The state of California uses smog tests to ensure that vehicles do not pollute the air we breathe. Clearly, it is crucial, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a headache. We must learn how to prepare for your smog test in Orange County California so everything goes smoothly.
How to Prepare for Your Smog Test in Orange County California
Knowing how to prepare for your smog test in Orange County California can help make the process less of a headache. There is some good news for drivers when it comes to smog tests in California. Smog tests are only required every other year as part of the vehicle’s registration renewal process. Only vehicles older than 8 model years old require a smog test to renew registration.
This means cars built in 2012 or before needed a smog test in 2020 and so on. Still, it is a good idea to know how to prepare a car for a smog test. Most smog test businesses will charge full price whether the car passes or fails. Some may offer a free retest if it fails, but it is better to avoid that pain.
Perform Regular Maintenance
Preparing a car for a smog test starts the moment you turn it on for the first time. You should perform all regularly scheduled maintenance, like oil changes and tune-ups, to ensure your vehicle is running optimally every day. This will make sure there are few if any, issues with your vehicle before a smog test or allow you to catch any issues and get them fixed long before they become a problem at the smog station.
Check Engine Light
Knowing how to prepare for your smog test in Orange County California means being diligent about regular maintenance. However, the check engine light may still come on for this or that. There is no point in taking the car in for a smog test if the check engine light is on. That must be addressed before the test. Take the car in to a mechanic to get the check engine light turned off and whatever turned it on fixed.
Do Not Disconnect the Battery Before a Smog Test
Smog tests test emissions of a vehicle as well as monitoring systems. These monitoring systems are known as On-Board Diagnostics (OBD). Disconnecting your car’s battery will reset the OBDs, and the smog test will not be able to run properly. This means you may be required to drive the vehicle for at least 100-200 miles to ready the OBD.
This can cause a big headache for those who require a smog test to renew their registration, especially if they wait until the last minute to get the smog test. The only way to avoid this is not to disconnect the battery before a smog test.
Warm Up The Car Before a Smog Test
Knowing how to prepare for your smog test in Orange County California, gives you a clean experience that won’t be hard at all. Everything has been about the prevention of a failed test up until now. On the day of the test, you will want to be sure to drive the vehicle for at least 10 minutes before heading into the smog test place you picked.
This will ensure the OBD is ready and the process can go quicker. That’s all you can do to ensure you pass the test and can register your vehicle without a hitch. Varsity Driving School can help students learn about the different ways cars tell us there’s a problem. Register for driving school today to get started!