Depending on what state you live in, you could be required to get an emissions test on your car in order to register it each year. Emissions testing is where a certified technician tests your exhaust to see the level of air pollutants that your car is emitting. It can detect carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, and other hydrocarbons released into the air. If your car doesn’t pass emissions, you can’t get it registered. Here are 3 reasons why a car might not pass an emissions test.
Bad Spark Plug
A worn out or weak spark plug can lead to an engine misfire or poor combustion. When this happens, your car consumes more fuel and hydrocarbon emissions increase. This can happen when the wire insulation on your spark plug is poor or you have weak ignition coils. The catalytic converter can also become damaged due to a bad spark plug.
O2 Sensor Malfunction
The oxygen sensor in your car helps monitor the exhaust and prevents your car from losing power, overheating and it helps your car accelerate more efficiently. If your O2 sensor malfunctions, it is important to get an emissions repair Loveland CO. Not having your oxygen sensor working correctly could mean your car is emitting more toxicity into the air.
Poor EVAP System
In order to prevent your car from letting gasoline vapors into the air, cars have an Evaporative Emission Control System, or EVAP. It is possible for the vents or vacuum hoses connected to the EVAP to break or leak or even become loose. The malfunction of this system is one of the most commons reasons a car won’t pass an emissions test.
If your car does fail emissions, have a licensed technician look at it to see if one of these common problems is the reason. Once you get the problem fixed, most places will let you come back and retest for free.
