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Roadshow: State Routinely Orders Older Cars to Go to Smog Test-Only Stations

Posted on: Monday, 3 April 2006, 09:00 CDT

By Gary Richards, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Apr. 3--Q Is there any protection from harassment from the state regarding smog tests for older vehicles? I'm all in favor of getting smoking cars and polluters off the road, but does that mean that the state can require older vehicles, with no problems, to go to the test-only facility every two years? I have a 1978 VW Type 2 and was required to pass the smog test at a test-only station two years ago. The vehicle passed comfortably. Now, I'm again being directed to a test-only station. Am I going to be subjected to the higher cost and more time-consuming tests every two years for the rest of the life of the vehicle?

Jan Laskowski Mountain View

A Most likely, yes. But first . . .

Q Do they randomly select people for these smog test-only centers? Two years ago, I went to one and my car was only 6 years old and had only 29,000 miles on it. Now, it is 8 years old and I have to go again to a test center. The car has only 33,000 miles on it.

David Schrodi Sunnyvale

A I know the feeling. I've been sent to test-only centers three times in the past few years, and we are not alone. The state says 34 percent of all vehicles now must go to test-only sites, usually vehicles that are most likely to fail a smog check. Another 2 percent are randomly selected. The older the vehicle, the more likely it will be directed to a test-only place. If you've gone once, chances are you'll meet the same fate when the next test is required.

If a vehicle fails, the owner may be eligible for as much as $500 in repair aid from the Consumer Assistance Program. If the owner of a car that fails its smog check wants to get rid of the car, the state may pay $1,000 to do that. Click on www.autorepair .ca.gov for more information.

Q I see cars being driven with smoke belching out of their exhaust. How can they pass a smog check?

Bill Perez San Jose

A A smog check tests for exhaust emissions like carbon monoxide and not smoke or particulate matter. But that could change. Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-San Jose, has proposed legislation that smoking vehicles will no longer be able to pass a smog check.

The presence of smoke often indicates that engine oil is burning, usually the result of a malfunctioning valve seal, head gasket or piston ring. One smoking car emits 20 times more pollution than a properly operating vehicle, and this smoke is the most toxic of vehicle emissions, even more so than exhaust from diesel trucks. The California Air Resources Board and Department of Consumer Affairs estimated that approximately 200,000 California vehicles emit excessive smoke, spewing as much as 1.6 tons of gunk into the atmosphere a day.

Q What is the number to report smoking vehicles?

Ann Peck Los Gatos

A It's 1-800-EXHAUST.

Q I was driving to work over Highway 17 after a night of wind and rain. As I approached a curve south of the summit, a tree branch appeared sticking out from the hillside, and I quickly realized it was extended far enough to possibly hit my car.

With another car in the left lane next to me, I could only slow down and move slightly. A great bashing sound and then I realized I no longer had my passenger-side mirror! Shocked and amazed, I pulled over in the next turnout to view the damage. Not only was the mirror broken cleanly off at the plastic base but a plastic body panel behind the passenger window was gone, leaving the paint and glass untouched. I immediately called the California Highway Patrol, hoping no one else would have a worse accident than I did. Do I have any chance of getting Caltrans to cover the repair cost?

Joe Watson

A With the rain, etc., I doubt it. But click on www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/ legal/index.htm to file a claim. The link is at the bottom right-hand side of the page and comes with instructions.

Q There is an obvious solution to never-ending complaints about gas prices. Cars should be developed to run on bottled water. When is the last time you heard people complaining in the supermarket line about price-gouging by the manufactures of designer water, even if bottled water costs one thousand times more than the exact same substance that comes from faucets?

Steve Rhodes

A But we usually don't buy 15 gallons of water at one time.

Contact Gary Richards at mrroadshow@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5335.

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Copyright (c) 2006, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

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Source: San Jose Mercury News

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