Epilogue to post above by Alexandria Motorist at
12/4/18 12:22 pm
Brief version:
Yesterday, technician rejected, said two paramters were "not ready."
My OBD-II scanner showed the same thing, two parameters "incomplete."
This morning I performed the "drive cycle."
After, my scanner showed "ok."
Returned to shop and passed.
Detailed version:
2005 Honda Civic, manual transmission
Drive cycles can differ among vehicles. It's in the vehicle's service (not owner's) manual, but you likely can find the info for your vehicle with a web search.
Article: "Honda Civic Monitors Not Ready"
https://www.smogtips.com/smog-question/3003/Honda-Civic-Monitors-Not-Ready
Don't be intimidated by the voluminous and arcane instructions for the "drive cycle." It boils down to three phases:
1) Idle
2) Accelerate, maintain, decelerate
3) Accelerate, maintain, decelerate
Started at 5:45 am when beltway traffic is relatively light. Set a timer for five minutes.
1) Idle -- Started car cold, turned on AC and rear defog. Idled for five minutes (where instructions specify 2.5 minutes.)
Headed down Duke St toward Telegraph Rd.
Accelerated to 40mph. Complete stop at a traffic light. Accelerated to 40mph again.Complete stop at a traffic light again. Not sure whether this had any impact on vehicle's test protocols. With some vehicles, I read it does.
2a) Accelerate -- on on-ramp to I-495, half throttle, accelerated to 55 mph.
2b) Maintain -- maintained 55-60 mph for five minutes. (where instructions specify three minutes)
2c) Decelerate -- did not touch clutch, shifter, or brake, gradually released accelerator pedal, (on wide shoulder, do NOT try this at home, off-ramp is safer) ended up at 17mph in 4th gear at about 700 rpm (where instructions specify 20mph)
3a, 3b, and 3c are the same, except instructions specify 1) accelerate at 3/4 throttle, and 2) to maintain five minutes at 55 mph.
This took me from Telegraph Rd to Falls Church. I decelerated on the off ramp. Turned around to head home, and performed the accelerate/maintain/decelerate two more times.
I scanned when I arrived home at 6:15 am. All I/M monitors read "ok."