Passing Emissions Checks In Decatur
Before you take your car in for its annual emissions check, there are a couple of things you can do to ensure your vehicle will pass with flying colors. Emissions tests verify that your car burns fuel at, or under, the county regulation legal limit. You can take steps to make sure it does.
Don’t wait until the last possible minute. Registration, and with it, emissions testing, is due once every 2 years. The date usually coincides with your birthday. If you bring the car in before that date, it gives you time to take care of any issues that may arise before your registration expires.
Change the air filter. You would be amazed what difference a clean air filter can make. A car that can’t breathe due to a clogged air filter works harder and burns more fuel, which means it emits more fumes too.
Bring your car in to Munich West for a tune-up. Our ASE Certified technicians check on the vacuum system, fuel cap and spark plugs among other things. These may seem like minor details, but if one of them fails or isn’t working up to snuff, it causes your car to release higher emissions. These are also points the emissions test covers and will be checked by the tester. They also inspect tire pressure and engine check lights.
Don’t forget to have the oil changed before the emissions test, since clean oil helps your engine run smoother. Make sure any oil leaks are taken care of as well. You don’t want your car to be dripping at the test site.
After all this, what if your car still fails the emissions test? You may be eligible for an emissions waiver, but you have to spend at least $ 855 on repairs towards the testing goal. If the car still fails after you met the repair goal, then you may get the waiver. It’s best to just go ahead and have the maintenance done beforehand to ensure the car passes, since it will cost a lot less than the mandate.
If you keep your car in good working condition and follow the maintenance schedule to keep it running smooth, emissions tests won’t be an issue.
