CA does NOT make this easy... a rant.

[DenverTaco07]

I'm sorry, how is it California's fault your "friend" sold you a POS?

[Tr6]

Originally Posted by Bhobbs

Cars and guns. Two of the things I enjoy most and this state is absolutely terrible about. I plan on leaving if I get the chance.

THIS.

Cali is a beautiful place, it really is. Will I ever live there? HELL NO. Plus just because of the amount of magpul 30 and 40 round magazine I have they'll probably declare me a terrorist.

You guys can have your beaches and sunshine, I like paying half the rent/mortgage/taxes for a 2 times the size and newer house for less :P.

Never touch my coffee,
Never touch my firearms,
Never touch my cars.
Cali wanting to touch 2/3 of my list, they can have their State all to themselves.

As for the OP, sorry to hear you are going through such problems. Seems like the car is more of a lemon than the State's stupid rules (which they are pretty stupid rules... Gotta drive 200 miles after battery and you get a ONE day permit? ....).

[Scalded Dog]

Originally Posted by TommyTheCat

200 miles? That's just stupid, your friend is not a good smog tech sorry. There's a very simple drive cycle you could've done, also since you said an 02 corolla there is probably a computer update available that is SUPPOSED to be done with the catalytic converter.

Toyotas are usually some of the easiest to run monitors on, along with Ford. Takes like 10 miles. I have had one damn camry that would reset the monitors every time it turned off and needed a new computer.

You may be able to even google the drive cycle.


Now just so you know why they do this crap... Before they cared about monitors (which is not just CA, this includes NY and plenty of other states, pretty much any state with smog checks) you could simply turn off your check engine light and pass. Now we all know that's cheating, so they don't want you to do that. Instead you have to have all your monitors passed (except for one on that corolla, the evap monitor doesn't matter.) if you could pass without monitors... not a single person would fail smog with a car 2000 or newer or any diesel/hybrid. Yes hybrids get smogged too

And yes there is only a one day permit, but if you don't fill it out until you get pulled over you'll be fine. DMV doesn't sign which date you'll be driving the damn thing. The 30 day extension is now only used for late registrations, not if the car hasn't been registered for over a certain period of time.



Anyway your smog tech probably wasted your time, I assume only one monitor was missing when you got back from your 200 mile road trip and it was probably the evap monitor, and it probably ran within your first 5 minutes of driving the second 200 mile road trip after repairs. It will only run if the car started with a cold engine. if it's been warmed up, you're SOL. So driving it can take more than one day, but never 200 miles. tell the tech to go back to school.

You are correct... my tech told me the drive cycle sequence, which I tried. It SHOULD have cleared the codes, but it did not. And, yes, the second monitor may have cleared after five minutes of driving the second 200 mile trip after the cat replacement, but, not knowing that, and only having one opportunity per day (still gotta go to my stupid jobby- job!), I had to do everything I could each night to ensure that it would (maybe!) pass the following day. I wish there were an indicator to let me know at what point the codes were cleared (yes, I do have an OBD scanner, but it reads codes/ monitors differently that the CA DMV scanner does).

And, yes, I did leave the one- day permit space blank. One is legally required to fill in the date, in pen, before driving. However, since CA is so intent on my making it REALLY difficult for me, I felt no guilt whatsoever in driving around with the space left blank, but with a pen handy, ready to scribble in the appropriate date should a CHP officer happen to red light me.

[rvadim76]

Originally Posted by Bhobbs

Cars and guns. Two of the things I enjoy most and this state is absolutely terrible about. I plan on leaving if I get the chance.

I have the same preferences (cars & guns) and TX is pretty much welcome both these things but..the weather here is terrible ..nothing to compare with CA.

[Low Saturn]

Keep in mind, the catalytic converter went bad for a reason. Now make sure the engine is running properly.