Hello to everyone I'm new to this forum so please forgive me if I'm reposting something that has already been discussed. I have a 96 Maxima SE that keeps getting rejected at the state of IL emissions test facility because a scan of the OBD Systems shows the following in a not 'ready status':

Catalys Efficiency
Evaporative System
Oxygen Sensor System
Exhaust Gas Recirculation System

Does anybody know what can be causing this ? Will a reset of the ECU force the car reinitialize all the systems ?

 

Yes. If you reset the ECU before the test it will not pass. I got the same thing when I was doing my emissions. I told the guy I just fixed the problem the day before and he said to drive for a week or so and come back then.

 

The car was first tested in September, I drove the car for about a month before retesting the car. The retest gave the same result. Is there anything I can do to force the systems to a 'ready' status ? Just to give some more info on the car it is totally stock.

 

I think you have to drive a certain number of miles, on-off a certain number of times, a certain number of cold-starts, etc. I don't know the exact details/requirements... call your local dealer - I'm sure they know the exact cycle requirements.

 

I'll find out the number of cycles needed to reset the ECU but I'm pretty positive I've more than met the requirement, I drive to and from work everyday, an 80 mile round trip. Thats a minimum of 40 starts and 1600 miles between the tests...

 

Yes - your driving pattern would suggest that you would have easily met the requirements... hmm... did you ever play with the ECU screw yourself? maybe its not in its "normal" position?... I'm just throwing ideas out...

 

You know thats a good idea... I'll have to check that out, THANKS !!!

 

good thread , keep it alive .....

I will ask my instructor at school today about it - he's inlovled with big wigs in IL state emmssions program , also he trains people that do emmission testing.

Nick.

 

ok, you guys can always tell thm to put it on there fake *** dyno thing. thats what i did. LOL i hada check engine light on also, I was confident it woulndt fail, but make sure the guy who uses your car turns your tsc off

 

My comments are specific to Illinois:

Not any more - at least as far as I know. Already effective (or soon) there is no "manual" check for cars that are OBD-II compliant (1996 and newer mostly). If the CEL is on, you fail, if the CEL is off but the ODB system is not "ready" or hasn't completed a cycle, you have to go back. The only manual step is the gas tank cap pressure check. Up until this year, if the CEL was lit, they would still do the manual dyno and check the emissions - but that is not the case (again for OBD-II compliant vehicles).

Quote from the IL EPA website:

The OBD test will be phased-in because of the time needed to change the computer software and to accommodate the legislation. The OBD full implementation will take place over an 18-month period in three phases:

* Phase 1 from July to October 2002: 1996 and newer vehicles that pass a gas cap pressure test and an OBD test will pass the emission test. An exhaust test will not be performed when the vehicle passes the OBD test. If the vehicle fails the OBD test, it will be given a second chance to pass by receiving an exhaust test.

* Phase 2 from October 2002 to January 2004: Owners of 1996 and newer vehicles will be able to decide whether to repair their vehicle if it fails an OBD test, or to be given a second-chance exhaust test.

* Phase 3 beginning January 1, 2004: The emission test for most 1996 and newer vehicles will consist of a gas cap pressure test and an OBD test.

 

Since you have a 96, call up a dealer and see if your Max falls under the recall: http://www.alldata.com/TSB/41/96411757.html Some people have had their EVAP things replaced and new O2s for free

Haha, only Chicago area people posted in this whole thread

 

I had the same problem with my IL testing a couple years ago. "system not ready" on two different visits. The third time they just put me on the dyno and I passed. But your right, now they won't do a dyno test for any reason on a OBDII.....I have to test again this month and really hope I don't have to go through that again.

I think it may be something wrong with their equipment.

 

what the hell??? das weird, damn people always disobeing rules!!!
I went to the one in Skokie they did it for me. Just tellem your a part time mechanic and you know what your talking about, das what i did, they let me off I did it about 2 weeks before i came to china, about 3 months ago i think

 

I have yet to see the Nissan manual but the Toyota Factory Service Manual explicity states how service personnel should test drive the vehicle to ensure that each test (such as EGR, Catalyst, O2 sensor, etc.) completes. Many states are going to the scanner test for OBD2 vehicles.

 

Ok, guys just got back from the garage, I reseted the ECU and drove the car for about an hour frequently turning it off and on, so I could get the miles and cycles in, and the CEL came on. Read the codes and I'm getting 0304 - Knock Sensor and 1302 - MAP/BARO SW Solenoid/Valve, does anyone have any more information on 1302? (I tried searching the forum but no access). Looks like the ECU was in some sort of frozen state as I had no CEL or codes before the resetting of the ECU ...

 

At least we're on the right track now!

 

rufos23 - your ECU had to have "pending" code stored in its memory - there is no way to pull that pending code without scanner. Thats why your OBD2 monitors were not set and no matter how much driving you'll do OBD2 monitors will not set unless the pending code is repaired/erased.

I'm suggesting subscription to ALLDATA - they have very detailed instructions on how to set " Driving Trace " - but be aware - its 3 pages long.
ALLDATA runs about~ $14.00 per year and its great source of information.

can't really thell you much about 1302.

hope it helps

Nick.