM240 repair but results in
a problem for an OBDII repair. As soon as you clear the
codes and turn the MIL off on an OBDII vehicle, you will
reset ALL monitors to a not run status. It may take days or
maybe even weeks of normal customer driving for enough
monitors to run to allow the retest. Remember that only
two monitors are allowed to be not run for a test. Any
more and the vehicle is rejected. In addition, your customer is driving the vehicle wondering if it will pass the test.
We frequently find that customers do not listen to technicians and drive the vehicle over too soon, only to have it
be rejected because of insufficient monitors. In August
2003, approximately 2160 vehicles were rejected during
February 2007
the month of August for insufficient monitors.

The next time you get an OBDII failure in the door
with the MIL on, try this. Dont clear the codes! Figure
out which monitor was responsible for the generation of
the code. Do not clear the code, especially if it was a continuous monitor. Instead, after the repair, drive the freeze
frame. That is, drive the vehicle in a normal manner spending some time at low speed and some time at high speed,
while paying attention to the conditions that were present
when the monitor turned on the MIL. Use the information from the freeze frame for the DTC, and try to drive
the vehicle under similar conditions. If you have repaired
the vehicle successfully, the MIL will go out as soon as
the monitor is run. At this point take the vehicle back for
the retest. Once it passes, you can clear the codes, (if you
want) prior to giving the vehicle back to the customer.
This procedure works well for the continuous monitored systems (misfire, fuel, and the comprehensive component monitor). A DTC that results from a continuous
monitor will usually only require a short test drive (drive
the freeze-frame) to indicate whether your repair has been
effective or not. When the MIL goes out during the test
drive, the vehicle is repaired to emission retest standards.
The MIL was your baseline, and the fact that it went out
verifies your repair.
A CAT repair needs to be addressed separately.
Remember that CAT failures resulting in DTCs require
the running of the CAT monitor prior to a retest. The CAT
monitor is one of the most difficult monitors to run. It
normally takes a longer time and distance, usually at high
speeds before it will run. In addition, it depends on other
systems (like O2S) being good. Your shop needs to determine how you will handle CAT repairs and retests. Will
you give the vehicle back to the customer with the MIL
on and instruct them to get it tested once the MIL goes
out? Or, will you clear the codes, and drive the vehicle
until the CAT monitor runs. Only your shop can determine
what your procedure will be. Personally, I like to maintain
control of the vehicle. This means that either I will drive it
until the MIL goes out, or clear the codes and drive it until
the monitors have run, and get the retest done. Knowing
what driving conditions need to be present to get the monitor to run is the key here.
So, next time an OBDII emission failure is sitting in
the driveway with the MIL on, dont be as quick to use
your scanner and clear the codes. It makes sense to use the
MIL at least some of the time as your baseline, because,
after all, thats what the EPA will use.
DifficulttoSet Readiness Monitors

From the July 2004 issue of Air Repair.
Weve heard from a number of technicians who became

frustrated when trying to set readiness monitors. The
readiness monitors on some vehicles are harder to set than
others, and in general, the monitors on 1996 and 1997
vehicles take longer to set than newer vehicles. Here are
some key points technicians should be aware of.
Some early OBDII systems are known to have intermittent
readiness status, and thus, the Illinois vehicle emissions
test stations do not reject these vehicles when the required
number of monitors are not ready. As a result, it is not
necessary (and in some cases, impossible) to set some or
all of the noncontinuous readiness monitors in these vehicles. See the table on page 27 for more information.
There are a number of resources technicians can use
to help set readiness monitors. These resources include
publications, technical service bulletins, the Colorado
State drive trace CD, and subscription services (such as All
Data, Mitchell-On-Demand, etc.)
Motor Information Systems sells a 600 page OBDII
Drive Cycle Guide. (www.motor.com)
The 2004 edition of the Mitchell Emission Control

Application Guide has a helpful section on the
vehicles with monitors that are difficult to set. (www.
mitchell1.com)
The National Automotive Service Task Force
(NASTF) Web site includes a wealth of information
and links to OEM service Web sites.
The drive trace CD developed by the National Center
for Vehicle Emissions Control and Safety (NCVECS)
at Colorado State University is available for sale
on their Web site (www.ncvecs.colostate.edu).
HOWEVER, technicians can receive one free by
attending both nights of the How to Fix an OBDII
Failure seminar sponsored by the Illinois EPA and
Envirotest Illinois. See the current issue of Air Repair
for more information about these FREE seminars.
Manufacturers continually issue and revise technical
service bulletins (TSB). Checking for TSBs is usually
an important step in the repair of any OBDII problem.
Technicians should make use of all of the available resources to help find drive trace information that works for
them.
How Long Do Motorists Have to Get Their Vehicles Tested?

In Illinois, vehicles from model year 1968 are subject to

vehicle emissions tests. Vehicles receive their first test in
their fourth model year and are inspected every two years
thereafter.
Prior to the assigned test month, an initial notice
containing instructions, station locations, hours of
operation and vehicle data is mailed to the owners of the
vehicles to be tested. The vehicle owner has four months
from the assigned test month to have the vehicle inspected
or to notify the Illinois EPA of incorrect information or a
change in the status of the vehicle (a postcard is included
in each test notice for this purpose.) A reminder notice is
sent midway through this four-month period if the vehicle
has not been tested.
If the motorist has not complied after four months

(certification expiration) the IEPA notifies the Secretary
of State to initiate enforcement action, which will result
in suspension of driving privileges two months and
twenty days from certificate expiration. The Secretary
of State sends a notice of suspension approximately 30
days prior to the suspension date. Continued failure to
comply will also result in the Secretary of State sending
a notice to suspend the vehicle registration, which will
occur approximately 30 to 45 days after the drivers
license suspension. In either case, the suspension date will
be printed on the applicable notice from the Secretary of
State.
Volume 3 Number 1
Catalytic Converters and OBDII

From the September 2005 issue of Air Repair.
By George Geenerke, Automotive Instructor, College of Du Page
In Illinois a vehicle that has failed an OBDII Emission

Test with any catalyst DTC (P0420-P0439) will not pass
on a retest until the Catalyst Efficiency Monitor has run
to completion and passed without setting another catalyst
DTC. Some technicians simply replace the CAT because
of a DTC and then suffer the consequences of an unhappy
customer returning with an MIL illuminated as a result of
a recurring DTC, and worse yet a repeat emission failure
after they just fixed it. The technician today needs to
reference warm up cycles, drive cycles, trips, monitors,
and enable criteria in order to understand why the DTC
would set.
The two common methods used for determining catalyst efficiency for an IM240 emission failure are oxygen
storage capacity and HC conversion to CO2, and both of
these tests use a pass/fail threshold of 80 percent. These
tests are inadequate for an OBDII vehicle! The OBDII
catalyst must work at much higher efficiencies, often
above 95 percent. The method we use to test the catalyst
really isnt as important as getting the CAT to pass the
catalyst monitor built into the PCM diagnostic programming. There are many pitfalls to this, and one is taking it
on blind faith that the PCM can accurately determine CAT
efficiency every time.
Catalyst monitoring is normally done under either idle
or light-load, steady-cruise conditions. The catalytic converter conversion efficiency for HC and CO can be greatly
reduced by an AFR running as little as three to five percent
rich. A lazy O2 sensor that is marginal at best when tested,
yet is still within the pass criteria for OBDII, can cause the
actual AFR to be a little richer than 14.7:1, or stoichiometry (Lambda for short). There have been numerous case
studies done where a P0420/P0430 DTC was fixed by
replacing one or more O2 sensors, or caused by replacing a post-CAT O2 sensor only. The MAF sensor will
usually underestimate the air coming into the engine when
it becomes contaminated, resulting in positive fuel trim
values. In addition to the MAF, the TPS will read a value
that the PCM may compare to the incorrect MAF value
and think the engine is under a heavier load, putting the
February 2007
fuel delivery calculation into a different fuel trim cell. If

the CAT monitor will run in this fuel trim cell, the monitor
will likely fail the CAT due to the additional fuel loading
(running rich). Or the CAT monitor may not even run at all
due to this condition.
Catalytic converter contamination is another issue
facing the P0420/P0430 DTC. The current CAT killer is
sulfur, and poor fuel grades (or maybe I should say fuel
brands) will often have higher amounts of sulfur than others. It may be possible to reverse the condition of sulfur
contamination with a change in fuel to a low sulfur grade,
and then a variety of engine load and run time conditions.
How long and how hard do you drive it? Thats really
dependent upon how bad the contamination is. Extreme
engine loading conditions such as pulling heavy trailers
for prolonged periods can raise catalyst temperatures to
damaging levels. Dont forget, you already know engine
misfires are a serious threat to catalysts. Mode $06 can
give you solid data on the success of your repairs after
running a monitor under the enable criteria conditions, but
Mode $06 is not available for all vehicles, and interpreting
Mode $06 can be a frustrating experience at first.
Do not overlook the possibility that someone has been
there before you and did the unthinkable, such as installing
a used PCM from a salvage yard or some other source of
used parts. The emission calibration codes are very vehicle
specific, and customers have replaced PCMs on their own
to save money on repairs, not understanding that they may
have actually caused the problem you are faced with now.
The problem with not using an OEM catalyst is the
CAT is most likely not certified to meet the EPA requirements for OBDII, and it is less likely to meet the specific
requirements to pass the CAT monitor on the particular vehicle it will be installed on. There are very few suppliers of
aftermarket CATs that offer OBDII applications and even
those that do only offer a very small selection at this time.
Make sure the catalytic converter you install on an OBDII
vehicle is specific by catalog application to the vehicle it
is going on.
Technical Tip
In the future if you get a call from a motorist stating that

he/she is being rejected for monitors, be sure to ask a few
questions such those listed below. You may be speaking
with a potential customer whose vehicle needs a repair to
achieve readiness.
What are the vehicles year, make, and model?
When was the vehicle last serviced?
Has the battery recently been disconnected or
changed?
When was the vehicle rejected at the test station?
How many times has the vehicle been rejected at the
test station?
How many miles have been put on the vehicle since

it was rejected?
Has the vehicle experienced both city and highway
driving conditions?
What driving conditions has the vehicle
experienced?
You may also want to check Technical Service Bulletins
to see if issues exist on achieving readiness for a particular
model.
Transmission Codes
By Michael Hills, Engineer, Technical Services;
Division of Mobile Source Programs, Illinois EPA
If the MIL is commanded on for a transmission code, it

is emissions related. OBDII is required to monitor all
powertrain components that effect emissions, or provide
diagnostic input, or receive commands from the PCM.
The transmission controls the amount of power going
from the engine to the wheels. If the transmission is not
working properly, the efficiency of the power transfer will
be degraded. Simply stated, the engine of a vehicle with
a malfunctioning transmission will have to work harder
to provide the same amount of vehicle speed. A harder
working engine will require more fuel which will result in
higher emissions. If the sensors that monitor the transmis-
sion are not functioning properly, the PCM cannot determine if the transmission is working properly, resulting in a
Command On status, illuminating the MIL. The decision
to include these sensors is made by the manufacturers.
Transmission codes can also indicate problems with
engine misfire. Most vehicles detect misfire using a crankshaft position sensor to detect even a minute fluctuation
in crankshaft acceleration and rotation. Shifting on rough
roads can cause false readings. Therefore, some manufacturers unlock the torque-converter clutch when strong road
vibration is detected. If the transmission is not functioning
properly, the unlocking of the torque-converter might be
triggered prematurely, resulting in an engine misfire that
could go undetected.
Setting Monitors That Defy Standard Methods

By Jim Wellman, Envirotest Repair Industry Liaison
When it comes to setting some of the more difficult to set

monitors, learn to think outside the box.
One example: The vehicle calls for an eight-hour cold
soak and an ambient temperature of 32 degrees. What do
you do when its 20 degrees outside? One solution might
be parking the vehicle inside overnight before driving the
trace requirements. Another way might be to figure out
where the computer is getting the temperature reading
from, (i.e. coolant temperature sensor, battery temperature
sensor, intake air temperature sensor, etc.) and use a sensor
substitution device to fool the computer into thinking that
it is warmer than it really is.
10
Another example: If the condition necessary to run a

monitor calls for an ambient temperature above a certain
temperature and the computer is looking at the intake air
temperature, take the sensor out and lay it on the cylinder
head so it will get warm enough to meet the temperature
requirements. Plug the hole in the manifold and run the
trace necessary to set the monitor (a trick from Ralph
Koos, Mercedes-Benz Technical Specialist).
These are just a couple of examples of doing what it
takes to get a monitor to set. Take the time to learn what is
necessary to run the monitor and what input the computer
needs. It wont always be easy, but thinking outside the
box could help you set monitors that present unusual challenges.
Volume 3 Number 1
Mode 6 Information
Mode 06 is generating interest among techs that are striving for better and faster ways to make effective emission-related repairs or getting monitors to run. Anyone
that has attended one of Al Santinis Mode 06 classes was
shown that Mode 06 is not a cure-all and must be used
with discretion. It is not always 100 percent reliable. Mode
06 information seems to be better and more extensive
on vehicle models later than 1996 and1997. It appears to
be most useful when trying to diagnose problems with
Oxygen Sensors, Catalytic Converters, and Misfires and to
figure out why a monitor will not run. Like most information, it is not very useful without specifications or in this
case, the identification information in Test Identification
(TID) and Component Identification (CID) charts.
The list below consists of places where you can get
information on TIDs and CIDs. There may be conversion factors available as well. Many of these sources have
in-depth explanations about how and when information is

generated or when a monitor is run.
For Ford and Toyota, go to iATN under Technical
Resources in either the Ford or Toyota section of the
drop down menu.
Acura and Honda information is located at https://
techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/logon.asp
GM information can be found at service.gm.com (do
not use the http:// or www when entering the GM site).
ALLDATA & Mitchell information on the vehicles
that support Mode 06 can be faxed to you. Keep
in mind that not all manufactures supply this
information.
Another source that supplies this information is
IDENTIFIX. www.idnetifix.com.
Manufactures Web sites are other sources of TID and
CID information.
Stubborn Monitors
By Scott Kendall, Co-Owner Tahoe Automotive,
Certified Master Auto Tech, L1 Certified
With this article I will revisit a couple of issues that I covered in previous articles. The first being the difficulty in
getting OBDII monitors to set on 1996 and 1997 vehicles.
The second, using Mode 6 data to spot a potential problem.
I got a call from the owner of a 1996 Ford Explorer,
which was repaired at a nearby shop. After the repair, the
Explorer was repeatedly rejected for the OBDII emissions
test because of three monitors not being run. It had failed
the initial test because the MIL was illuminated with a
code P0153 for Bank Two, O2 sensor one circuit slow
response. Replacing the upstream O2 sensor on Bank Two
kept the MIL off, and there were no further codes or pending codes.
I told the man on the phone with full confidence that I
could definitely fix the Explorer, figuring that the previous
shop had just failed to use the correct drive trace. The previous shop as it turns out had gone so far as to replace the
PCM not once but twice, in its month-long effort to get the
monitors to run. The shop also, as I would find out later,
burned up $36.00 worth of gas in the process of driving it
in every possible manner.
When the owner dropped the Explorer off at our shop
and I looked at the VIR, I realized that the only non-con-
tinuous monitor that had run in the month since the initial
repair was for the Catalytic Converter! The O2 Heater
and O2 monitors along with the EVAP had not set. It is
not very common to see a Cat monitor run before the O2
monitors are set.
All attempts by us to run the monitors failed like the
previous shops efforts. I even tried the little known trick
on Ford products, where you activate the Key On, Engine
Off, quick test and at the conclusion, instead of turning the
key off, you start the engine and drive the vehicle. Doing
this speeds up the self-test process and forces the Monitors
to run more quickly. It didnt work in this case.
While I was driving the Explorer with my scanner
hooked up, I was looking at not only the monitors but also
the engine data. When I would setup the screen to show
only the four O2 Sensors, they all appeared to be switching
at an acceptable rate. When I checked the Mode 6 data, all
of the sensor as well other tests showed Pass.
On a hunch I highlighted and compared the data for
the two upstream O2 sensors. The numeric value for the
Bank Two sensor was lower than the one for the Bank One
sensor: 1024 for Bank One sensor one verses 787 for Bank
Two, sensor one. This was important because the Bank
Two sensor was new and the Bank One sensor was original
to the vehicle.
February 2007
11
Stubborn Monitors
On a hunch I highlighted and compared the data for

the two upstream O2 sensors. The numeric value for the
Bank Two sensor was lower than the one for the Bank One
sensor: 1024 for Bank One sensor one verses 787 for Bank
Two, sensor one. This was important because the Bank
Two sensor was new and the Bank One sensor was original
to the vehicle.
So at this point I had a perfectly running sport utility
vehicle with no codes or pending codes. All of the data
viewed through my scanner appeared normal except the
differential in the Mode 6 numbers for the two upstream
O2 sensors, but the PCM gave both of them a Pass. I had
to fix this thing after shooting my mouth off on the phone
to the Explorers owner. With the confidence of Ralph
Kramden on the old Honeymooners TV show, I had told
him, I can fix any emissions failure sir, bring it in.
I made some calls to some of the contacts I have found
in the industry and none of them had seen this problem
themselves. This is not surprising because if you think
about it, the Explorer was actually fixed from the perspective that the MIL light, which had illuminated because of
a bad O2 sensor, was now off and there were no Codes in
memory. Were it not for the retesting issue, no Tech would
consider the Explorer to have a problem. The monitors
needing to be set have only been an issue in Illinois since
January 2, 2004, so it is unlikely that any Tech would have
any significant experience at setting them.
It was time to break out my DSO and further test the
only suspicious sensor I could find, the other upstream O2
sensor. The only reasonable way to do this on the Explorer
is at the PCM, which is located at the center of the firewall.
It was obvious on my scope that the Bank One sensor was

slow and lazy (as determined by using propane enrichment
tool blipped propane while pattern was still lean, voltage
rise from lean to rich in less than 100mS from 300 mV
to 600 mV). If this were an IM240 failure I would recommend replacing the Bank One sensor. That is exactly what
I did in this case and after doing so (not an easy task on
this baby), the Explorer set both of the O2 monitors after
driving it only two blocks from the shop. The Mode 6
numbers quickly evened out as well, 787 for B2S1 verses
804 for B1S1.
I dont know why the PCM didnt flag the Bank One
upstream O2 sensor and turn on the MIL light. It obviously
thought there was a problem so it didnt run the monitors.
The two lessons that I will remember from this experience are, first, if the monitors wont run, there is a problem
in the OBDII system and all of the fancy drive traces in
the world probably wont set those monitors. The second
lesson is that despite what I suspect a lot of us learned in
our OBDII training, the OBDII system will not recognize
every problem by illuminating the MIL light. If the monitors will not set, after a reasonable amount of driving, even
if there are no codes, I am going to diagnose the vehicle
as if it is an IM240 failure and start scoping the individual
sensors with my DSO.
If anyone has any input on this issue, please feel free
to contact me, Scott Kendall, at (847)394-3030.
OBDII Readiness Case Study

By Angelo Vitullo, Emissions Program Instructor,
Automotive Technology Department; St. Louis Community College,
Forest Park Campus
The owner of a 1998 Chrysler Cirrus, with a 2.5L engine

and A/T, SMPFI, and odometer at 91,000 miles informed
a service manager of an OBDII emissions test reject
because of monitors. The inspection reports showed the
service manager that the vehicle had been rejected at the
test station seven times over a five-month period. Setting
monitors during normal driving wasnt an issue since a
cross-country trip was taken during that five-month period.
12
The repair facility scan tools also confirmed the test station monitor status report. Many unsuccessful things were
tried, including the installation of a remanufactured PCM,
and the technician driving the vehicle according to drive
trace procedures also accomplished nothing. Finally the
vehicle was returned with instructions to drive the car for
a few days. The customer departed more frustrated than
ever.
Once I got involved at Outreachs request, I contacted
the repair facility and the customer directly to get the
information I needed to repair the vehicle. Using my scan
Volume 3 Number 1
OBDII Readiness Case Study

tool to check the OBDII system, the only monitor that was
complete was the HO2S monitor. This monitor is enabled
at idle after a cold start with engine temperature below 127
degrees F and battery temperature within +/-27 degrees of
engine temperature. I wondered why that monitor ran and
no others did?
When eyeballing
OBDII MON
long lists of live
DISABLEDTATU
S S
sensor data, it is
OBDIIMONDISABLEDLoTemp: YE
S
easy to overlook
OBDIIMONDISABLEDLoBatt: NO
key pieces of inforOBDIIMONDISABLEDLoBaro: NO
mation while trying
to rationalize every
value displayed.
But I did notice the Ambient/Battery Temperature Sensor
was sending an erroneous very cold signal of -7.6 degrees
F. On a 70 degree F day, this was a red flag.
By researching the enabling criteria necessary to run
monitors for the EGR, HOS2 and CAT monitors, I found
they all require a minimum ambient temperature of 19
degrees F.
Also, the OBDII Misfire Counter was not functioning. This vehicle, as with most others, must learn the
specific electrical characteristics of the crank sensor, the
crank sensor air gap, the machining characteristics of the
crankshaft tone
wheel, and so on.
SENSORS
Chrysler calls this
CURRENT ADAP CELL
: O ID
learning process the
ENGCOOLANT TEMP DEG
: 73.4
F
Adaptive NumeraENGCOOLANT TEMP
VOLT: 2.59
V
tor. There is a drive
INTAKE AIR TEMP DEG
: 68.0
F
cycle consisting of
a series of vehicle
decelerations required to perform this learning process
for this particular vehicle. Some brands of vehicles can
perform this learn function in the shop bay. Only research
will reveal the proper procedure for the subject vehicle in
your shop. Without guidance, we are lost. The scan tool
readout stated the vehicle did not complete the Adaptive
Learn procedure, hence the misfire counter, a continuous
February 2007
component monitor (CCM) was disabled. In researching

the enabling criteria for the Misfire Monitor, I learned it
also would be disabled due to the ambient temperature
requirement of 19 degrees.
While researching the wiring diagrams and component
locations guide, I saw there was a temperature measurement thermistor located behind the left headlamp housing.
It was a three- wire sensor called the Battery Temperature
Sensor. The calibration error had suspended the running of
all monitors except the
HO2S Heater Monitor. Why? Because that monitor
will run as long as there is a cold start and battery temperature is within +/- 27 degrees of engine temperature. In
other words if the engine coolant temperature is 18 degrees
or less during a cold start the HO2S Heater Monitor will
run. Knowing a prior repair shop replaced the PCM in
vain, I double checked the part number to confirm it was
correct.
I was confident the problem was the Ambient/Battery Temperature Sensor. After a wiring check I replaced
the sensor and, using the scan tool, recorded a realistic
temperature value. The software engineers did not program
this sensor for rationality code setting capability. The next
goal was to run all the diagnostic monitors (OBDII Drive
Cycle) to confirm there will be no system failures and
resulting MIL Lamp Illumination. The vehicle ran all the
monitors and passed. The customer was ecstatic that the
problem was fixed.
Lessons Learned
OBDII is very reliable and things happen for a reason.
Diagnostics must be performed, prioritized and carried
out with precision. Access to vehicle data is an absolute
requirement. Without guidance, we are lost. Although the
purpose of OBDII system designs are to standardize connectors, component names, DTCs, etc., actual monitor routines, enabling criteria and software-based calibrations are
constantly changing, and nothing can be taken for granted.
One must approach OBDII challenges with an open mind
and be willing to do research.
13
The Unexpected is Just a Little Tougher to Fix

With the implementation of the new phase of the OBD II

emissions test on January 2, 2004, for 1996 and newer vehicles, I was surprised to deal with a somewhat unexpected
issue. It was a situation involving a vehicle that had more
than two readiness monitors not set to ready. In instances
like this, several questions are asked. First of all, has the
vehicle been serviced lately? Secondly, has the battery
been disconnected recently? If either of these was the case,
the customer might try driving the vehicle for a week or so
to allow the monitors to reset themselves. If they reset, the
vehicle can be tested. If that doesnt work and the customer insists that we just fix it, I attempt to set the monitors
by running the vehicle through the manufacturers recommended drive trace. That, as it turns out, is not an easy
process. If the vehicle is used every day, and the battery
has not been disconnected, and the PCM has not been reset
with a scanner, the monitors really should set to ready. If
a problem exists within the system, you would think that a
trouble code would be set. Right? Wrong!!
For example, I attempted to get readiness monitors
to run on a 1997 Nissan Sentra. The Sentra was driven
twenty miles each day in the city and on the highway. It
was rejected because four monitors were not running. The
rules are that no more than two monitors can be incompleteunless of course if the vehicle originally failed for a
catalytic converter code. In that case, the converter monitor must also be set to ready.
I scanned for codes, checked fuel pressure, and scoped
the front O2 sensor. The only obvious thing that was out
of spec was the engine temperature. It was only reaching
115degrees after a half an hour of driving. The O2 signal
could not have been more perfect. I replaced the thermostat which restored normal engine temperature, not to
mention vent temperature from the heater. It was winter
14
season, and this customer had to be freezing to death

driving a cold car! Once again, you would think that there
would have been a trouble code set for a coolant temperature sensor or for a cold motor. There was none!
The customer drove the car for another week through
all kinds of driving conditions. The O2, CAT, EVAP, and
EGR monitors still had not set to ready. I drove it on the
highway and city streets, accelerating and decelerating
according to Nissans drive trace instructions. Nothing
worked. I tested the ECU and sensors and found that the
ECU had gotten wet at some point, but again there were no
codes.
I ran it through a more aggressive drive trace that I
found on the Internet. This is where the ridiculous part of
the process began. First the vehicle was idled until 174
degrees or greater. Then the engine was shut off, restarted,
and idled for another 90 seconds. Next the vehicle was
accelerated gradually up to 54 MPH. That speed was
maintained for about a minute. I decelerated for a couple
seconds and went back up to 54 MPH for 3 to 5 minutes.
Then I decelerated to a stop without hitting the brakes, accelerated to 54 MPH for another 5 minutes, and then completed a series of accelerations and decelerations from 5 to
35 MPH five of these. Next, you guessed it; the drive
trace called for the complete cycle to be repeated again!
After two of these drive cycles, only the CAT monitor
was set to ready. After a visual inspection, I concluded that
the Engine Control Unit needed to be replaced because water had gotten into the unit. After replacement, all monitors
were set to ready after just stop and go city driving. The
CAT monitor required only normal expressway driving to
run. The point I would like to make is that most repairs on
OBD vehicles wont involve the in-depth situation I just
described, but you do need to spend a little time researching a vehicle before working on it. Do your homework!
Time is money!!
Volume 3 Number 1
Five-Time RejectA Case Study

By Noah Zafrir, Owner; Factory Muffler Complete Auto
A five-time reject (year, make & model not important) for

monitors came into my shop after originally failing for
several codes including a CAT code (codes present: P0102,
P0152, P0300 & P0420). The previous repair facility,
which will remain nameless, replaced the PCM with a rebuilt, replaced the O2 sensor and replaced the catalyst. But
the shop gave up after several attempts to set the monitors
and in particular, the CAT monitor. Several months and
a few thousand miles later, a frustrated consumer started
experiencing other problems would not start on humid or
rainy days.
Finally, the wise consumer used the book and chose
my shop. He made the 30-mile trip to my shop. I asked
him to bring the receipts from the other shop to know what
had been done to try to get this vehicle through the test. I
also confirmed that the CAT monitor had not set to ready.
After reviewing the previous shops receipts and
reviewing their work, I replaced the O2 sensor with the
correct one called for, but I also experienced the no start

condition. I replaced the computer with a new one and the
harness to the coils and the problem disappeared. So now
I could finally find out what had to be done to set the CAT
monitor. My concern was that after several months, more
mileage and installation of the wrong parts, the CAT might
have been contaminated. The only alternative was to replace the four-month-old CAT under warranty with a new
one. The CAT monitor set to ready within 20 minutes.
The moral of this story is: The consumer should have
used a shop from the book on the initial failure. It is not to
say that a shop that isnt in the book cant fix the OBDII
failure/reject, but because of my volume of OBDII repairs,
I have experienced a huge number of rejects for CAT
monitors not setting. Experience has given me the ability to quickly diagnose and repair OBDII failures/rejects
efficiently saving money for my customers and making my
shop profitable.
ALL Enabling Criteria Must Be Present to Run Monitors

By Jeff Katz, Owner, Katz Automotive, Elgin
Many techs are seeing monitors that can be very difficult

to complete. With persistence and following enabling
criteria exactly, weve found that enough monitors can be
completed in order to take an OBDII emission test. Our
shop recently encountered a 3.0 liter 1996 Caravan with
some very stubborn monitors.
The van originally failed with a P0443 (evap purge
solenoid circuit). It was tested and failed six months later
with the same code. We always baseline any emission
repair before doing anything, and the odd thing we noticed
was that the CAT monitor was incomplete. All other monitors were completed and our code P0443 was in memory.
A P0443 code indicates a problem in the purge solenoid circuit. This vehicle does not have a leak detection
pump and purge is monitored similar to an OBD-I vehicle.
Evap is not supported on this vehicle; it is monitored by
the comprehensive monitor.
Our problem was that a transmission linkage rod
rubbed through the wiring harness and power feed wire to
the evap purge solenoid. We repositioned the harness and
soldered the wire back together. We did have to disconnect
the battery because the wiring repair was directly under-
neath it. This resets all monitor status and clears codes. No
matter what we did, we could not get this van to complete
enough monitors to take the test. The supported noncontinuous monitors on this vehicle are the CAT, O2, O2
Heater, and EGR. The O2 Monitor would set to complete
as soon as the van was started, leaving us needing one
monitor to run to take the emission test.
We have a specific route that we drive to run monitors. It usually takes about fifteen to twenty minutes and
includes both city and highway driving. We look up the
drive traces in the NCVECS CD or Alldata, set the scanner
to monitor status, and drive until we pass enough monitors to take the test. Eleven test drives later nothing else
would complete. I got in touch with a Chrysler representative who helped us out. His advice was to put the van
on a lift, run it up to highway speeds, and let it coast all
the way down to idle without touching the brake. He said
sometimes the monitors would run during this long decel.
We were a little apprehensive about doing it because it had
150,000 miles on it and one of the issues was a small cooling leak in the area of the water pump. You guessed it, at
about 55 mph the timing belt let go. During the repair the
tech noticed that the thermostat was also stuck open.
February 2007
15
ALL Enabling Criteria Must Be Present to Run Monitors

sometimes the monitors would run during this long decel.

We were a little apprehensive about doing it because it had
150,000 miles on it and one of the issues was a small cooling leak in the area of the water pump. You guessed it, at
about 55 mph the timing belt let go. During the repair the
tech noticed that the thermostat was also stuck open.
Damage done by 1996 Caravan transmission linkage rod.
I wondered why a van would run a monitor on the lift

but not the highway. This vans temperature gauge stayed
in the middle throughout the test drive; but we never actually checked engine temperature during the test drive. One
of the enabling criteria for the EGR monitor was an engine
temperature of above 170 degrees F. So our next test drive
we set the scan tool to data list and recorded it. We only
needed one monitor to run.
When we started the test drive we were at 178 degrees
F; once on the road the engine quickly cooled off to 136
degrees F, preventing the monitors from running. Remember, we have to maintain 170 degrees F coolant temperature. After a new thermostat, the engine maintained a
steady 194 degrees F on the road. The odd thing is that
the CAT monitor completed on the first test drive. The van
passed the OBDII emission test without completing the
EGR or O2 Heater monitors.
Ten days later the van returned for some additional
maintenance. We rechecked it, and all of the monitors were
completed with no new codes. The customer did mention
that the van heated up faster and the heater worked better.
Watching the enabling criteria closer would have
saved a lot of time. We dont know why the O2 Heater initially wouldnt complete since that monitor was supposed
to run within ten minutes after the engine was shutdown.
We also dont know why the O2 Monitor set to complete
without the O2 Sensor even getting hot. And finally, why
did the monitors seem to run out of order? But engine temperature was a critical factor for this vehicle to run enough
monitors to pass the test.
Remember ALL enabling criteria must be present in
order to run the monitors.
Meeting the Enabling Criteria is Crucial

From the March 2006 issue of Air Repair.
By Ray Mazeika, ASE Master Teach, L-1 and President of Langs
Auto Service in Downers Grove, Illinois
We had a 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII in our shop with

138,000 miles. It was rejected for the cat monitor five
times. Another unnamed shop did $3,000 in repairs. Needless to say the customer was very frustrated at this point
and really didnt trust anyone.
The car originally failed for Bank #2 catalyst below
threshold. The previous shop replaced the Bank #2 converter. A universal type was welded in to keep costs down.
After being rejected a few more times because the cat
monitor didnt set, they replaced the thermostat, tune up,
sensors, etc.
This customer ended up at our shop because she found
us in the Repair Facility Performance Report. I explained
to the customer that I needed a couple hours of diagnostic time, which she approved. Since we have been at 100
percent for the past four years, I explained that we would
guarantee the vehicle would pass.
The customer had driven over 1800 miles and was
still being rejected. I live about 22 miles from the shop
16
and have developed a route to set monitors. This one was

different. With Meeting the Enabling Criteria is Crucial the
customers approval, I reset the Powertrain Control Monitor (PCM) and drove the car home and back. No codes
were set. Fuel trims were +- 3-5 percent. Still the cat monitor would not set. A friend at Ford looked up the Catalyst
drive cycle, and it says that the Intake Air Temperature
(IAT) should be 50-100 degrees. It was only getting up to
15. So I fabricated a resistor in place of the IAT sensor, and
I was able to get the Cat monitor to run. It set a pending
code P0420 (Bank #1 catalytic efficiency below threshold).
So at this point it was easy. We installed a new universal
Cat on Bank #1, performed a drive cycle and passed the
car.
The key to repairing this car was creating the conditions necessary for the PCM to run the cat monitor. In this
case the customer could not wait because her license and
plates were both suspended. We were able to get this car
repaired and passed in less than 24 hours after the owner
had made several unsuccessful visits to the other shop.

Volume 3 Number 1
Driving Isnt Always the Fix after Eight Rejects

By John Getta, Manager, Firestone of Lisle, Lisle, Illinois
A new customer came in with a 5.4L, 1997 Expedition for

a reject: three monitors EVAP, O2S, and O2S heater
were not ready. I asked him if he could provide me with
any repair history, but after numerous other shops and
dealers told him to just drive it and eight rejects in three
months, he was so confused he had no idea what had been
done to the vehicle.
I started by doing a hard reset (disconnecting the
battery for at least 20 minutes) and left the vehicle inside
overnight. The next morning I plugged in my Vetronix
Master Tech, and tried to follow the drive trace as closely
as possible. The EGR and CAT monitors passed, but the
same three monitors would not run. I noticed that the coolant temp never exceeded 104 degrees F. Could it be that
simple? I assigned the job to L1 master technician, Alan
May.
After the engine operating temp and temp sensor
operation checked okay, he switched to the Snap-on Solus.
My Mastertech was wrong on just that one PID and only
in the Ford mode, not the generic mode. I guess you cant
always trust the scanners.
Alan continued the analysis and did some research
of posted fixes on IATN, while
I checked Identafix. I could not
understand how the PCM could run
the monitor for the CAT before it
ran the O2S monitors. I made a call
to Outreach. They put me in touch
with a Ford tech who ran the VIN
to see if there was a re-flash specifically for this problem. He said
there was not, but sometimes they
will put a fix in a re-flash and not
publish everything that it does, so
you should always just check for
the latest calibration. I felt it would
be hard to sell something that cant
be seen, costs $100, and might fix
the problem. Alan came back to
me with an IATN posting for an
Explorer with the same monitors not ready.
While the fix ended up being completely different, I
saw the answer in one of the replies, which came from an
OBDII Technical Leader at Ford Motor Co. It seems that
fuel tank pressure must be 0 H20 (2.6 +/-0.2V) at key-on
in order to run the EVAP and O2S monitors. Before my
test drive I noticed the fuel tank pressure was around 12
February 2007
John Getta
H20 and even took the fuel cap off to check for pressure,
but I forgot to mention it to Alan because of the coolant
temp snafu.
We replaced the sensor and took it for a test drive.
It ran the rest of the monitors right away even though at
this point there was hardly any gas left in the tank. Why it
did not set a code for a failed tank pressure sensor or why
tank pressure is important to running the O2S monitor is
beyond me, but with persistence, teamwork and the right
information you can repair these vehicles when just driving doesnt work.
Gabino Rios, Manager, Davila Auto Repair, Chicago, Illinois gets

ready to read the scan tool he connected to this vehicle on his inshop dyne. Gabino is one of the authors contributing a case study
account to this issue of Air Repair.
17
How Fast Am I Going?

By Noah Zafrir, Owner, Factory Complete Auto, Skokie
and Chicago, Illinois
My shop, Factory Complete Auto, had a 1997 Ford

Econoline come in for Monitor readiness issues. This
vehicle had been unable to pass the test for almost a year.
It originally had been to a few other shops for several
codes. It is a service vehicle that is driven very hard with
many miles and little maintenance over the years. The
other shops were able to fix the codes but were unable to
get the CAT Monitor to set. The vehicle had enough other
monitors set, but because it failed for a CAT code, the CAT
Monitor has to run.
We looked up the enabling criteria and took the vehicle out to drive. The drive cycle requires the usual low
and high speed driving. But I was unable to determine
how fast I was going due to the speedometer not working.
I called the customer, and he stated that he knew it wasnt
working but didnt want to incur that expense over the past
few years.
Once we fixed the speedometer circuit problem, all
monitors were set and passed the test. The owner was then
Noah Zafrir
able to put the vehicle back into service once the suspensions were lifted.
It seems to be from my experience that I work harder
on a rejected vehicle for monitors than one with DTCs
that fail the test. It is easy to sell a repair for codes but
harder for something that isnt too tangible such as monitor readiness.
How To Check A Vehicle That Wont Communicate

By Jim Wellman, Envirotest Repair Industry Liaison
Editors note: There are two sides to an OBDII system, the
manufacturers or vehicle-specific side and the generic or global
side. The OBDII test performed in the test lane only deals with the
generic/global side, and this article looks at the generic/global side
in case you encounter a vehicle that will not communicate with the
test lane and/or your scan tool.
Occasionally a vehicle may leave the test station with a

failed test because there was a communication problem between the vehicle and the test lane. This happens about 0.1
percent of the time. If your scanner is not self-powered with
its own internal battery, you may not be able to read the data
coming from the computer. The following information on
testing the OBDII connector (Figure 1) will help you deal
with this problem.
The first thing you want to verify is power and ground.
To check the
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ground circuits,
disable the
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
vehicle so that
it will not start.
Figure 1. OBDII connector pins
18
Do a volt drop check on the system ground (which is Pin

#4) to the battery negative with the engine cranking. This
will give you a good dynamic test. The volt drop should be
less than 0.2 volts. Then perform the same test on Pin #5.
Figure 2
Volume 3 Number 1
How To Check A Vehicle That Wont Communicate

Pin #5 is the sensor signal ground and may not be used on

all vehicles. Check your wiring diagram for confirmation.
The voltage reading you get (while cranking) on Pin #5 will
depend on the amount of resistance across the computer and
should be close to what you see on Pin #4. Pin #16 should
have system (battery) voltage with the engine running.
The next step is to verify the data signal with a DSO.
(The data transmission rate occurs so quickly that a multimeter will not see the signal. Even if it does recognize it
in peak detect mode, the value is averaged). Connect the
DSO between signal and ground or Bus+ and Bus-. The
signal will resemble a square waveform pattern (Figure 2)
and should be 5to 7 volts high, and may require a time base
less than 100 microseconds per division to recognize the
signal as being present. This is done with the engine running. The pins that are used for this will vary depending on
the manufacturer and the protocol that is used. The protocol
that is used can usually be determined by what pins are present in the OBD II connector. There are four protocols we are
concerned with presently. The four protocols are:
J1850 VPW (variable pulse width) (10.4kbps)
The VPW system is used on most GM vehicles and
sends data out on Pin #2 (SAE J1850 line (Bus+)) only.
This system is also used on some Fords and Chryslers

and may use Pin #10.
J1850 PWM (pulse width modulation) (41.6kbps)
The PWM system is used on most Ford vehicles and
sends data out on Pin #2 (SAE J1850 line (Bus+))
and Pin #10 (SAE J1850 line (Bus-)) This signal will
be inverted on Pin #10 and is not used on all PWM
systems.
ISO 9141-2 (International Standards Organization)
(10.4kbps)
KWP2000 (Key Word Protocol) (Newer Version of ISO
9141)
The ISO and KWP systems are similar. The ISO system
is used on most Chryslers and Imports. The KWP
system is used on some Imports. These systems send
data out on Pin #7 (K line of ISO 9141-2 & KWP 2000).
Pin #15 may also be a part of this system (L line of ISO
9141-2 & KWP 2000). Pin #15 is not always used.
The following web sites may be helpful in making a determination of the type of protocol that is being used on the
vehicle you are working with:
http://www.scantool.net/scanned_list.htm
http://www.obd-2.com/dlc.html this site also has
OBDII connector locations.
http://www.obd-2.de/dl/probs.txt
http://www.etools.org/files/public/generic-protocols04-1-04.htm
Thanks to George Generke, Al Santini and John Thorton for the help
in verifying the information in this article.
How Important is Wiring

By Pat Weber, Owner, Weber Automotive, Glenview, IL
A frustrated customer came into my shop with an OBDII

fail because of no communication. Another shop had been
unable to get it to communicate. Because I had little repair
history on this vehicle, a 1996 Jeep, I asked the customer
Damaged wiring affecting 1996 Jeep OBDII test.

February 2007
for a history. He did inform me that the vehicle had been

in an accident. He had very little problems with the vehicle
and it was well-maintained. Im glad I found out the
vehicle had been in an accident as I wouldnt have even
suspected it. The body job was one of the best I have ever
seen, and I probably wouldnt have thought to look for other damage that could have an effect on an emissions test.
Upon further investigation, I found that the body shop
missed a few important items such as missing ground
connections and wiring harness damage. So I spent a few
hours fixing damaged and ungrounded wiring.
The result was we got the vehicle to pass the test after
another repair facility was unable to find the problems.
The lesson learned from this experience is that spending
time with the customer to get a history of the vehicle can
give clues as to how to go about approaching the problem.
Knowing that the vehicle had been in an accident, we
checked for ground and power, which are needed to establish communication. As OBDII vehicles age, accidents
and a vehicles wiring will be areas that will need to be
checked more thoroughly.
19
Clean Cables Could Mean a Clean Pass

Tom Colbert, Toms Auto Repair, Granite City, IL
We recently had a 1999 Pontiac Grand

Am come into our shop for a failed emissions test. It had failed at the test station
because the bulb for the check engine
light was not working. The Pontiac
needed an instrument cluster to repair
the light problem. Scanning the vehicle,
we found that it had several codes and
needed additional repairs.
After making the repairs and running
the monitors our scanner told us that this
vehicle should be ready to pass an emisTom Colbert
sions test. We were surprised when we

took it to the test station and got a failure for an inop, (not
being able to communicate).
After further evaluation, we found

that if we started the vehicle and then
plugged in the scanner, the vehicle would
communicate, but if we plugged in the
scanner first and then started the vehicle,
battery voltage would drop too low, shut
down the data stream, and there would be
no communications.
We noticed that the battery cables
were dirty, so we cleaned them and got a
pass at the test station. The added power
draw of the starter must have been just
enough to cause the voltage to go below
the required threshold during cranking.
Any Vehicle Can Pass the Test

By Rich Malinowski Sr, Owner; Spitfire Automotive
For three months a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria had been

rejected for monitors not setting to ready. My first thought
was I have taken on a vehicle that is going to be a nightmare. The vehicle was a taxicab with over 450,000 miles,
and I figured it was the victim of years of neglect and that
it probably had an unwilling owner to do needed repairs.
That is what I thought at first, but I remembered that Al
Santini at the Outreach Seminars taught me to think of the
basics first and let OBDII lead me down the correct path.
After reviewing the diagnostic report, I noticed that
non-continuous monitors were not set and confirmed it

with my scan tool. Many types of fixes came to mind and
all of them were expensive based on the vehicles age and
what it is used for. But when I let the vehicle idle in the
shop while performing my diagnostic checks, monitors
were setting. As soon as I shut the key off, all the monitors
that had set were once again set to not ready status. I found
a broken wire in the KEEP ALIVE MEMORY circuit,
repaired it and fixed the problem.
The moral of this story: Dont judge a book by its
cover and let OBDII help you to diagnose the problem.
A Lucky Solution To A Stubborn Problem

By Scott Kendall, Owner, Tahoe Automotive
Possibly the most challenging of all emissions diagnoses

you may encounter are not the ones that are failures but the
ones rejected for monitors not being set.
My latest challenge came in the form of a 2001 Honda
Accord which was rejected for monitors. I hooked up my
scanner to confirm the problem, and sure enough none
of the non-continuous monitors were set. I proceeded to
an under hood check for anything obvious and thought I
found the problem with a loose positive battery cable, so I
thought
20
I hooked up my Mastertech scanner and took a drive.

Within 5 miles all except the Cat monitor were set. I shut
the car off and then restarted the Honda. All Monitors had
cleared, so I headed back to the shop thinking the fuse
responsible for powering the Keep Alive Memory in the
PCM had probably blown. Again no such luck.
The Honda has, in all, three fuses that either directly
or indirectly power up the PCM. You really have to study
the wiring diagram to realize where all of the power sources come from. The only direct hot at all times power
Volume 3 Number 1
A Lucky Solution To A Stubborn Problem

input on this Honda comes from fuse 13 in the passengerside under-dash fuse box. The constant power comes by
way of a yellow/white wire to terminal B21 of the PCM.
Fuse 13 was not blown in this case and the needed 12 volts
were reaching the PCM at terminal B21.
Could the Keep Alive Memory in the Hondas PCM
be bad? I called the local Honda dealer to run my theory
past them and they pooh-poohed it saying Honda PCMs
almost never go bad.
Ahhhh..., that familiar empty feeling caused by the
reality that you are on your own in convincing a customer
to gamble the cost of an expensive part. Out of desperation I decided to take the Honda for one more ride with
my scanner hooked up to see if I had missed something
the first time. To my amazement the monitors set and this
time, remained set when the key was cycled off for five
minutes and then back on.
My conclusion is that when I disconnected the PCM to

confirm the power input and then reconnected it, a marginal poor connection
between the PCM
and the plug was
corrected.
The point is not
to ignore the simple causes; sometimes the problem
is not hi tech
involving Mode 6
data or a PCM reflash, but simply a
low tech loose or
poor connection.
Scott Kendall
Three Strikes and Its Out

If you are like me, you are a little apprehensive about

replacing an expensive catalytic converter based solely on
an OBDII trouble code. The thought of incorrectly installing an expensive part of any kind on customers vehicle
has always made me cautious. I suppose that if you work
on only one brand of vehicle, you would become familiar
with the tendencies of that brand, and it would not be an
issue. But to those of us that can see emissions failures on
many different makes and models on a daily basis, it is a
little tougher.
When I get a vehicle in that has failed the OBDII test
with a catalytic converter code, I try whenever possible
to check the converter three different ways, and I am not
talking about using a four-gas analyzer as one of the tests
either.
I start by reading the codes with my scan tool. The
next test also involves the scan tool. What I am referring
to is reading the Mode 6 data. Mode 6 is engineering data
that not all scan tools can access, and it is not available
on every make and model of vehicle. I use a Vetronics
Mastertech Scanner, which offers full access to any Mode
6 data. It is accessed through the generic OBD II Section.
After I check to see if there is any relevant Mode 6 data,
I scope the post O2 sensor on the affected CAT with my
February 2007
DSO as the third test.

As an example, I will detail the test process, which
I used on a 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis that is owned
by a longtime customer. The MIL (malfunction indicator
lamp) was illuminated, and in the PCMs memory there
was a code P0430 for
Catalyst Efficiency
Low Bank 2.
After reading the
code P0430 and then
checking the Freeze
Frame Data from the
generic section, I next
selected the Systems
Tests category and then
Other Results to find
any Mode 6 data that
the Grand Marquis had
to offer. When Other
Results is selected, the screen will show all of the Mode
6 tests that have been run on that particular vehicle. The
tests are categorized by Test ID (TID) and then Component ID (CID). At the end of each TID and CID listing is
either a Pass or Fail. On the Mastertech Scanner, if you
highlight any of the tests that are listed, then press the star
and help keys simultaneously, you will see the test results
21
Three Strikes and Its Out

for that particular test,

either pass or fail, as a
numeric value.
In the case of the
Grand Marquis, there
was relevant data
available for a Catalyst failure on bank
2. It was TID 10 and
CID 21. It shows a
maximum value listed
as 51 and a current
value or test value of
53, so it is a borderline
failure. But it doesnt end there. Since this Grand Marquis
has in excess of 100,000 miles on it common sense would
suggest that perhaps the catalytic converter on bank one
could be on the verge of failure also. A check of the Mode
6 data for bank one, which is TID 10 and CID 11, showed
a current value of 53 verses a maximum allowable value
of 53. This showed a catalytic converter that was operating
at the very top of its test threshold. For most Mode 6 tests
there are high and low thresholds listed as numeric values
and if it is numerically out of range either high or low it is
considered a failure.
Test ID 10 for this particular vehicle is a Catalyst
switch-ratio test. Meaning that the PCM divides the
number of post CAT O2 switches into the number of pre
CAT O2 switches and arrives at a test result with a numeric
value from 0.0 to 1.0. What it is essentially comparing is
the pre and post CAT O2 signals to see how much oxygen
the CAT can store. A figure of 0.0 being the best possible
oxygen storage capability and 1.0 the least ability. The numeric value viewed on the scanner is multiplied by .0156
to get the exact switching-ratio. When you do the math using the CID result of 53 times .0156 you get .8268, which
is near the top of the acceptable threshold of 1.0.
At this point I moved on to the third test, scoping the
post O2 CAT sensors with my DSO. I captured both post
CAT sensors. Both CATs were fully lit off and the engine
was maintaining 1500 RPM when the traces were captured. Both traces looked the same and were channeling
more than you would expect to see from a post CAT sensor
if the CATS are storing oxygen the way that they should.
The CATs were not storing much oxygen which was
obvious looking at the trace. This test confirmed that both
CATs should be replaced.
22
Keep in mind that up until now the PCM has only

identified the bank 2 CAT as having failed, but there are
several questions that beg for an answer at this point.
Based on the Mode 6 and DSO test results, how long do
you think it will be before the MIL illuminates and a Code
P0420 for a CAT failure on bank 1 is stored in memory?
Why did the OBDII system only flag the CAT on bank two
and not bank one?
If and when the MIL illuminates in the near future for
the bank one catalytic converter, what will your customers
reaction be? If you put yourself in his position, the MIL
is on again and like before the car exhibits no drivability
concerns and he has just spent a lot of money to have a
catalytic converter replaced. You are now telling him that
he needs to spend the same amount of money again for
what to him sounds like the same problem! Do you think
he will know or care what the difference is between codes
P0430 and P0420? Is he likely to wave the repair invoice
at you questioning your competence and honesty?
Because of the Mode 6 data that I extracted from the
Grand Marquis, I was able to prevent this kind of fiasco
and give my customer the Big Picture. He knew exactly
what to expect and could make an educated decision based
on his financial situation. Good customers are very hard to
come by, so I make every effort to keep them informed and
satisfied.
This is the real benefit of Mode 6 data, as a predictor
of future failures. It is not intended or recommended that
a part be condemned based solely on Mode 6 test results.
It is, however, another test result to be used along with a
DSO trace or a trouble code to confirm a failure. Mode 6
data is not available on all vehicles and those that do offer
it dont always offer test data for all emission components.
It is sometimes available, however, for everything from
EVAP to O2 tests. In some cases the Mode 6 data is listed
in hexadecimal code and a conversion chart is needed to
make sense of it.
A lot of techs reading this may have heard of Mode 6
but dont know how to access or interpret the test results.
There have been classes in the area put on by a fellow
working tech named Rolland Trowbridge. Rolland compiled a great deal of test data and information on what
the results mean and put it all in a book that is given out
as part of his class. Without this information, the data
is meaningless. Ford Motor Company has released a lot
of Mode 6 information that is available on IATN. And
incidentally the Ford Mode 6 data also offers misfire tests
allowing you to calculate the number of misfires before the
MIL is illuminated. Anyone interested in taking a Mode6
class should call Tim at Automotive Seminars. The phone
number is 800-450-0402.
Volume 3 Number 1
If The Light Is On, The Vehicle Is Broken

By Gabino Rios, Manager, Davila Auto
Repair, Chicago, Illinois
Our shop had a 1997 Volvo 850

referred to us with a P0455
(Gross EVAP Leak) code. This vehicle
already had been to a dealership
and another independent shop. The
motorist was facing vehicle license
suspension and wasnt convinced that
our shop would be able to find the
problem.
We had invested in a smoke
machine and knew this would convince the consumer that this wasnt a
phantom code. Within minutes we
found the leak in the EVAP line and in
the canister.
Gabino Rios
The next problem we had was

being able to verify the repair because
the vehicle is on the exception table
of vehicles that do not have to have
monitors set to ready to pass the test.
We researched the reason why this
vehicle is on the exception table. It
is due to a Keep Alive Memory issue
that cant be corrected. All it means is
that we had to run the drive cycle with
the scanner plugged in for the EVAP
monitor before losing memory by
turning off the vehicle.
The last thing we wanted was to
get this customer back for the same
problem. Instead, since this repair,
referrals from our new customer have
resulted in several other jobs.
Mystery Solved Vacuum vs. Pressure

Art Castillo, Imperial Automotive
We recently had a 2002 Kia Sportage come in to

our shop with the following codes: P0440 Evap
system malfunction and P0442 Evaporative
Emission Control System Leak Detected (small
leak). It had been to the dealer several times with
a recurring MIL. After many parts and no fix, the
customer had resigned himself to just driving the
car with the light on. With his license suspension
looming, he showed up at our door.
Initial inspection revealed some missing
Evap hose clamps and other signs of prior repairs. During testing with our smoke machine,
no leaks were observed, and the system was able
to hold pressure for twenty minutes. Sensor voltages were normal as was solenoid operation. I replaced the missing clamps and retested the system and
everything looked good. The next step was to run the
fairly arduous drive cycle. Disappointingly, the P0442
reset.
Changing strategy, I put the system into a vacuum
and discovered it would not hold a vacuum. By isolating parts of the system we were able to narrow it down
to the fuel tank. As it turns out, the cap was able to hold
pressure, but would not hold vacuum. Typical cap testers
use pressure, so no fault was found with a conventional
test. Looking at the list of changed parts from the dealer
showed no new gas cap.
February 2007
Art Castillo (left) is a member of the Imperial Automotive team,

which also includes (continuing right): owner Dan Marchigiani,
Jake Freshley, Ken Morris and Willis Wood.
With a new gas cap installed, we ran the monitor and

there were no codes. The vehicle passed the test, and we
had one happy customer. We now have a new way of
thinking about evap leaks. Pressure testing alone does
not always find the problem. It is necessary to think
about how the vehicle tests the system. Is it done with
pressure or vacuum?
23
Communication and Thorough Research

Make for Good Customer Relations
By Angelo Vitullo, Emissions Program Instructor,
Automotive Technology Department; St. Louis Community College,
Forest Park Campus
When dealing with a customer, always be sure to follow

this important tried and true formula:
1. Be sure to discuss the diagnostic fee structure for
emissions related repairs with the customer. Some emissions diagnostic challenges can be conquered in minutes,
others take hours and can be complicated with multiple
issues, whether a vehicle failed for codes or was rejected
for monitors.
2. Get a precise and concise definition of the
problem or customer complaint. This begins with the
face-to-face customer contact and may involve a service
advisor, which can lead to communication breakdown. The
customers explanation of the problem may be refined by
asking questions such as: How long has the MIL been illuminated, or has the vehicle been rejected in this case? Has
anyone else been working on your vehicle? What did they
do? Do you have all the fail/reject reports from the test
station? How many miles have you driven and what type
of driving have you done since your vehicle was rejected
or failed the test?
3. Attempt to recreate the problem in the shop or
out on the road. The customer interview will enhance this
activity. Your scan tool should duplicate the same results
at the test station and will confirm if anything has erased
information recently.
4. Research the customer complaint and consider
the probable causes. This takes discipline and should be
considered early in the repair process. Ive seen too many
24
wrench turning hours wasted due to lack of research which

could have led to the discovery of known issues. Research
includes TSBs, Wiring Diagrams, the VECI label under the
vehicle hood which lists the OE emissions control components along with vacuum and evaporative system schematics, Mitchell or Alldata repair information, telephone
hotline diagnostic services, personal contacts at dealerships and specialty shops, recalls, the availability of PCM
reflashes, automotive Web sites such as IATN, and all the
test result information.
At this point it is prudent to discuss the value of understanding the OBDII system you are dealing with. Learn
the vehicles I/M readiness status, the enabling criteria,
freeze frame data and the conditions necessary to set any
DTCs that may exist.
5. Review and prioritize the possible solutions to
the problem. You may have one or more possible repairs
to perform at this point; for example, a misfire code may
be addressed by a spark plug, spark plug wire, decarbonization, fuel injector, valve job, TSB, reflash, etc. Customer narratives, test results, and scan tool data can help us
arrive at the most probable cause.
6. Perform the repair.
7. Verify the repair. With an OBDII equipped vehicle,
enabling the specific component monitor and reviewing
the test results with the use of a scan tool accomplishes repair verification. If the vehicle passes at your shop, it will
pass at the test station.
Volume 3 Number 1
National Automotive Service Task Force

Information Access for All Technicians
The staff at Air Repair recently interviewed John Cabaniss, came to be known as the OEM service information matrix,
which identified the OEM sources of service information,
chairman of the National Automotive Service Task Force
providing contacts and usually toll-free numbers. As this
(NASTF) to find out more and report to you.
project was winding down in 1999, we started talking
AIR REPAIR: John, we have visited the NASTF Web
about continuing the useful dialogue and that led to the
site and there is a great deal of useful information there to
formation of NASTF the following year.
assist service technicians. But what is NASTF and whats
AIR REPAIR: What types of activities is NASTF inthe background?
volved in?
JOHN: The NASTF is a not-for-profit, no-dues task force
JOHN: At the initial meeting in 2000, we set up four
established to facilitate the identification and correction
standing committees to work on service information, tools,
of gaps in the availability and accessibility of auto service
training, and communications. We identified volunteers
information, service training, diagnostic tools and equipto chair each committee with the charge to expand the
ment, and communications for the benefit of automotive
membership and start having meetings via conference calls
service professionals. NASTF is a voluntary, cooperative
to identify problems or gaps in information, tools, and
effort among the automotive service industry, the equiptraining.
ment and tool industry, and automotive manufacturers.
Our first activity was to expand the OEM service informaNASTF was started in November of 2000 with about 20
tion matrix to cover all manufacturers
leaders of the automotive service industry
and post the matrix on the Internet at the
in attendance, including representatives of
iATN Web site. Along with it, we posted
the Service Technicians Society, Internaa complaint form, so that a technician
tional Automotive Technicians Network,
could report any problems he/she was
Alliance of Automotive Service Providwww.nastf.org
having in getting the information needed.
ers, Automotive Service Association,
We update this matrix quarterly.
Automotive Service Councils of CaliforThe next activity was the launch of the NASTF Web site
nia, Equipment & Tool Institute, Alliance of Automobile
where users can find information about NASTF, meeting
Manufacturers, and Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, to name a few. Participation has grown minutes, a link to the service information matrix, a link to
the tool matrix, a training matrix, and other information.
dramatically with over 100 organizations now involved
Probably one of the most useful items on the Web site for
including auto manufacturers, trade associations, dealers,
technicians is that we have links to all of the OEM service
independent shops, tool companies, trainers, technicians,
Web sites conveniently in one place. So all a technician
and government agencies. NASTF meets twice each year
needs to remember or to bookmark is www.nastf.org.
in March and November.
From there he can easily navigate to GM, Ford, Toyota,
AIR REPAIR: What prompted the creation of NASTF?
Honda, and all other OEMs service Web sites.
JOHN: After on-board diagnostics systems were introAIR REPAIR: What about progress on tools and tool
duced on vehicles in the mid 1990s, there was a great deal
information?
of controversy and concern in the aftermarket that auto
JOHN: In that effort, the Equipment & Tool Institute has
manufacturers were withholding (or would be) service
led the charge. First, all manufacturers now offer for sale
information from the independent aftermarket in favor of
all dealer tools to independents. Second, through the NAShaving repairs done at their franchised dealers. In fact, in
TF committee OEMs have worked with ETI to make all
1998 and 1999, a group was established in Arizona, which
emissions and non-emissions data-stream tool information
was later called the Arizona Pilot Program, in which repavailable to tool companies, so they have the information
resentatives of the aftermarket and the auto manufacturers
they need to design and build more generic tools. We are
got together to discuss these issues. During these discusquickly moving to the point where this activity has become
sions, it was realized that nearly all information was truly
available but often technicians were not informed about
how to access the information. So accessibility was the
real issue. As part of the Arizona project, we initiated what
February 2007
25
National Automotive Service Task Force

Information Access for All Technicians
an automatic part of every auto manufacturers introduction of new products.

AIR REPAIR: What about training?
JOHN: We are also making progress on training. Again
the automakers are making available all of their training manuals, videotapes, etc. This enables any trainer or
technician to purchase them. However, the training area
has some complicated twists and turns. Some areas of the
country are lucky in having great training networks already
in place. Other areas may not be as lucky. So part of the
training issue is getting local assessments and getting
those areas that need better training to make the necessary
changes. There also have to be incentives for technicians
to get training and for shop owners to provide the opportunities to their employees. ASE or other technicians
certification programs are also an important factor. These
are the types of issues that the committee is just beginning
to wrestle with.
AIR REPAIR: Well, that just leaves the communications
committee. What is that about?
JOHN: When we started the NASTF, we realized immediately that the biggest challenge is to get recognition
of what we were trying to do, to get others interested in
helping us, and to keep the momentum going. The communications committees charge is to get information out
in any way it can to technicians, shop owners, trainers, and
anyone else who has an interest in the automotive service
business. Because we are a volunteer group, we have no
resources for advertising, so we depend primarily on the
NASTF participants themselves to distribute information
to their constituencies, members, friends, and colleagues.
We have gotten great support from iATN, the ASC of California, the Automotive Service Association, the Equipment
& Tool Institute, and many others. And we have had some
great stories in Motor Age, Motor, and other trade publications. Also, NASTF issues press releases on significant
activities when appropriate. One of the biggest obstacles is
that today we are all confronted with information overload,
junk mail, and e-mail spam, so our first reaction is often to
ignore new information. We need consistent, constant messages coming from credible sources to combat this.
Despite the progress, recognition and participation are still
our biggest challenges. We need all the help we can to get
the word out to technicians and others about NASTF, why
26
they should be interested, and what they can do to help us

and to help themselves.
AIR REPAIR: What can technicians do to help?
JOHN: The biggest thing is to use the NASTF website and
the automaker websites when they need factory service information. If they have a problem getting the information,
tools, or training they need, then use the complaint form on
the website to let us about it.
And spread the word. One of the best methods for getting
information is to hear it from a friend or colleague. A trusted, credible source is invaluable. If they are members of a
local trade group or association, have them get involved in
NASTF, too, and spread the word to the other members.
AIR REPAIR: John, you represent a number of the auto
manufacturers, and a lot of people are surprised that you
are chairing the NASTF. Why is that? What is in this for
the automakers?
JOHN: Sometimes I wonder about why Im doing it, too.
But the simple answer is that I care about it and making it
work. Its important work. When NASTF was formed, I
agreed to be chairman, partly because no one else wanted
the job.
For the manufacturers themselves, it is a customer issue.
The automakers need to have satisfied customers. They
know that 75% or more of their customers choose to have
repairs and service done at independent shops. So it is in
their own best interests to make sure that these technicians have the information, training, and tools they need to
properly diagnose and repair the vehicles and keep THEIR
customers satisfied. Because they want them back in the
same new car showroom the next time they are in the market for a vehicle.
John Cabaniss is Director, Environment & Energy, at the Association
of International Automobile Manufacturers. He has worked for AIAM
since 1995. Before that, he worked for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency for 15 years in EPAs motor vehicle program.
Much of his time at EPA was dealing with vehicle I/M programs.
Volume 3 Number 1
How My Shop Benefits From Emissions Testing

From the March 2006 issue of Air Repair.
By Bob Haines
Rather than write a technical article for Air Repair, I

thought it would be interesting and perhaps more beneficial to shop owners to tell you about how I improved
my Repair Effectiveness Index (REI) and increased my
business.
At the end of September 2005, we were in the top
five for overall REI scores coupled with total repairs, but
we struggled in the beginning. The most important thing
we did was to attend every meeting and class offered
by the Illinois EPAs Outreach Program. They provided
some great insight on how I could expand my business
into this relatively untapped market if I could fix emissions failures. I was skeptical at first, but after attending
these FREE seminars I realized the seminar sponsors
wanted to get these vehicles fixed as much as I did. I
found out that not only did their techniques work, but that
they would advertise for FREE that I could fix emission
failures. I made my technicians attend classes along with
me, and I explained to them that the more they knew, the
more they could fix.
In the early days following the beginning of the
enhanced testing program, most tests performed were
IM240 tests along with the occasional idle test. We cut
our teeth on some miserable repairs that came in the form
of RX-7s, Mustangs, and the Oldsmobile Y-engine. It
was hard to sell people with an Oldsmobile Y-engine everything they needed. Lets face it; some of these old cars
arent worth the cost to make the necessary emissions
repairs. When OBDII testing started in 2004, we had to
kind of start over. It was a whole new learning curve, but
Outreach was ready to provide more FREE classes, and,
of course, we all went.
February 2007
The most important tool is knowledge. Emissions

repairs have become at least 25 percent of our shop
income. Our customer base and production have expanded dramatically. Much of our business comes from
other shops, whether the customer tells us or not. Some
customers have been to several shops and have actually
failed worse, and we found out that in some cases only a
simple repair was needed.
When I first saw the Repair Facility Performance
Report, I knew that the best shops would get the most
attention from potential customers. I knew that I wanted
to be in the book. We finally strung enough successful repairs together to be included in the book. The next thing
I knew I started getting calls from people who failed the
test. I let the state advertise for me. The public will use
the book to find you. I think motorists are looking for
a repair shop that can fix their vehicle quickly and with
the least amount of expense to them. SO, I have found
that my success is from having the correct equipment and
taking advantage of the Outreach program that provides
FREE training and advertising. Everyone benefits, which
results in clean air for all of us.
Bob Haines is the Owner of Bobs Garage in Waukegan, Illinois
27
Service Writer Praises Shop Management Seminar

By Bob Haines
When Mary Geraghty, Service

Writer for Neff Complete Automotive Service in Crestwood, Illinois, left the Shop Management
for Emissions Success seminar at
Joliet Junior College recently, her
only regret was that she had not
attended the seminar sooner.
Neff Automotive operates
with an airline philosophy where
mechanics must make sure that
every aspect of the plane is working properly. Every vehicle that
comes into the shop gets a complete bumper to bumper inspection, she said.. Dads motto is:
Service Writer Mary Geraghty reviews a work order with Bob Neff, Sr.
We dont sell oil; we sell service. We do our best to educate cusvehicles could pass with numbers at least 25 percent below
tomers about their vehicles and how to keep them in top
the standards, which allows for slight variations in vecondition, said Mary. Bob Neff, Sr., started the business
hicle performances from test to test. She said Santini also
out of his garage when he was laid off after 9/11 at United
stressed how important it is to be in the Repair Facility
Airlines, where he worked for 30 years as an airplane mePerformance Report and explained how the Repair Effecchanic. He moved into the current location two years later
in March 2004 and formed a family business with his wife, tiveness Index works and the importance of protecting it.
Being in the book can mean the difference between getJoanne, and son, Bob II.
ting and not getting emissions repair work, Mary said.
Mary has been Neffs service writer since November
Before she took the seminar, she had some reserva2005, when she came to her familys business after worktions about how she would be received because she is a
ing previously as a legal secretary. She orders parts, keeps
woman. Those reservations were quickly dispelled because
inventory, and communicates with customers and technithe level of professionalism that she had hoped for was
cians so they are on the same page. Prior to attending the
evident throughout the seminar. Everyone, including
seminar, she knew very little about emissions repairs. She
seminar presenters and participants, was very respectnow has a much better understanding of what to look for
when conferring with the shops technicians about whether ful and helpful, and I really appreciated that. She highly
recommends the seminar to service writers, technicians
the work that was done would ensure that the customers
who are planning to get more training, and especially shop
vehicle would pass the emissions test. She now also feels
owners and management.
more confident in explaining to customers how the work
proposed or completed relates to what is needed for the
vehicle to pass the test. I can now explain things in a less
technical way. The seminar helped bring the emissions
test down to a level that I can better understand, making it
easier for me to communicate with customers, she said.
Mary liked the fact that the seminar presenter, Al
Santini, used a lot of examples to illustrate his points. She
learned about such things as second chance and fall back
tests, and that repairs need to be done well so that the
28
Volume 3 Number 1
Emission Test Vehicle Owners Using the RFPR

The first year of the Repair Facility Performance Report

(RFPR) with an Repair Effective Index (REI) included has
proven to be beneficial to the repair industry and consumers. One of every four motorists whose vehicle fails the
emission test is using the RFPR to locate a repair shop!
This important consumer device has helped the motoring
public to locate shops that have a proven ability to diagnose and repair IM240 failures.
Shops that have appeared in the RFPR on a regular basis have seen their REI and number of vehicles that come
through their doors increase by as much as 100 percent
each quarter the RFPR has been published.
Repair Industry Outreach can assist when you call

(847)758-3434 to:
Request a detailed report of your last 6 months of
repair. Outreach will be able to show your IM240
repairs vehicle by vehicle, test by test. (See sample
below).
If your repairs are not showing up in the report, help
you determine if it is a administrative problem (not
completing the VIR) or if it is a training issue
Sign your technicians, owner, and service manager up
for a free seminar
Request an Outreach package to educate staff about
the program.
Arrange for a visit from a member of the Outreach
team.
Sample of Repair Data Report with

Current REI for an Individual Repair
February 2007
29
Back of VIR Simplified For Quicker Completion

Accuracy of Repair Facility Data Still Important
From the June 2000 issue of
AirRepair.
When the emissions stations

Required Vehicle
start using the new Vehicle
Repair Data
Inspection Reports (VIRs) this
The Repair Data must be completed before the vehicle can qualify for a retest or a waiver. Only repairs
month, the Repair Data section
made by a recognized repair technician will qualify for a waiver on 1981 and newer vehicles.
If your vehicle failed the emissions test we recommend that you have your vehicle repaired by a
will be much easier to comqualified technician who is experienced in the repair of emissions components. Please have the person
who performs repairs fill out this form. Bring this form, along with the emissions repair work order form
plete.
and all receipts for parts and labor costs for the current repair work, when you return for a retest.
The new form is very
Please complete the appropriate sections.
simple and straightforward. It
Repair Data
has six short sections: Sec1. Repaired by: 2. Emissions-related costs 3. To be completed by
tion 1 requires the person
repair technician only:
incurred since last test. To be
completed by the motorist or
Motorist
performing the repairs to check
repair technician:
Repair Facility Phone Number
either the motorist or repair
Total for this repair only:
Repair
Technician
technician box. Section 2 asks
$
(Area Code)
for the total dollar amount for
repairs performed since the
4. To be completed by repair technician only:
We completed all emissions-related repairs that we recommended
Yes
No
last failed test. Section 3, to
to the motorist:
be completed only by a repair
technician, requires the ten-dig5. Repair facility information, if applicable (please print or stamp):
it phone number of the repair
facility.
Facility Name
Section 4, If box 4 is
Street Address
checked NO that VIR will
City
State
ZIP
not be used to calculate the
shops REI regardless of
6. To be completed by the person performing repairs:
whether the vehicle passes
I certify that the above information is correct.
or fails the retest. If box 4 is
Print Name
checked YES or left blank,
that VIR will be used to calcuSignature
Date
late the shops REI, whether the
This vehicle may be eligible for a waiver, after receiving a retest, if:
1. the vehicle has failed to comply with the applicable emissions standards;
vehicle passes or fails the test.
2. a minimum of $450 in emissions-related repairs (excluding tampering-related repairs) have been made;
3. all eligible emissions-warranty repairs and adjustments have been completed;
Section 5 asks for the printed
4. levels of emissions have shown improvement as compared with the initial test results;
5. all emissions control devices are present and appear to be properly connected and operating;
or stamped name and complete
6. repairs for model year 1981 and later are conducted by a recognized repair technician; and,
7. evidence of repair is presented consisting of either signed and dated receipts identifying the vehicle and
mailing address of the facility
describing the work performed and amount charged for eligible emissions-related repairs, or an affidavit
executed by the person performing the eligible emissions-related repairs.
performing the repairs. Section
6 asks the repairperson to print
his/her name, sign and date the form.
The back of the VIR must be filled out completely so
So, be sure to complete the repair data section thorthat your repair shop receives proper credit when the vehi- oughly to help make sure that the information used to calcle is retested. Owners returning vehicles for a retest must
culate your REI will be a true indication of how well your
bring the fully completed form with them or the vehicle
repair facility accomplishes emissions-related repairs.
will be rejected. The repair information on the form will be

used to calculate the Repair Effectiveness Index (REI) in
the Repair Facility Performance Report (RFPR).
30
Volume 3 Number 1
Call Repair Industry Outreach if you have questions about:

FREE Seminars Fixing IM240 or OBDII failures Repair Facility Performance Report Touring a test station
Obtaining a copy of your shops Repair Effectiveness Report (your grade) Receiving a copy of a drive trace
Receiving a certificate for attending an Outreach Seminar ... or any emissions-related questions
phone 847758-3434
or visit our Web site at www.epa.state.il.us
Federal Emissions Warranties
Section 207 (I) of the Clean Air Act specifies that the defect and performance warranty period for light-duty trucks and
vehicles and engines manufactured. Emissions repairs for either defect or the performance warranties on the chart below
are the responsibility of the manufacturer. During the warranty period, only an authorized repair facility from the manufacturer has the ability to receive reimbursement and approval for the repairs. Please refer to the EPA Environmental fact
sheets at the Web sites below on specific details important to consumers and the repair industry.
Vehicle model year
Defect
Performance
1994 & Earlier

All emissions related
(for all Tier 0 and
components for 5 years/
Tier 1 vehicles) 50,000 miles.
All components and parameter

adjustments for 2 years/24,000 miles.
All emission control devices or system
components for 5 years/50,000 miles
1995 & Later

(for Tier 0 and Tier 1
vehicles)
All components and parameter

adjustments for 2 years/24,000 miles.
Certain specified components
(Catalyst, ECU & OBD device)
for 8 years/80,000 miles.
All emissions related

components for 2 years/
24,000 miles.
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/warr95fs.txt
http://www.epa.gov/obd/warranties.htm
Aftermarket Catalytic Converters

Section 203 (a) (3) of the Clean Air Act specifies that
the installing or selling aftermarket converters is prohibited which have not met the criteria of the EPAs interim
enforcement policy entitled Sale and Use of Aftermarket
Catalytic Converters (see Web site below for the complete
publication).
Aftermarket converters are either categorized new
or used. New universal converters are to meet Federal
durability standard of 5-years/50,000 mile on the converter
shell and end pipes and a performance standard of 25,000
miles when the vehicle is properly used and maintained.
Used and re-manufactured converters are only required to meet the performance requirement of 25,000
miles at the time of sale. Used converters from a junk/
salvage yard or used vehicles are considered tampering
unless certified with the appropriate documentation. Used
converters must be certified and have the required labels.
February 2007
Re-manufacturers of used converters may only use OE

converters and are required to test each on a bench for the
performance standards.
Aftermarket converters are generally designed to fit
a variety of vehicles and are an economical solution to an
OE converter. Currently, there
is not enough data to substantiate if aftermarket converters are
an acceptable alternative to OE.
It would be prudent to work
with a reputable aftermarket
converter company. Important
to keep in mind the derogation of an OBDII converter may
only be less than 10% before setting a trouble code for
CAT efficiency.
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/cert/factshts/catcvrts.pdf
31
Common OBDII Known Manufacturer Issues and the Fixes 19962003 MY

Some vehicles have readiness monitors that are harder to
set than others. You need to use all of your resources when
finding a drive trace that will work. Communication issues
also exist. Refer to back side for additional information on
checking communication.
There are a number of publications that can be of
help. Motor an OBDII Drive Cycle Guide. The Mitchell
Emission Control Application Guide has a very helpful section on the more difficult to set vehicles. For more
information check the online services and OEMs. The
USEPA also has a recall emissions Web site but does not
include all recalls at www.epa.gov/otaq/recall.htm.
1996 Explorer 4.0 L OHV TSB# 00-26-04
1997 Crown Vic/Grand Marq/TownCar TSB# 03-2405
1998 Explorer/Mountaineer V8 only TSB# 04-07-05
1999 & 2000 Contour/Cougar/Mystique 2.5L V6

TSB# 04-10-04
In addition, the following bulletins can be of help:
2001 & 2002 Crown Vic/ Grand Marq/Town Car

TSB# 05-02-02
Canadian Vehicles. 1996 and 1997 Canadian built

GM products #02-06-04-039A Retrofit Kit is
available for vehicles that do not comply with US
certified OBD II systems.

There are other vehicles to include Volvo, Suzuki,

Jaguar, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Land
Rover, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Porsche,
SAAB, Subaru & Toyota that do not comply with US
certification. Check with the OEM to determine the
exact conversion modification. Also refer to the Quick
Reference Information in this publication.
Flexible Fuel Vehicles. 2000-2003 Isuzu Hombre,
Chevrolet S10 and GMC Sonoma may be rejected if
readiness is not achieved when operating on ethanol.
The manufacturers recommend that the vehicles
be refueled with gasoline (two full tanks) prior to
returning for retesting.
1996 2002 Audi/Volkswagen that has had the
original radio replaced with an aftermarket stereo
may not communicate with the analyzer and/or OBD
scanner and may cause damage to the analyzer/
scanner. Refer to VW TSB 02-03 dated June 10, 2002.
2003-2004 BMW 500 series. Not all readiness
monitors are setting and may also experience
communication issues. A recall is in effect to
reprogram the PCM.
2000 Dodge Dakota, Durango, Rams unable to
communicate with a generic scan tools or with DRBIII in generic mode. Reprogram for PCM is available.
latest calibration using WDS release B31.4 or higher.

Replacement of catalyst is no longer necessary to
address the most common causes of this condition.
Ford will not issue any additional TSBs on this issue
for other models/years.
2002 Ford Explorer 4.0L Vin E. Some vehicles

may have difficulty communicating. Replacing the
instrument cluster is the fix and will be done at no cost
to the customer by Ford.
2003 Ford Focus. Some vehicles may have
incomplete readiness status. Reprogram the PCM with
the latest calibration using WDS release B42.2 and
higher.
2000-2001 Honda Insight. PCM does not identify
malfunctions of the air/fuel ratio sensor(1). A recall is
in effect to replace the PCM.
1996 Hyundai Accent GT is missing pin #5 to
establish communication. The dealerships have been
notified of this issue and will install the fix at no
expense to the consumer. TSB# 04-36-007.
1999 Hyundai Sonata w/ 2.5L w/ automatic
transmission has communication error w/ generic
scan tools. Reprogram for transmission computer is
available.
2001 Hyundai Sonata w/ 2.4L w/ auto trans will not
display DTCs w/ generic scan tools. Reprogram for
computer is available.
2003 Hyundai Tiburon is missing pin #5 in some
2.0L vehicles. Hyundai will also modify the DLC to
include the ground on pin #5.
1996 -1997 Infiniti all models Monitors are difficult
to set. All Models ITB98-011c Drive Traces.
Ford/Mercury recalibration for illuminating MIL for

P0420/P0430. Reprogram is available to PCM to the
32
Volume 3 Number 1
Common OBDII Known Manufacturer Issues and the

Fixes 19962003 MY
2006 Infiniti all models have difficulty in setting

readiness in particular Catalyst and Evaporate. Refer
to the specific drive cycles from Infiniti for the specific
model.
When a vehicles On Board Diagnostics system (OBDII) wont communicate with the emissions test lane com-
1999-2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Readiness

monitors will not set to ready with a generic scan tool.
Reprogram for the PCM is available.
should be full system voltage with the vehicle running.
2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cherokee and Wrangler

unable to communicate with a generic scan tools or
with DRB-III in generic mode. Reprogram for PCM
is available.
check on Pin #5 (which is the signal ground) to the battery
1996-2004 Lamborghini all models. May experience

readiness monitor retention. A reprogram is available
at a Lamborghini dealership.
1996-1998 Mazda all models Monitors are hard to
set. Contact Mazda for the specific drive trace for year
and model.
2000 Mazda MPV. Needs to be reflashed to establish
communication with generic scan tools. The following
Web site can be used to determine if the vehicle is
included in the reflash bulletin.
WITH THE EMISSION TEST LANE
1996 & 1997 Jaguar Difficult to set monitors

and sometimes run out of sequence. Once all other
recommended diagnostic strategies have been
exhausted. Replacing the PCM has been proven to be
the logical fix. An updated TSB is in process.
2002 Land-Rover Freelander is missing pin #5 to

establish communication. A TSB is available which
splices a ground lead to pin #5 of the DLC.
VEHICLE FAILED TO COMMUNICATE
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.
action?pageParameter=ownRecalls
This reflash may also help vehicles that are not
included in the bulletin.
1996 -1997 Nissan all models Monitors are difficult
to set. All Models NTB98-018c Drive Traces.
February 2007
puter, there are several things you may want to be checked

to ensure that the proper communication can take place.
The first thing to check for is power on pin #16. There
Next verify the ground. To check the ground circuit,
disable the vehicle so that it will not start. Do a volt drop
negative terminal with the engine cranking. This will give
you a good dynamic test. There should be less than 0.2
volts. Pin #5 may not be used on all vehicles. Check the
wiring diagram for conformation. If there is no Pin in position #5 this may be the problem. The emissions lane uses
Pin #5 for ground.
There are two sides to an OBDII system, the manufacturer/vehicle specific side and the generic/global side. The
OBDII tests performed at the test station must communication and comply with the generic/global side.
If your scanner is not self-powered with its own internal battery, you may or may not be able to read the data
coming from the computer. Most scanners rely on power
and ground from the vehicle to operate. If your scanner is
self-powered, you will probably be able to read the data
coming from the vehicle and think that nothing is wrong.
For complete information about checking OBDII vehicles, see the article in the July 2004 issue of AIR REPAIR
on page 9 available on the Web site at www.epa.state.il.us.
33
OEM Service Web sites

Acura:
http://www.ServiceExpress.
Mini :
Honda.com
Mitsubishi: http://www.mitsubishitechinfo.
Audi :
http://erwin.audi.de
BMW:
http://www.bmwtechinfo.com
Chrysler, Dodge, Eagle, Jeep, Plymouth:

http://www.techauthority.com
Ford, Lincoln, Mercury:
http://www.minitechinfo.com
com
Nissan:
http://www.nissantechinfo.com
Porsche:
http://techinfo.porsche.com
Saab:
http://www.saabtechinfo.com
Subaru:
http://www.subaru.com
http://www.motorcraft.com
Click on home and then
Mode 6 data for Ford can be found
technical information
at http://www.iatn.net
General Motors:
Suzuki:
http://www.suzukitechinfo.com
Toyota:
http://techinfo.toyota.com
http://www.gmtechinfo.com
Mode 6 data for Toyota can be found
Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Geo,
at http://www.iatn.net
Hummer, Oldsmobile, Pontiac,
Honda:
Saturn: Mode 6 data for GM can be
Volkswagen: http://www.erwin.vw.com
found at service.gm.com
Volvo:
http://www.volvotechinfo.co
http://www.ServiceExpress.
Honda.com
Hyundai:
http://www.hmaservice.com
Infiniti:
http://www.infinititechinfo.com
Isuzu:
http://www.isuzutechinfo.com
Jaguar:
http://www.jaguartechinfo.com
Kia:
http://www.kiatechinfo.com
Land Rover: http://www.landrovertechinfo.com

Lexus:
http://techinfo.lexus.com
Mazda:
http://www.mazdatechinfo.com
Mercedes Benz:
http://www.startekinfo.com
34
Volume 3 Number 1
How to Deal with OBDII Canadian Vehicles

By Ken Beauvais, Repair Industry Outreach
Ever since the North American Free Trade Agreement

was ratified in the mid-90s, Canadian vehicles have
been allowed to be imported into the United States.
Automakers build vehicles to meet safety and emissions requirements for United States and/or Canada. The
import process is relatively simple. It involves changing
speedometers and odometers from kilometers to miles,
changing the labels on the doors and engine compartment
and then submitting the paperwork to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The paperwork indicates that
these imported vehicles meet the United States safety and
emissions requirements. This is the legal channel.
But tens of thousands of non-compliant vehicles
have crossed the borders in untraditional or gray market channels. These vehicles that make their way into
this country are often stolen and/or have salvage titles,
labels and documentation that have been forged, and they
could have cloned VINs. A few dealerships near the border take advantage of lower Canadian costs and import
to the United States. Also the border patrol, like many
government agencies has faced cutbacks in staffing and
financial resources that make it easier to cross the border.
US owners of gray market cars can have issues of
no warranty coverage and can be faced with seizure of
vehicles that have been proven stolen, forged or cloned.
Many owners are not aware they have gray market vehicles, but this gray market affects both new and used vehicles bought and sold by dealerships and private parties.
The Illinois Vehicle Emissions Test program does not

have the jurisdiction and resources to fully investigate all
of these situations. Our purpose is to provide clean air.
The vehicles in question are model years 1996 and
1997. All 1998 and newer Canadian vehicles (except Volvo
V70 built prior to 9/1/1997) are considered by the USEPA
to conform with U.S. emissions requirements.
The USEPAs Web site lists 1996 & 1997 model
Canadian vehicles that are compliant with U.S. emissions
requirements. Some may require a retrofit or recalibration.
These known fixes are required to pass the Illinois emissions test. All other Canadian vehicles will be subject to a
visual inspection of the label on the door or engine compartment and an exhaust test will be authorized. This can
be accomplished at any test station Monday-Friday from
8-4:30 pm.
Canadian Vehicle Information Resources:

Canadian vehicles considered by EPA to conform
with U.S. emissions requirements are listed at: www.
epa.gov/otaq/imports/canadian.htm
Carfax is cited as a resource because of the strength
of its database if a particular vehicle meets US highway safety specification. Carfax.com
Smart Search is a resource that accesses the database
in the Canadian provinces. LienQuest.com
Vehicle Emission Testing In Illinois General Information

From www.epa.state.il.us/air/vim/faq/index.html
The Illinois vehicle emissions test checks whether or

not the emission control system on your motor vehicle
is working properly. Motor vehicle manufacturers are
required to meet increasingly stringent pollution standards, but vehicles that are not properly maintained or
that have malfunctioning emission control systems often
exceed these standards. Vehicle emissions tests identify
such vehicles, and repairs are then required to reduce the
emissions which cause pollution. These repairs help clean
the air while improving the vehicles performance and fuel
economy.
Your vehicle is scheduled for testing every two years,
beginning the fourth model year. If you purchase a vehicle
February 2007
that has an expired vehicle emissions compliance certificate or sticker, the vehicle may be required to be tested as
soon as the new registration is received. Vehicles failing
the emissions test must be repaired, then retested. If your
vehicle failed the emissions test, we recommend that you
have the vehicle repaired by a qualified technician who is
experienced in the diagnosis and repair of emission control
systems. If a vehicle cannot pass the emissions test, a
waiver may be available after the emission control system
has been inspected, repairs and adjustments have been
completed, and emissions levels have shown improvement
from the initial failure and a minimum of $450 in emissions related repairs have been made. All emission control
components must be present and functioning, but major
engine overhaul is not required.
.
35
Difficult to Set Readiness Monitors

These vehicles will not be rejected for readiness status at the test station.
1996
1996
1996
1996-1997
1996
1996-1998
1996-1998
1996
1996-1997
1996
1996-1997
1998
CHRYSLER
DODGE

PLYM
EAGLE
EAGLE
HYUNDAI
MITSHUBISHI
PORSCHE
SAAB
SUBARU
VOLVO
VOLVO
CIRRUS, CONCORDE, LHS, NEW YORKER, and SEBRING

AVENGER, INTREPID, NEON, and STRATUS
NEON
TALON
VISION
SONATA
ALL
ALL
900 Series
ALL
850, 960, and 850R
S70, S90, V70, V70R and V90
These vehicles will not be rejected for Evaporative Monitor at the test station.

1997
TOYOTA
PASEO and TERCEL
Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV) will be rejected if readiness is not achieved.

These FFVs may not achieve readiness when operating on ethanol.

2000
2000-2002
2000-2002
ISUZU
CHEVROLET
GMC
HOMBRE
S10
SONOMA
OBDII
PASS
FAILURE
READINESS/
REJECT
MIL not commanded on for any DTC

Readiness status OK
MIL commanded on for any DTC
DLC missing, damaged or inoperable
(Unable to transmit necessary information)
1996-2000
2001 and Newer
Allowed two non-continuous

monitors not set to ready
Allowed one non-continuous

monitors not set to ready
(3 or more is a reject)
(2 or more is a reject)
An OBD test failure for any catalyst code (P0420-P0439) must have the
catalyst monitor set to ready for retest (must still have required number of
monitors set to ready as stated above)
A deliberate or unintentional attempt of clearing codes prior to the OBD
test will cause the readiness monitors to reset to NOT READY and may
cause a readiness reject.
Heavy Duty Vehicles (GV 8501+) will receive an Idle & Gas Cap Test.

36
Volume 3 Number 1

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OBDII

From the Editors Desk:

What Do We Know About OBDII Now?......................2

Communication and Thorough Research Make

The Repair Facility Performance Report (RFPR)

Quick Reference Information

Air Repair Review is published

Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC)

Three Strikes and Its Out............................................21

phone: (847) 758-3434

Any Vehicle Can Pass the Test . ..................................20

Air Repair OBDII Review

What Do We Know About OBDII Now?

Air Repair OBDII Review

forget running a monitor is what allows the system to

The catalyst monitor must be

REJECT - NOT READY

YOUR VEHICLE COULD NOT BE TESTED

Check out the

Ensure Success of OBDII Repairs

Have the Right Tools and Skills

Make sure you have the OBDII scan tools necessary

monitors and learn how to set them.

Air Repair OBDII Review

Ensure Success of OBDII Repairs

direction. If you understand what repairs have been

Have Easy Access to Critical Information

Be sure to check Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) and

Communicate With Your Customers

Take the time to teach your customers not to ignore

especially if the vehicle is past its warranty period.

RDRs for OBD Tests Changed

Repair Diagnostic Reports (RDR) are printed for each

Sample RDR for vehicle failing OBD test.

Air Repair OBDII Review

Sample RDR for vehicle rejected from OBD test.

Setting Readiness to PASS the OBD Test

emissions inspection. Therefore, we will not cover con-

For other monitors, the vehicle must be prepared and

From model year 1996 on, U.S. vehicles include software

The checks the computer performs on the vehicle system

Drive Trace Types

Since many different readiness monitors may be present

While setting readiness may verify a vehicle repair, the

Due to the complex interrelations between OBDII system

Air Repair OBDII Review

Setting Readiness to PASS the OBD Test

In addition, NCVECS recommends setting the catalyst or

Drive Trace Tips

Extreme care must be exercised in order to operate the

The most critical issue surrounding drive traces is that

If readiness will not set quickly, there may be a defect

Driving Style and Terrain

Since readiness monitors require specific speed and load

When using a dynamometer to set monitors, pay close

Dont Turn That Light Off!

Sometimes the way we have done things in the past is not

that we technicians should use the EPA and Envirotest to

Air Repair OBDII Review

Dont Turn That Light Off!

A quick review of the Illinois OBDII test is necessary

the month of August for insufficient monitors.

DifficulttoSet Readiness Monitors

Weve heard from a number of technicians who became