Wisconsin diesel car emission story

leicaman

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I got my annual car license renewal in the mail yesterday. Normally it says its exempt. Well lo and behold, it said I was required to be tested. I looked at the website and it said my particular year of diesel (Passat TDI 2005) was exempt from testing period. They only test the 2007 and newer diesel cars.

So I printed out what the web said and took my notice with me. The guy at the testing station said, "That is a diesel right?". "Yeah," I said (like he could miss my TDIclub.com plate and the sound of an idling PD diesel). He added, "Your notice should be marked exempt because its a 2005 diesel car. Let me call Madison to see what is up. They only test 2007 model years and newer on diesels."

We go into the guy's office. He calls Madison and he verifies its a diesel. I ask him why didn't they catch it since its VIN specific. He explained that even on trucks over 8500 GVW need just to be seen by them, so they can get it on the record. They apparently changed regulations. He called it a mistake on Madison's part which I of course agree with.

I told him I didn't want anything to get in the way of me having a properly licensed vehicle and he agreed it was good to bring it in so it could be cleared on the official record.
 

Powder Hound

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Interesting. Almost sounds like a veiled inspection. They inconvenience you and get an inspection done, without having to budget for extra inspectors (assuming it is a private firm doing the testing).
 

leicaman

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Interesting when I paid my annual renewal today at the DMV, they asked if I had it inspected. I then told them that it is exempt because it it diesel and that the inspection station had communicated it with Madison. Sure enough, all clear. New tag on car. :)
 

rentstdi

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Last month I just got my registration renewed in Fond du Lac and I didn't have any issues. It might just be that you are in the Milwaukee area. That county is the only one I know of so far that require inspections for cars.
 

mctdi

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se WI
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Milwaukee through Sheboygan counties, plus Waukesha county, and maybe Racine & Kenosha counties have the inspection.

The Jan. 2009 renewal in Milwaukee county for my '04 did not need any inspection. But maybe an odd/even model year thing; I'll see next year.
 

lovemybug

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SE Wisconsin
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Didn't see anything about an inspection on my last renewal, either. Wonder if we'll see inspections coming for the older diesels. That wouldn't surprise me considering who's in charge in the PRM. (People's Republic of Madison)
 

milo607

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My county (and maybe even all of Ohio) did away with all vehicle emissions testing. I think they finally realized it is a waste of everybodys time and money....
 

aja8888

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milo607 said:
My county (and maybe even all of Ohio) did away with all vehicle emissions testing. I think they finally realized it is a waste of everybodys time and money....
You mean the state of Ohio gave up their cut on the testing? That would be a first for any government.
 

TT71

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I got my plate renewal notice in the mail.:( On the notice it says that emission inspection is required. So I think this falls into the category of the PRM wants to waste my time and tax payers money.
So I think mctdi is right on the even/odd year thing like what they do for the gassers here.
Now wouldnt it be interesting that if when I take my car into the emissions testing facility they insist on running it through the test? Too bad they no longer put the sniffer in the tail pipe the diesel fumes would screw something up good on the machine. What would be even more interesting is that if it says my diesel passes? :eek:
 

Guz15

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I just got this off the WI DMV website:

Where tests are required

Effective July 1, 2008, emission inspections are required on cars and trucks with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating under 8,501 pounds that are customarily kept in the Wisconsin counties of:
  • Kenosha
  • Milwaukee
  • Ozaukee
  • Racine
  • Sheboygan
  • Washington
  • Waukesha
Exceptions are vehicles produced prior to the 1996 model year, diesel-powered vehicles, and motorcycles. Approximately 800,000 inspections are conducted each year.
WisDOT contracts with Envirotest Systems Corporation to conduct vehicle emission inspections. WisDOT audits inspection equipment and procedures at each vehicle emission test station weekly to assure accurate results. The required inspection is free.

When tests are required

Vehicles are tested every second year at the time of renewal of license plates, beginning in the third year following the vehicle�s model year. Renewal notices indicate if testing is required. In addition, vehicles more than 5 model years old require testing within 45 days following registration by a new owner. WisDOT mails a letter to the new owner outlining the testing requirements.
When a vehicle is not tested by the license plate renewal deadline, the vehicle registration is suspended. In such cases, the owner must satisfy emissions testing to continue to legally operate their vehicle.

Here is the link.

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/vehicles/im.htm#when
 

Guz15

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I was looking at some more stuff on the WI DMV and found this. You can check to see if emmissions testing is required for your car. In my case they gave me a Registration Renewal Number to renwew it online when it expires. I would think this means testing is not required for my car. Which would agree with what i copied and pasted above from the DMV website.
 

TT71

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Hmmm thanks for pointing out the online option sounds like it may be of some use to me. Will check it out.
 

Doug Huffman

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Guz15 said:
I just got this off the WI DMV website:

Where tests are required

Effective July 1, 2008, emission inspections are required on cars and trucks with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating under 8,501 pounds that are customarily kept in the Wisconsin counties of:
  • Kenosha
  • Milwaukee
  • Ozaukee
  • Racine
  • Sheboygan
  • Washington
  • Waukesha
Exceptions are vehicles produced prior to the 1996 model year, diesel-powered vehicles, and motorcycles. Approximately 800,000 inspections are conducted each year.
WisDOT contracts with Envirotest Systems Corporation to conduct vehicle emission inspections. WisDOT audits inspection equipment and procedures at each vehicle emission test station weekly to assure accurate results. The required inspection is free.

When tests are required

Vehicles are tested every second year at the time of renewal of license plates, beginning in the third year following the vehicle�s model year. Renewal notices indicate if testing is required. In addition, vehicles more than 5 model years old require testing within 45 days following registration by a new owner. WisDOT mails a letter to the new owner outlining the testing requirements.
When a vehicle is not tested by the license plate renewal deadline, the vehicle registration is suspended. In such cases, the owner must satisfy emissions testing to continue to legally operate their vehicle.

Here is the link.

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/vehicles/im.htm#when
 

mctdi

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se WI
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mctdi said:
Milwaukee through Sheboygan counties, plus Waukesha county, and maybe Racine & Kenosha counties have the inspection.

The Jan. 2009 renewal in Milwaukee county for my '04 did not need any inspection. But maybe an odd/even model year thing; I'll see next year.
Great :) No inspection needed for my 2010 renewal.
 

leicaman

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Every other year my gassers need to visit the testing facility for some what 10 minutes. They plug it in to see the OBD II readiness codes and I they bless it as ready. It is a crock IMHO.
 

gpshumway

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aja8888 said:
You mean the state of Ohio gave up their cut on the testing? That would be a first for any government.
Minnesota did the same thing ~10 years ago. The initial couple of years of testing found so few non-compliant vehicles that they stopped the program all together.
 

Lug_Nut

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leicaman said:
Every other year my gassers need to visit the testing facility for some what 10 minutes. They plug it in to see the OBD II readiness codes and I they bless it as ready. It is a crock IMHO.
What, You'd prefer it were some ordeal to be endured? The governments that we (collectively, even if not you personally) have chosen to enact the environmental laws we (collectively) have accepted, or have asked our representatives to accept, have modified the tests to be as quick and as personally painless to check as plugging in a scanner, and it's a crock?
You want roller and sniff tests again?
Or just something, anything, about which to complain.

Be careful what you wish for, you might get it.
 
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oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
We OBD test all OBD-2 cars here under 8600 GVWR, gas or diesel. It is a simple, quick test, and it merely uses the car's own OBD. So if you keep your car in good working order, there is nothing to worry about. Essentially, if the MIL is not on, and all the readiness monitors have been set, it will pass.

This type of test is what the whole purpose of OBD-2 was for. Much better than the old BAR-90 or IM-240. Much better. :cool: This is quick and painless, and if you know anything about how the OBD-2 protocols work, it is a very good test. It is not quite as thorough on the older (pre-PD, and especially pre-CR) diesels, as those do not have the same feedback systems as gasoline cars do, but it DOES verify that the car is in good working order within the limits of the car's own OBD.
 
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RabbitGTI

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Wisconsin
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I wish Wisconsin would mandate SAFETY inspections instead of wasting time on the current county by county emissions circus. I'm not concerned about the handful of cars belching out nasty fumes because that problem solves itself when the beaters are hauled away to the shredder. What I am concerned about is the idiots driving around on bald tires, worn out ball joints, brake lights made out of red duct tape and the other Gomered up fixes I see on a daily basis. Saw another car on the side of the road with a front wheel folded under it yesterday. I don't want that junk coming at me on a two lane highway :eek:
 

Ted Hurst

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milo607 said:
My county (and maybe even all of Ohio) did away with all vehicle emissions testing. I think they finally realized it is a waste of everybodys time and money....
Cars are exempt from testing for the first 4 years. Check out the Ohio E-check web site:

http://epa.ohio.gov/dapc/echeck/testing_info/need_a_test.aspx

I think I'll have to have my 06 tested in 2010 & our 09 tested in 2013.
 

leicaman

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RabbitGTI said:
I wish Wisconsin would mandate SAFETY inspections instead of wasting time on the current county by county emissions circus. I'm not concerned about the handful of cars belching out nasty fumes because that problem solves itself when the beaters are hauled away to the shredder. What I am concerned about is the idiots driving around on bald tires, worn out ball joints, brake lights made out of red duct tape and the other Gomered up fixes I see on a daily basis. Saw another car on the side of the road with a front wheel folded under it yesterday. I don't want that junk coming at me on a two lane highway :eek:
We used to have it in the 1960s...and I remember my dad's '64 biscayne getting flagged for headlights that were not aimed properly.
 
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