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2001 Camry 4 cylinder automatic. Just at 113,000 miles. Car runs absolutely flawlessly and has forever. In great shape, taken care of and never wrecked.
Got a code having to do with coolant system, would not pass OBD-II readiness test. Replaced timing belt, water pump, thermostat. Code reset. Failed test again.
Told to drive 50-75 miles without stopping. Took half day off of work without pay. Did 80 miles, came back. Failed test again.
Told to drive 150 miles without stopping!! Took whole day off of work without pay. Did 150 miles, came back. Failed test again.
Went to different inspector, failed again, heard horror story about a guy who drove 500 miles and still couldn't get the computer to reset, had to have EPA hearings to get an exemption to continue driving his own car -- presumably every year!
Car will not enter "Readiness mode." They don't do any tailpipe test, just plug it in and the jacked up computer fails every time.
Called Toyota of USA customer service -- COMPLETELY USELESS. Nobody knows the proper procedure for resetting the computer. It's like some kind of arcane witch's brew. Somewhat rude and unsympathetic.
Called three Toyota dealership service departments. Recommending replacement of various parts (catalytic converter: $1000+ and might not even need replacement), but admit they cannot tell us why it's doing this even if we bring it in! Nobody knows anything.
Car is rendered useless. Can't sell it either. Even though it runs and looks like new. Thanks Toyota and EPA.
Thanks for reading. Any and all comments, criticisms, advice, etc. welcome.
There's a real easy way to reset the computer on any car. Open up the hood and disconnect the battery cables. Wait 10-15 minutes and reconnect them. The computer will then be reset. Codes stay in memory, so this won't clear an active code, but it will reset the computer.
What exactly IS the code? Possibility that parts were thrown at a problem without adressing the cause of the code (for example a sensor). There are specific codes for thermostats and the like. Getting the actual code can rule out some of the possibilities.
If it's OBD2, a simple code reader from Harbor Freight or AutoZone will give the code and clear the codes, and let you know whan the car is back in Inspection Ready mode. Don't just throw parts at possibilities and wait for the computer to reset itself.
There's a real easy way to reset the computer on any car. Open up the hood and disconnect the battery cables. Wait 10-15 minutes and reconnect them. The computer will then be reset. Codes stay in memory, so this won't clear an active code, but it will reset the computer.
There doesn't appear to be any active code. The computer has been reset. The issue is that a reset computer will not pass an emissions test (or rather a "Readiness" test). You have to drive it to get it to go into Readiness. How far? We don't know, we've been told 1150 seconds twice, 50 miles, 75 miles, 150 miles, 500+ miles, "some length of time," "some distance," "nobody knows," and "we're never really sure."
What exactly IS the code? Possibility that parts were thrown at a problem without adressing the cause of the code (for example a sensor). There are specific codes for thermostats and the like. Getting the actual code can rule out some of the possibilities.
If it's OBD2, a simple code reader from Harbor Freight or AutoZone will give the code and clear the codes, and let you know whan the car is back in Inspection Ready mode. Don't just throw parts at possibilities and wait for the computer to reset itself.
It was the thermostat code. The codes have been cleared. It won't get back into Ready. So it's not in "problem" mode or "ready" mode, it's in "newborn baby" mode.
Quote:
Originally Posted by M3 Mitch
You could sell the car to someone in a place where it does not have to pass SMOG, no?
We could try. It would be a bit of a pain, but might be the only recourse. My first thought was to drive two counties away to get it inspected, but unfortunately they've thought of that and check your county of registration.
There doesn't appear to be any active code. The computer has been reset. The issue is that a reset computer will not pass an emissions test (or rather a "Readiness" test). You have to drive it to get it to go into Readiness. How far? We don't know, we've been told 1150 seconds twice, 50 miles, 75 miles, 150 miles, 500+ miles, "some length of time," "some distance," "nobody knows," and "we're never really sure."
What you are trying to do is complete a drive cycle. For whatever reason your car is not completing the drive cycle tests as needed to reach readiness. Usually it is as simple as resetting the computer (I at first assumed the code was cleared without the computer actually being reset) and taking a short trip, however, depending on the car there can be some tempermental things that will not allow it to clear all the tests in the PCM.
Try these links for some pertinent info:
Here is an overview of what you are trying to do and why:
Nepenthe, try doing the drive cycle as per "repairpal" would be my best guess on how to get the "reset" to happen.
Could be as simple as a weak battery or it's just too hot out there.
In some cases having too much or too little gas in the tank can also cause it not to reset all of the monitors. I think the suggestion was to perform the drive cycle with the tank between 30% and 70% full, so pretty much a half tank of gas. Need to honestly say, I never knew that could cause it to not reset on some cars.
2001 Camry 4 cylinder automatic. Just at 113,000 miles. Car runs absolutely flawlessly and has forever. In great shape, taken care of and never wrecked.
Got a code having to do with coolant system, would not pass OBD-II readiness test. Replaced timing belt, water pump, thermostat. Code reset. Failed test again.
Told to drive 50-75 miles without stopping. Took half day off of work without pay. Did 80 miles, came back. Failed test again.
Told to drive 150 miles without stopping!! Took whole day off of work without pay. Did 150 miles, came back. Failed test again.
Went to different inspector, failed again, heard horror story about a guy who drove 500 miles and still couldn't get the computer to reset, had to have EPA hearings to get an exemption to continue driving his own car -- presumably every year!
Car will not enter "Readiness mode." They don't do any tailpipe test, just plug it in and the jacked up computer fails every time.
Called Toyota of USA customer service -- COMPLETELY USELESS. Nobody knows the proper procedure for resetting the computer. It's like some kind of arcane witch's brew. Somewhat rude and unsympathetic.
Called three Toyota dealership service departments. Recommending replacement of various parts (catalytic converter: $1000+ and might not even need replacement), but admit they cannot tell us why it's doing this even if we bring it in! Nobody knows anything.
Car is rendered useless. Can't sell it either. Even though it runs and looks like new. Thanks Toyota and EPA.
Thanks for reading. Any and all comments, criticisms, advice, etc. welcome.
Well, that's one reason why I prefer to drive pre-'76 (American) cars. No silly smog checks which can sometimes be a big headache.
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