Comments | bworcester: Frustrating car day

bworcester

Frustrating car day

Sep 21, 2008 23:04

So I have to get my smog check this year for my car registration and for some reason I can only go to certain test centers (and according to the dmv, there's only one close to us). I was hoping to get it done this past Saturday since I need to have it done by Oct 8th. I get there and there's one customer being helped and two employees (one ( Read more... )

Comments 4

OBD2 bigbenaugust September 23 2008, 23:07:45 UTC

On-Board Diagnostic system. The thing that tells the mechanics exactly what your engine is doing. You are indeed stuck going to the dealer for that one.

Re: OBD2 bworcester September 24 2008, 23:19:13 UTC

Ahhh...ok, why didn't smog check guy just tell me that?? I've got an appointment for my car tomorrow...hopefully it will be fairly easy to deal with and they won't find other things wrong with the car. Wish me luck.

Re: OBD2 bigbenaugust September 25 2008, 17:29:35 UTC

I shall!

The smog guys plug into it to get precise engine speed readings, etc. for the smog check. But what intrigues me about this is that if your car really has a dead OBD unit, I'm not sure it should be running at all. But maybe the Koreans were smart and separated the diagnostic unit from the engine management unit. Mmmm... system safety as applied to cars.

Re: OBD2 bworcester September 25 2008, 17:35:54 UTC

So I went to the dealership today only to be told that they can't really help me because it's a communication/software problem which can only be handled by the "Smog Referee". When I called the number he gave me, I got a recording stating that "due to current budget cuts, our offices are now closed...please call Consumer Affairs". I called Consumer Affairs only to be told that nothing can be done until the budget is figured out and the smog referees are back. I have to go to the DMV to get a special permit (30-60 days) until the budget situation is fixed.

Now I'm off to the DMV in hopes for a quick wait time :)