Recurrent issue with Hyundai and state inspection

[disneysteve]

I was going to post this to the pet peeve thread but decided it could be a standalone topic. Our daughter has a 2018 Hyundai that she bought in 2020. In the 5 years she has owned it, it has failed state inspection (NJ) twice for not meeting the "drive cycle" requirements. We had never heard of this issue before and we've lived here for over 30 years.

Apparently there is a specific set of driving metrics that need to be met in order to pass. It will fail if the battery was replaced in the past month or even if the car was serviced in the past month. Fuel should be between 1/4 and 3/4. You need to have driven at certain speeds for a certain time. It needs to have idled for a certain amount of time several times. It's quite ridiculous.

Anyway, she was due for inspection this month. Before she had a chance to take it in, her Check Engine light came on and she had to take it to the shop last week They did replace her battery along with the other service that was needed. Today we took it over for inspection since it's due by the end of the month and sure enough she failed due to the drive cycle. Now she's got to take it to the dealer (not where she normally gets service) to see if they can correct it so that it will pass inspection (which is now extended through 12/31).

As I said, we have never experienced or even heard of this problem until she got this car. I'm sure it isn't only a Hyundai problem but it must not be terribly common. It is a huge pain in the butt though. The inspection does have a nice glossy brochure that tells you all about it, but that doesn't do anything to actually help you correct the issue. She did ask at the mechanic last time and was told only the dealer can fix it.

 

[Al18]

From what your described, a nice 300 mile trip should resolve the issue. I never had a problem with my 2015 Hyundai passing NJ inspection and never did anything special driving wise. The last couple of years, only put about 3000 miles per year on the vehicle, replaced the oil and filter change yearly and the battery was replaced once.

 

[surprising]

It must be pretty rare to fail drive cycle, but it is suspicious that your car has done it twice. Perhaps there is a valid problem with an emissions component that is intermittently failing. I failed a DEQ test once and was told to drive it and get it completely up to temp. It passed once I did that.

 

[disneysteve]

From what your described, a nice 300 mile trip should resolve the issue.

The inspection tech this morning said that he has had people come back after putting 500+ miles on the car and it still didn't pass. It's asinine. My daughter drives to and from work, which isn't far, and not a whole lot else. She shouldn't need to spend a couple of days driving aimlessly for hundreds of miles just to satisfy some sensor. And even if she does, there's no definitive way to know that she has met the requirements until she takes it back for re-inspection (or takes it to the dealer).

 

[disneysteve]

It must be pretty rare to fail drive cycle

I don't think it's all that rare. They have a very nicely printed brochure for the topic, not just something spit out by the computer but actually professionally printed, so they must give them out a fair amount. And it has nothing at all to do with emissions. She passed that just fine.

 

[sailor]

Yes, pain in the butt. Same in other metro areas. I failed few times few vehicles, either right after battery replacement or after clearing DTC codes. Don't need to take it to the dealer. Just drive around , buy OBD2 dongle on amazon for your phone (Android/iPhone) for $15 and check the "ready" status before heading for the inspection. Was about 120 miles for 2018 Toyota Sienna, but almost 200 miles for 2017 Nissan Versa.

 

[surprising]

The inspection tech this morning said that he has had people come back after putting 500+ miles on the car and it still didn't pass. It's asinine. My daughter drives to and from work, which isn't far, and not a whole lot else. She shouldn't need to spend a couple of days driving aimlessly for hundreds of miles just to satisfy some sensor. And even if she does, there's no definitive way to know that she has met the requirements until she takes it back for re-inspection (or takes it to the dealer).

You can get an ODB2 device and scanner app and run the emissions test yourself. It should show you which drive cycle parameters aren't ready.

 

[disneysteve]

You can get an ODB2 device and scanner app and run the emissions test yourself. It should show you which drive cycle parameters aren't ready.

Good to know. Of course, we know which parameter isn't ready. We just have no way of knowing what it will take to get it ready. Could be 100 miles. Could be 500 miles. Could be more. It just has to be ready by the end of next month to pass.

 

[surprising]

The inspection tech this morning said that he has had people come back after putting 500+ miles on the car and it still didn't pass. It's asinine. My daughter drives to and from work, which isn't far, and not a whole lot else. She shouldn't need to spend a couple of days driving aimlessly for hundreds of miles just to satisfy some sensor. And even if she does, there's no definitive way to know that she has met the requirements until she takes it back for re-inspection (or takes it to the dealer).

How many miles to/from work? If a car doesn't get up to temp, it'll build up a lot of sludge which could cause certain sensors to slowly come out of reset (but that would cause check engine I think).

 

[Al18]

I want to correct my first response. Hyundai vehicle owner's manual specifically recommends using gas with Invigorate fuel system cleaner. Since I've been driving Hyundai vehicles for the past 14 years, I use a bottle of Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner with Invigorate once or twice a year, depending on mileage. I've almost exclusively use BP gas in all my vehicles, because they contain Invigorate.

So my recommendation is to put a bottle of Techron in the gas tank, fill up with BP gas and then go for a few hundred mile drive.

 

[Golden Mean]

Good to know. Of course, we know which parameter isn't ready. We just have no way of knowing what it will take to get it ready. Could be 100 miles. Could be 500 miles. Could be more. It just has to be ready by the end of next month to pass.

Which parameter is it?

Evap stuff typically runs when the car is off and some are probably unable to finish if the tank is very full or empty.

 

[freedomatlast]

You don't need to take it to the dealer and you don't need fuel additives. You need to drive the car under varying conditions until all the readiness codes are reset and you can do this by buying a scanner you plug into the OBD2 connector and you'll be able to see when they are all reset. Yes the Hyundai's can be a pain in the rear end.

By varying conditions, this means, highway driving at different speeds, city driving, idling, and some full throttle accelerations for good measure. Then let it sit overnight for several nights. Do this at a fuel level between 1/4 and 3/4 full. Hopefully the CEL doesn't come on again or you start all over again after you clear the code and make the repair. May want to consider dumping the Hyundai, espically if it's a model like the Tuscon with the 1.6L turbo engine. If you get the dreaded DTC P1326, that's really bad news and typically the engines in these don't last much after 100,000 before complete failure. Did I mention how much of a pain they are?

 

[Kings over Queens]

I don't think it's all that rare. They have a very nicely printed brochure for the topic, not just something spit out by the computer but actually professionally printed, so they must give them out a fair amount. And it has nothing at all to do with emissions. She passed that just fine.

I've failed for the same reason but with a different car and I'll tell you why. Because I removed the battery to try to clear a check engine light.

There is a sweet spot between clearing the code and driving enough where you will pass inspection and before the check engine light comes back.

The reason the DMV requires the drive cycle to stop guys like me from clearing the code just to get through inspection. As you know in NJ just about the only thing they rely on for pass/fail of any consequence is the ODB reader.

 

[surprising]

I've failed for the same reason but with a different car and I'll tell you why. Because I removed the battery to try to clear a check engine light.

There is a sweet spot between clearing the code and driving enough where you will pass inspection and before the check engine light comes back.

The reason the DMV requires the drive cycle to stop guys like me from clearing the code just to get through inspection. As you know in NJ just about the only thing they rely on for pass/fail of any consequence is the ODB reader.

I had an intermittent check engine light on a diesel for an emissions sensor. Literally right before I drove it to DEQ, I cleared the codes and crossed fingers it wouldn't pop back up before it got tested. It didn't, and it passed. Maybe diesels have less strict drive cycle requirements (or they don't exist).

 

[GrayHare]

Sounds like a drive time issue, something a dealer can't fix. And if it's something else, there's no guarantee a dealer will fix it. If she does not drive it much, a test waiver might be available.

 

[disneysteve]

Which parameter is it?

Fuel system

I may order the scanner and we’ll just have to take the car on a prolonged joy ride. What a huge waste of time and gas. We’re talking about numerous hours of driving for absolutely no reason.

 

[freedomatlast]

Fuel system

I may order the scanner and we’ll just have to take the car on a prolonged joy ride. What a huge waste of time and gas. We’re talking about numerous hours of driving for absolutely no reason.

Yep. Wasting gallons of gas, time and money, and producing unnecessary air pollution to satisfy a government mandated emissions test that is supposed to save gas and reduce emissions. Don't you just love the irony?

 

[jazz4cash]

In my state you don’t actually fail the emissions test. They give an extension and tell you to drive it normally for a week or so.
The vehicle has to be “ready for test”. The system looks at various sensors to verify normal operation. Just driveing highway miles will not exercise all the sensors adequately for the system to determine it is “ready for test”. Normal driving with starts, stops, and cruising works better.
I had a bit of an issue with my 2003 pickup truck. I had a very cheap code reader at the time but it would show all the sensors. Sure enough they all showed “ready for test” except for one! It would never show ready. I drove the car to exercise that one specific sensor and it eventually showed “ready” but it was a pain. See if a repair shop can show the status of the system, eg which sensors are flagged.
In my state if you spend $450 for emmission system related repairs they’ll give you a waiver.

 

[disneysteve]

Yep. Wasting gallons of gas, time and money, and producing unnecessary air pollution to satisfy a government mandated emissions test. Incredible!

It passed the emissions test. That's not the problem. It's some drive time requirement apart from that.

 

[disneysteve]

See if a repair shop can show the status of the system, eg which sensors are flagged.
In my state if you spend $450 for emmission system related repairs they’ll give you a waiver.

We know which sensor is flagged. The inspection stations tells us that. And we won't be spending a penny on emission repairs because there's nothing at all wrong with the emissions system. That passed just fine.

 

[audreyh1]

Wow, we have never dealt with that. We never lived in a county that had emissions testing.

 

[disneysteve]

Wow, we have never dealt with that. We never lived in a county that had emissions testing.

I've only lived in PA and NJ. Both have auto inspection. NJ's used to be more involved but now is just emissions. It's pretty easy - if you pass. It only takes about 10 minutes.

 

[audreyh1]

I've only lived in PA and NJ. Both have auto inspection. NJ's used to be more involved but now is just emissions. It's pretty easy - if you pass. It only takes about 10 minutes.

TX had vehicle state inspections, but only certain high population density counties had emissions testing. This year TX dropped the annual state inspection but emissions testing is still required in those counties.

 

[Golden Mean]

Fuel system

I may order the scanner and we’ll just have to take the car on a prolonged joy ride. What a huge waste of time and gas. We’re talking about numerous hours of driving for absolutely no reason.

"Fuel system" isn't an emissions monitor I'm familiar with, but I suspect that's referring to the EVAP system, which is the whole vacuum/gas fumes system.

Once you get a scanner and verify it is indeed EVAP, you might want to research Hyundai's approach (code set criteria), many car companies do EVAP eval different, and then make sure those criteria are met.

And to re-iterate; if it is EVAP, most EVAP system tests are done when the car is off, so driving long distances won't help.

 

[Koolau]

Yep. Wasting gallons of gas, time and money, and producing unnecessary air pollution to satisfy a government mandated emissions test that is supposed to save gas and reduce emissions. Don't you just love the irony?

We have a State "safety" inspection, but no emissions testing (thankfully). We average trade winds of 15 to 25 mph most of the time, so our air quality is excellent unless we get Kona winds (out of the South) that may blow volcanic smoke, ash and SO2 our way.

Some shops nit-pick the safety inspection and cost people money - hoping they will use the shop for the repairs. That's irritating.