In Arizona in 2017, 10% of vehicles inspected failed their Arizona vehicle emissions testing. It might not be the first thing you’re worried about with an aging vehicle. After all, if you have a problem with your transmission or need to replace an axle, those are pretty significant and costly repairs. But the truth is, fixing the issues that resulted in an emissions test failure can quickly mount in expense.
These are some of the common reasons that cars fail emissions testing, as prescribed by the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.. Look out for them, and get them addressed ahead of time before they become a more expensive problem.
1.A loose or leaking gas cap
A loose gas cap is easy to fix, a leaky gas cap simply has to be replaced. These are not particularly expensive or expansive repairs, but if you roll up to emissions testing with them, your car will fail because the system will register a leak.
2.A dirty air filter
If your air filter is particularly dirty or clogged and it affects engine performance, it can cause your car to fail emissions testing. Sometimes this can be remedied with a new air filter; other times, additional services must be rendered.
3.Old oil
Fresh, clean engine oil lubricates your engine’s internals and keeps heat and hydrocarbon buildup down. Old, burned oil is dirty, results in more sluggish engine performance and higher emissions, which can cause you to fail emissions when your vehicle is tested.
4.Worn spark plugs
Worn spark plugs are another problem. They will cause your engine to perform sluggishly and will result in less complete combustion of fuel which will then result in dirtier exhaust. If they’re significantly worn, it will cause you to fail inspection.
5.You’re running a rich mixture
A rich mixture means that the fuel injectors are providing too much gasoline to the engine, which results in a dirtier exhaust. Unfortunately, dirtier exhaust negatively impacts air quality and this also means that your vehicle will fail its emissions inspection.
6.Damaged catalytic converters
Catalytic converters contain metal “catalysts” inside them (hence the name) that convert harmful gases into much less harmful ones. All things considered, they are one of the most important systems in your vehicle for controlling and managing emissions. However, as the catalysts get used over time, the cats become less effective in doing their job, and will eventually cause you to fail an inspection.
7.Your check engine light is on
Finally, if your check engine light is on, you’re going to fail your emissions testing, no matter what it is that’s wrong. Something to keep in mind is that your check engine light could be on for any of many reasons – and all need addressing. If it’s on, get it looked at before you fail emissions testing.
If you suspect your car may fail Arizona vehicle emissions testing for any of these reasons, don’t wait for the failure to occur. Then you’ll just need to get the repair performed and take it back in for inspection anyway.
By the way, these are reasons that vehicles anywhere in the country can fail emissions testing, but if you’re in Arizona, you can take advantage of the stellar service provided by the team at Borst Automotive.
With two locations in Tucson along with locations in Mesa and Phoenix, Borst Automotive’s team will help ensure that your vehicle does not fail inspection and testing and can administer a wide range of services and repairs to address the pain points listed here.
Check their website, BorstAutomotive.com. Call the location that’s most convenient for you or schedule an appointment online to bring your vehicle in for service.
