The Drive Clean FAQ:

[Noltz]

Drive Clean Test and Repair procedure; UPDATED 2/20/08

This is a breakdown of how the Drive Clean testing program works for consumers. Hopefully this will answer most of your testing questions. Even most counter staff at testing facilities don't know step by step what you are allowed to do, so here it is:

Drive Clean Certificates are good for 1 year from inspection date, and must be valid on the date of your sticker renewal (your birthday). So you can use your inspection from 9 months ago to sell the vehicle - it's still valid for new plates and stickers.

The procedure;
- Bring your vehicle to the inspection facility and have it tested.
- IF YOU PASS, proceed to DMV for stickers. Fail, continue below.
- IF YOU FAIL, these are your options.

You may take the vehicle home and make your own repairs or adjustments. Drive Clean rules say you get 2 (TWO) ½ price re-tests, or $17.50 each. After you fail 3 times (Initial $35 test, and two retests @ $17.50ea.) you are back to full price for each subsequent test. You can test it as many time as you like, you only have to pass once to get your stickers. The Drive Clean Facility (DCF) will not and can not offer any suggestions or advice on what made your vehicle fail. They are subject to a big fine if they do, so don't get pissy when they refuse to talk about it.

OR: You may employ the Drive Clean Repair Technician to diagnose your vehicle. The diagnosis is a definitive answer to what caused your car to fail. Usually, diagnosis cost about $100. In order to qualify for the Repair Cost Limit (RCL), you MUST have the Drive Clean Repair Technician inspect and diagnose the vehicle - even if you know what's wrong. It's part of how the Government sold the program to private garages; the promise of getting to charge for diagnosing failing vehicles.

THEN:

You now have the answer as to why your vehicle failed. The DCF will offer you a quote on the cost to repair your vehicle. If the combined cost of the diagnosis, parts and labour exceed the RCL (currently at $450), you will qualify for a Conditional Pass Certificate. This certificate is only valid to the current vehicle owner, for the purpopse of purchasing plate stickers. To obtain a Conditional Pass Certificate, you are responsible to pay for the Initial Test, the Diagnostics charges, and the Re-Test. If you've bought a vehicle and need to plate it, you MUST pass emissions - RCL does not apply.

READ THIS PART CAREFULLY:

Directly from the Drive Clean website:

"You may qualify for the Repair Cost Limit (RCL). This only requires that you spend up to a predetermined amount on emissions related repairs to qualify for a conditional pass to renew your vehicle registration. A diagnosis of emissions system faults, cost estimates and any actual repairs must be performed at an accredited Drive Clean Facility, to qualify for the RCL.

The RCL does not apply if your have the repairs done elsewhere, or do them yourself. The limit also does not apply to replacement of a missing gas cap or catalytic converter, non emissions related repairs or repairs to correct a vehicle's smoking problem."
[URL: http://www.driveclean.com/how/fail.html]

NEW!! Drive Clean has eliminated this grey area completely. Previously, a helpful inspector could check that you actually did the repairs, and complete the Emissions Related Repair Data (ERRD) forms for you. However, today, in my inspectors handbook, section 3.0 "REPAIR COST LIMIT" states;

"It should be clearly understood that repairs done at a non-accredited garage, or by a do-it-yourselfer WILL NOT QUALIFY for the applicable Repair Cost Limit".

So, you still have the option of doing your own repairs - the same repairs that the Drive Clean Repair technician was going to do, but you will NOT qualify for the Repair Cost Limit if it still fails. I expect garages were complaining that they're not getting the repair, only the diagnostics, and when a car comes back and fails again they have to explain why.

I must point out at this time that garages do NOT make much money on Drive Clean testing. The Government takes $12.50 from every test, plus paying the Emissions Inspector roughly $10 per test, and the cost of buying the equipment ($60k), and the annual service contract from the equipment manufacturers ($5k/yr). The air pumps break every 9 months ($500 ea), printers need toner, parts wear out, etc. Garages makes MORE money using the Drive Clean bay as a service bay with another mechanic in it - fixing cars.

A few other notes:

-The price of a new muffler or pipes with a new, prescribed catalytic converter is NOT included in the RCL.

-If the technician finds a hollow cat during his diagnosis, it is your responsibility to replace it, regardless of cost. Hollowed cats do NOT qualify for RCL.

-NEW!! A Hot-Rod vehicle is any vehicle that is equipped with an engine that was not available from the manufacturer in that model, ever. The previous rule allowed a bored engine to be branded a hot rod. This is NO LONGER accepted, the block must be changed. The Owner is resposible to prove their engine is a hot rod if not visable without disassembly. This can be proven with pictures and parts receipts, or an invoice from the engine builders and installing garage. Bring photocopies for the inspecting facility to keep with their files.


AMMENDMENT - Updated 9/28/07;

Changes to Drive Clean rules:

The annual testing rule was eliminated. I don't believe it was ever actually put in place, just proposed. So LDVs are tested every 2 years for everything 5 years and older.

All vehicles 1988 and newer, up to 5 model years old, will be tested bi-annually for the life of the vehicle. The 20+ year old exemption has been lifted. For 1987 and back, you still qualify for exemption and do not require a drive clean for plates or ownership transfer.

Side Note: It's been explained to me that the reason for the 1987 cutoff is that most models have fuel injection by this point, and should be meeting emissions standards. 1988 was also chosen because it's the first year that the governing bodies have access to accurate emissions testing from NEW models. Since nobody has a new, 1980 Lincoln with zero miles for the government to test, there's no baseline to test from.

AMMENDMENT 2 - Updated 2/20/08;
The Repair Cost Limit: We just called Drive clean today (2/20/08) to determine what exactly the RCL is, and here's what we got;
"The RCL is set at $450 for all areas of Drive Clean. If the estimate is above that number, using OEM parts for the estimate, then the owner is NOT obligated to perform the repair. They are responsible for the initial testing, the diagnostics, and the retest to issue a conditional. Obviously, repairing the vehicle should be promoted.".

I personally keep up to date via regular meetings with Drive Clean support staff. If you have any questions regarding emissions standards or testing, you can contact the Drive Clean HelpLine at 877-445-9486, or me via email: noltez@hotmail.com

[WantAJeep]

Well good to know the stupid woman behind the counter was wrong about my 71 Charger. Tried to aruge with her and she didnt listen so I just didnt renew the plates as its sitting for the winter now anyways.

[instant]

QUOTE: "All vehicles 1988 and newer, up to 5 model years old, will be tested every year for the life of the vehicle. The 20+ year old exemption has been lifted. For 1987 and back, you still qualify for exemption."



Last week, at the driver's bureau, the woman said I still have to e-test my 87 XJ in march. I wonder if I wait until a day after my birthday, and maybe then I won't need it? I am so confused about this now.

[mugsy]

only 1986 are exempt 1987 still needs this year only, then no more tests.

[Splinter]

All of this makes me sooooo happy that I live in an area that doesn't have E-tests!
I'm willing to rent out my address to anyone who wants it so that they don't have to do it too, lol

[Noltz]

Instant;

I have the letter from the head of the Toronto Automobile Dealers Association, Bill Davis, right in front of me. The exact line is "Eliminate the 20 year rolling exemption for older light duty vehicles beginning with 1988, vehicles behinning in 2009". Now this means the 1987 MUST still be tested this year, because it's 19 years old, not 20. That said, you still qualify for a conditional pass. Refer to the FAQ about the procedures on conditional pass certificates. If you wait until 2007, your truck is 20 years old an no longer requires a Drive Clean.

In short: You do need to drive clean your truck once more.

[Uncle Jesse]

I have a 1989 yj with a 1986 258. I bought it 6 months ago and it passed the e test.(don't know how) My birthday is in march and I went last week for stickers. I got stickers for 2 years and it was explained to me that in 2 years I can pay $100 for a diagnostic that says it will be more then $650 so I can get a conditional pass for another 2 years. By that time the jeep might be dead. Is this right or wrong..
Dave

[JPgirl]

Originally posted by Noltz

-A Hot-Rod vehicle is any vehicle that is equipped with an engine that was not available from the manufacturer in that model, ever.

Just to clarify this....... a Hot Rod is classified as a vehicle equipped with an engine that was not available in that MODEL...... or that MODEL YEAR????

So if i put a 4L in an 88YJ does that make it a hot rod since only the 4.2 was available in that year (well, and the 4 banger) or am I screwed because in was availalbe in YJ's in later years?

[4 Banger]

it is a factory motor tammy wont work. but if u put in a 350, or even a 4.3L v-6 than it would change that is my understanding

[instant]

Originally posted by Uncle Jesse
I have a 1989 yj with a 1986 258. I bought it 6 months ago and it passed the e test.(don't know how) My birthday is in march and I went last week for stickers. I got stickers for 2 years and it was explained to me that in 2 years I can pay $100 for a diagnostic that says it will be more then $650 so I can get a conditional pass for another 2 years. By that time the jeep might be dead. Is this right or wrong..
Dave

So, can someone clarify....if I get the e-test done, and I fail, I then get the $100 diagnostic done. If the diagnostic says I need more than $650-$100=$550 worth of repairs, I get a conditional pass right there? But I thought you still had to spend the $650, then you get the conditional pass. Which way is correct? Sounds like the first way to me.

[instant]

Also, what determines a vehicle's age? I understand the driver's bureau goes by your birthday, right? So my '87 Jeep is 19 years old (damn that's old), and my birthday is March 10th. So on March 11th, I think my Jeep is now considered 20 years old in the eyes of the driver's bureau. ANybody here work for the DB?

Just FYI, this is how I skated by the e-test last year. I went a few days after my birthday, and the DB lady said I didn't need it anymore, because getting a valid e-test at that point would cover me beyond the 20 year mark, which would be redundant (what ever redundant means???). I guess I'll find out next month.

"I'm so confused" (voice of Vinny Barbarino)...

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to avoid the e-test, it's just that my Jeep sees so little road time, it's not worth pumping any more money into it. 3 to 6 more months, and she goes to the great boneyard in the sky. Thanks for listening...

[swm]

instant, sound like you were lucky.... my '85 RX7 still needs one more test before i can renew my sticker. it's been in storage for 2 years because it needs at least a new cat to pass. i was under the impression that you could not get a conditional pass if it was the last test the car had to take.

[mugsy]

Originally posted by swm
instant, sound like you were lucky.... my '85 RX7 still needs one more test before i can renew my sticker. it's been in storage for 2 years because it needs at least a new cat to pass. i was under the impression that you could not get a conditional pass if it was the last test the car had to take.

No etest required for this.Also goes by the year of jeep not build date.

[Noltz]

All inquirys PM'ed. Mugsy, SWM does need an E-Test. He owned the vehicle and let his stickers laps. He is required to buy stickers for the years he missed. They've closed that loophole.

His only POSSIBILITY would be to turn in his plates with the ownership, and have a new ownership printed as "unplated". Then, with a new safety and insurance papers, go back in for new plates under the "classic vehicle" rules, that is 20 years and older.

Cheers all.

[Socks]

so how does it work with a hotrod then? do you still have to be etested? and if you do do you have to pass emissions for that motor or what?