Illinois Emissions result: Reject WTF???

mikeyk101 · March 10, 2020

You are absolutely right about our Secretary of State facilities. It's never an easy in- easy out, they almost always find some issue that needs to be fixed as well.

As far as the emissions test, I was told I had to pass all except for one. It could be any of them but as long as all the rest passed, I would pass. One other thing is that there be no DTC and MIL light off. I believe that would be classified as a fail as opposed to rejected which is what I was the first test. A fail would require a trip to a mechanic and certification that the problem had been fixed. A rejection just means you can come back and retest 2 more times without doing anything extra but after 3rd rejection, you would also be required to see a mechanic and documentation on the problem being fixed.

BlaineBug · March 10, 2020

That's crap. I had a problem a few years back with my Nissan Altima because I had disconnected the battery to clean the terminals and forgot about it, and went to go get emissions tested. I failed because obviously it was still relearning. So I came back in a few days after I confirmed that all of the readiness monitors had completed their tests. It saved in their system that I was just there a few days prior and they told me I was supposed to wait a week minimum. But they ended up passing me anyway. I told them it was just the battery.

mikeyk101 · January 12, 2023

I just wanted to update this thread. I am no longer living in Illinois (YAY) and moved due to getting divorced last year. I now live in South Eastern Wisconsin and what do ya know, I still have to do emissions testing! I just got notified that I needed my next test before I would be able to renew my license plate.

But I now know the drill and know about the Range AFM. So I needed to pick up my son as he spends every weekend with me. I pull the Range and plug in my OBDII Bluetooth tester and then fire up the Torque app on my phone. I make sure to fill up the tank prior to heading out and proceeded to drive the 54 miles down to pick him up via mostly highway and a couple miles of city streets and then the 54 miles back home. I was keeping an eye on the Emissions Readiness s/DTC part of the app and probably about 10 miles from home, all the available sensors went to green and ready. Perfect!

Wisconsin does the emissions testing a little different than Illinois. They don't use dedicated Emissions sites. Rather, there is a network of automotive shops that will do the testing and their testing computer is linked directly to the DMV. Also, no need to make appointments, just stop at the shop, tell them you need emissions test, and they will usually have you pull right into the shop and do the testing. It's a 5 minute deal from start to finish. Light years ahead of Illinois.

So I stopped on the way home at the place that's only about 2 blocks from my house, tell them I need the emissions test. I pull in, get the test done, get my passing notification, pull out a couple minutes later and pop my Range AFM right back in. Although emissions testing still ticks me off, it is much less of a hassle now. I'm good for 2 more years before I have to do it again...

mikeyk101 · January 12, 2023

On 3/10/2020 at 1:32 PM, BlaineBug said:

Glad to hear it. I wonder which tests are allowed to be "incomplete" as per their testing? I live in northwest Indiana and our testing is very much the same as in Illinois although with more testing sites that are state run. Believe it or not they are not inefficient for being state run, unlike your Illinois secretary of state offices. I've been there and they are crazy depressing. Our Indiana BMVs are a dream come true. I registered my new vehicle purchase back in January in about 5 minutes flat believe it or not.

When I moved to Wisconsin, I obviously had to change a bunch of stuff over. I went to the DMV to change my DL, the title and registration to my Silverado, and to my motorcycle. I was able to not just get the Wisconsin DL but the Real ID one approved (although they had to mail the actual one to me later), and it's good for 10 years! It took only a couple days to arrive in the mail. I also walked out with the actual Wisconsin titles for both the Silverado and motorcycle handed to me including license plates. Motorcycle plates here are also good for 2 years instead of one. Registration costs were also less than half of what I would have paid in Illinois. To get all this done took maybe 1/2 hour. Wow! And my vehicle insurance went down as well. I keep winning all the way around...

I never bothered getting the Real ID version of the Illinois DL because the last time I renewed my regular one, it cost me 4 hours of my life at the local Illinois Secretary of State's office. I had no desire to go through that again for the Real ID. And trying to get the titles and registration done is equally as bad.

It's amazing how easy it is to get things done in other states.

KARNUT · January 12, 2023

In New Jersey you had to go to a building this was 50 plus years ago. It had a skid plate for braking an emissions test. Jack up the front end to check it by wiggling the tire. Check headlight alignment. If your vehicle didn’t come with dual exhaust you had them you failed. Even if you passed emissions. Forget about loud exhaust and it was yearly. Texas no check engine light, lights work you’re good to go. And there’re everywhere.

Zeezil · June 27, 2023

Adding to this thread because I had a similar experience in Virginia this morning with a generic AFM disabler (KVAC RA003) on my 2012 Silverado 5.3L. I have the disabler plugged in to a OBD Y-adapter and then zip-tied up under the dash. This is my first trip through emissions since I installed it and didn't even think about it causing issues. Truck didn't pass due to failed OBD monitor readiness. The printout showed the following monitors as "not ready" - fuel system, EVAP, O2 sensor and heated O2 sensor. On the drive home (<10 mi @ 40 mph), it dawned on me that it's likely the disabler. A few minutes of searching online suggested that was probably the case and that it might need some number of cycles to reset the monitors. Curious, I went back outside, hooked up my cheap scanner, and it appears that all the unready monitors are now ready except for EVAP. Sounds like I may be able to pass with that still unready but can't really confirm online. It's also not clear how long it might take to reset. I don't want to go back in and risk a second fail and trigger some kind of mandatory mechanic review. Problem is that I need to pass to renew my registration, which expires Friday.

KARNUT · June 27, 2023

Texas inspection were pretty benign. They did plug in for emissions and cursory checks for lights, nothing else. Now it’s pretty much eliminated in most counties. As conservative I am I believe yearly safety inspections should continue. A grace period or hardship exception should be made for less fortunate people as far as check engine lights. Many times I have pointed out even to family members that their tires are worn out. Even with service centers like discount tire that will do that for free. People just don’t pay attention.

mikeyk101 · June 27, 2023

1 hour ago, Zeezil said:

Adding to this thread because I had a similar experience in Virginia this morning with a generic AFM disabler (KVAC RA003) on my 2012 Silverado 5.3L. I have the disabler plugged in to a OBD Y-adapter and then zip-tied up under the dash. This is my first trip through emissions since I installed it and didn't even think about it causing issues. Truck didn't pass due to failed OBD monitor readiness. The printout showed the following monitors as "not ready" - fuel system, EVAP, O2 sensor and heated O2 sensor. On the drive home (<10 mi @ 40 mph), it dawned on me that it's likely the disabler. A few minutes of searching online suggested that was probably the case and that it might need some number of cycles to reset the monitors. Curious, I went back outside, hooked up my cheap scanner, and it appears that all the unready monitors are now ready except for EVAP. Sounds like I may be able to pass with that still unready but can't really confirm online. It's also not clear how long it might take to reset. I don't want to go back in and risk a second fail and trigger some kind of mandatory mechanic review. Problem is that I need to pass to renew my registration, which expires Friday.

As you found and as I posted earlier in this thread, the Range Disabler will cause several sensors to show not ready or incomplete. Easiest way is to keep Range unplugged, fill up your gas tank and then go out for a drive of about 50+ and all sensors should now show ready. That's what I did on my last emissions test. Took all of an hour to do.

qoconnell · July 3, 2023

On 2/27/2020 at 1:27 PM, It's Tim said:

"Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose..."

Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin was also most likely on heroin when she said this

Grumpy Bear · July 4, 2023

14 hours ago, qoconnell said:

On 2/27/2020 at 1:27 PM, It's Tim said:

"Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose..."

Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin was also most likely on heroin when she said this

If Joplin is to be taken at face value, then only the dead are 'free'. Heroin can get you there. But so can the driving habits of the many today. They wish to be free of the law and the responsibilities for their actions. Seems mass killers hold this belief. Dictators.

Some believe freedom should be absolute and it is guaranteed. Ya all better hope not.

John 8:32 quotes Jesus saying, "....the truth shall set you free". What kind of freedom was he speaking of? What did he believe its source to be? (Hint Jesus at John 17;17 quoting Ps 119:160).

Don't get upset, get thoughtful. Who would you rather take advice from? Jesus? Or a singer with a heroin addiction? Or perhaps nobody is your flavor of freedom.