Air Repair Review: February 2006

              February 2006 Air Repair OBDII Review 1
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.
Review
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
How to Check a Vehicle That Won’t Communicate .............................................................9
Catalytic Converters and OBDII ........................................................................................ 10
Technical Tip ..................................................................................................................... 11
Transmission Codes .......................................................................................................... 11
Setting Monitors that Defy Standard Methods ................................................................ 11
How to Deal with OBDII Canadian Vehicles ..................................................................... 12
Case studies
Stubborn Monitors ............................................................................................................ 12
OBDII Readiness Case Study ............................................................................................ 14
The Unexpected is Just a Little Tougher to Fix ................................................................. 15
Three Strikes and It’s Out .................................................................................................. 16
Any Vehicle Can Pass the Test .......................................................................................... 17
Five Time Reject – A Case Study ....................................................................................... 18
How Important is Wiring ................................................................................................... 18
ALL Enabling Criteria Must Be Present to Run Monitors ................................................ 19
The Repair Facility Performance Report (RFPR) and REI
Emissions Test Vehicle Owners Using the RFPR .............................................................. 20
Sample of Repair Data Report with Current REI for an Individual Repair Shop ................ 20
Back of VIR Simplified for Quicker Completion ................................................................. 21
Miscellaneous Articles
Communication and Thorough Research Make for Good Customer Relations ................ 22
National Automotive Service Task Force .......................................................................... 23
Quick Reference Information
Outreach Information ......................................................................................................... 25
Federal Emissions Warranties ........................................................................................... 25
Aftermarket Catalytic Converters ...................................................................................... 25
Common OBDII Known Manufacturer Issues and The Fixes ........................................... 26
OEM Service Websites ...................................................................................................... 27
Difficult to Set Readiness Monitors .................................................................................. 27
OBDII Chart ....................................................................................................................... 28
Air Repair Review is published
by Envirotest Illinois, Inc.
Send all address changes, mailing
requests and letters to the editor to:
Air Repair
Envirotest Illinois, Inc.
130 E. Hill Street
Villa Park, IL 60181
e-mail: AR@il.etest.com
phone: 630-993-6250
fax: 630-993-6205
Jim Woodard, Editor
Ken Beauvais, Editor
Jim Wellman, Technical Editor
Outreach Information:
www.epa.state.il.us
Repair Industry Outreach
847-758-3434
See page 25 for more information
Volume 2 Number 1 February 2006
OBDII