Tips For Preparing Your Vehicle For A Smog Test
If you just moved to an area that requires all registered vehicles to undergo a yearly smog test, you are going to want to be prepared. To help you with that, you'll want to talk with a professional, like Advanced Auto Care. You will also want to take a few minutes to review the following tips. This way, you will have a better chance at passing the smog test the first time you take it to your certified mechanic.
Check Your Gas Cap
This might seem as though it would be a silly requirement, but a loose gas cap can truly emit a lot of harmful smog into the environment. This is because gas fumes can escape the vehicle through the loose cap. It would be easier and much more affordable to deal with a bad gas cap issue before it causes you to fail the smog test. If you are unable to tell whether the gas cap is damaged or not, you could always simply replace it with a brand new one. Since this is a very inexpensive part sold at just about every auto parts store, it is worth the effort and money.
Get An Oil Change
It would be hard to know if the oil in your vehicle is contaminated, so you might not be made aware of it until it is the reason you fail the smog inspection! You could avoid such problems by simply having your oil changed before you take your vehicle in for the test. Changing the oil, and even the oil filter, will not only increase your chances of passing the smog test, but it is a standard maintenance step that will help make sure that your vehicle is running a smooth as possible.
Address All Dashboard Warning Lights
Do not make the mistake of assuming that a warning light on your dash is not important enough to be looked into before the smog test. For example, if your dash warning light is trying to tell you that you have an oxygen sensor going bad, it is best to replace that sensor before the test. After all, something as small as a little sensor can cause your vehicle to fail the smog test.
As you can see, some of the things that you can do in order to prepare your vehicle for the smog test are relatively simple. All you have to do is to pay attention, take action, and then schedule that smog test appointment.