Arizona Emission Clowns

Unfortunately, my yearly experience with the emissions branch of the Arizona MVD occurred today.

I brought my 2003 5-speed Jetta TDI to the MVD location on 50 South Beck Avenue in Chandler and proceed to wait (for over half an hour) for the emission clowns to take over. For those of you outside of Arizona, here light diesel vehicles are required to be tested for opacity (smoke density) yearly on a dynamometer.

After the test was completed, the fool performing the test informed me that my vehicle had failed because of an opacity reading of 100%. After I pointed out that such a reading was nearly impossible without copious black smoke pouring out everywhere, a second technician informed me that a vehicle could have a opacity level of 100% and have completely translucent exhaust smoke. I informed him that their equipment was clearly malfunctioning, and they immediately proceeded to argue with me that their equipment was perfect in every regard and would not allow them to initiate a test with a dirty or malfunctioning sensor.

They performed a second test (free of charge) in which the car passed with an perfectly normal opacity reading of 2% (well below the maximum of 20%), and told me that the first test must have blown loose crud out of the exhaust. They recommended in the future that I floor the vehicle before bringing it in.

Somehow they must have missed the fact that I snapped a photo of them cleaning the sensor before the second test.

Folks in Arizona with TDIs - avoid this station, they obviously think I drive 60s diesel farm equipment!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/03554nfcvbaj75p/report.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i35sxhpriggpd95/AZ emissions test.a.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xn7v50r143n9ap4/AZ emissions testing.b.jpg

so go find someone with a lambroghini diesel tractor, and drive it in there, have them test that thing !

Jetiwarrior said:

...the emission clowns ...the fool performing the test ...

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You are much too kind.

I don't live in Arizona anymore, but most of the rest of my immediate and extended family does.

I would recommend all diesel operators video everything any station does, and collect evidence. There's too many busy-body lawyers without enough work around; I am sure they'd love an excuse for a class action lawsuit against Hamilton Test Systems (or whoever has the contract for running those rip-off testing stations), the State of Arizona, and the US EPA.

I really think a class action lawsuit is needed. There's too many of these stories chronicling the stupidity at work.

You need to report this to the State, with all documentation.

Here in Maine many years ago we had CarTest, which was a similar facility (from California) that performed the mandatory emissions testing the state had at that time. People complained...a LOT of people...so many that the state conducted a test using their own vehicle, unannounced and secretively, and found that their in perfect working order vehicle failed at some and passed at others.

One thing led to another and the emissions testing was abolished and has not returned.

I can understand the need for testing in large cities, but not for the state as a whole.

Emissions is nothing but a revenue generator aka money grabbing scheme by state and local governments. In Pennsylvania, three of the surrounding five counties have emissions requirements while mine and two other neighbouring do not. It makes no sense whatsoever. What's the point of performing emissions tests at all unless the entire state does it?

I can almost understand larger cities in the state such as Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia requiring emissions to those living within city limits, but what about those living out of city limits and commuting to the big city for work? Wouldn't they also contribute to the city pollution? It's just pointless anyway you look at it.

To boot, if emissions are to be required then they should be included with a state inspection at a minimal upcharge of maybe $5 at the most, not a separate test that you have to pay for that actually ends up costing more than the actual state inspection. My girlfriend lives in the next county over where emissions are required and she ends up paying over twice as much as me for a state inspection because of the emissions.

Like I said, just another greedy dolla dolla bill ya'll generator.

Simple - just register your car outside the Phoenix and Tucson areas.

Maricopa is a pretty big county.

romad said:

Simple - just register your car outside the Phoenix and Tucson areas.

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Not sure about where you live, but we have to register our cars where we live. We can't just pick a random place and use that on our registration since the insurance, registration, and driver's license address have to match.

Abacus said:

Not sure about where you live, but we have to register our cars where we live. We can't just pick a random place and use that on our registration since the insurance, registration, and driver's license address have to match.

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But if you have a relative (or very good friend) you could use that address; if it doesn't have to be a street address, then a P.O. box might work. For years, my PERMANENT address was my parents address in Rancho Cordova, California as I moved quite frequently. I lived in Texas, Colorado, Barstow in southern California, Korea, and Germany, but that was the address on my driver's license. Only after I bought a house here in Oroville did I change everything to the new address.

Just had my Jetta inspected. Cost was $14.50, total. We just do safety checks on diesels here (brakes, tires, lights, etc). We love our diesels in Texas!

romad said:

But if you have a relative (or very good friend) you could use that address; if it doesn't have to be a street address, then a P.O. box might work. For years, my PERMANENT address was my parents address in Rancho Cordova, California as I moved quite frequently. I lived in Texas, Colorado, Barstow in southern California, Korea, and Germany, but that was the address on my driver's license. Only after I bought a house here in Oroville did I change everything to the new address.

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Active duty military have the option to do this [I've done it myself]. Most people cannot do that. College students are the only other ones I know of who can.

aja8888 said:

Just had my Jetta inspected. Cost was $14.50, total. We just do safety checks on diesels here (brakes, tires, lights, etc). We love our diesels in Texas!

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New Jersey abolished the state safety inspection and now all they do is check emissions on gasoline powered cars. As for diesels nothing is tested unless it has an 18,000LB GVWR or greater.

Since NJ had done away with the safety check inspection, what do the TDI owners in NJ do for an inspection sticker?

Gatta love our emissions techs... I'd say 90% of them have next to no idea how the machines they use actually work. I had a tech try to fail my fathers F-150 because he said the OBDII port was removed. I politely point at the thing and the vehicle subsequently passed with flying colors... Also said his motorhome failed when they hadn't noticed the exhaust probe had come off the tailpipe...

I really hate to say it, but most of the guys down there are idiots... I also think I recognize that station, Greenfield and McKellips?

Lolas Dad said:

New Jersey abolished the state safety inspection and now all they do is check emissions on gasoline powered cars. As for diesels nothing is tested unless it has an 18,000LB GVWR or greater.

Since NJ had done away with the safety check inspection, what do the TDI owners in NJ do for an inspection sticker?

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Wrong.
NJ does in fact test LDD's via the OBD2 port. BTW, since the safety inspection went away, I see numerous vehicles which are completely unsafe on the road.

When I worked in Monroe County PA I saw numerous vehicles which had no chance at passing an emissions inspection being driven. Now I am talking about vehicles misfiring because of a bad coil or injector and the owner stating they have no cash to repair. You had a hard time breathing from all the HC output. In NYC we used to see taxi's and other vehicles with brand new stickers blowing a cloud of blue smoke out whenever they hit the gas. Since the stricter inspection laws, you rarely see it in NY. You do still see it in PA though. Emissions testing and required repair seems to have helped air quality in several states including CA.

The main problem people have with emission testing stems from unskilled workers doing the testing.

Powder Hound said:

Maricopa is a pretty big county.

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But adjacent to Pinal county where there is no testing... Casa Grande is nice!

Powder Hound said:

Maricopa is a pretty big county.

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But according to here not all of it requires testing.