Air Repair Review: February 2007

              February 2007 Air Repair OBDII Review
OBDIIReview
From the Editor’s Desk:
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
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
Don’t 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
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 Isn’t Always the Fix after Eight Rejects........17
How Fast Am I Going? ...............................................18
Communication Issues
How to Check a Vehicle That Won’t Communicate ...18
How Important is Wiring ............................................19
Clean Cables Could Mean a Clean Pass .....................20
Keep Alive Memory (KAM)
Any Vehicle Can Pass the Test ...................................20
A Lucky Solution to a Stubborn Problem ...................20
Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC)
Three Strikes and It’s Out ...........................................21
If the Light is On, the Vehicle is Broken.....................23
Mystery Solved–Vacuum vs. Pressure........................23
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:
Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency
Vehicle Emissions Test Program
PO Box 767
Elk Grove Village, IL 60009-0767
phone: (847) 758-3434
fax: (847) 758-3420
E-mail: repair.outreach@epa.state.il.us
Volume 3 Number 1 February 2007
Shop Management
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
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