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2013 GMC Sierra half-ton

woodbutcher

woodbutcher

Well-known Member
I received a notice from the state that my pickup will need to pass inspection by May 1 so I can get my windshield sticker for another year. I took it to an inspection station where they took the key and drove it into their bay and looked it over. After awhile one of the guys came to me and asked if I had recently replaced the battery which I did about a month ago. He said I'd have to do some more driving and bring it back to be inspected after the codes reset. What chaps me is that he charged me $25 and I will have to pay for the inspection, too. How many hours of driving does it take for the codes to reset? Will setting idle do it as well as driving across the country?

Butch
 
It takes only minutes to either remove the battery or pull the ECM fuse to clear the memory...
I would leave the fuse out for about 10 minutes. May not take that long.
 
Texas. It seems like he was saying the problem arose when the battery was replaced. It hasn't had enough run-time to set the emissions monitor or something. I've never had this happen before. I can clear trouble codes, but I don't think that's what he was talking about.

Butch
 
By my poor memory only, (no research) some on board computers have to go thru a certain number of start stop cycles and be driven a required number of miles attaining full operating temperature and speed cycles for the computer to relearn correct pollution control procedures at ambient operating conditions. I'll leave the research to others as inspection is not required where I am.
 
I found this: Replacing the battery or even simply disconnected the battery on a vehicle will cause the engine control unit (ECU) to reset and clear all the emission monitors (and trouble codes; if any existed). Emission monitors are needed to be READY or COMPLETE in order for the vehicle to pass the emissions test.

Completing or making Ready the emission monitors requires driving a car through a specific driving pattern. Emission monitors are internal self-tests which the ECU performs to ensure a vehicle is not polluting and is running efficiently. The entire process of self-testing various emission control systems is called a Drive Cycle.

It is recommend to drive a vehicle 200-300 miles and over the course of a few days in both city and highway traffic conditions in order to make the emission monitors ready.
 
NOT exactly what you asked, but many scan tools, even relatively cheap ones, will tell you if the emissions monitor has completed it's drive cycle & is ready for testing, & is therefor ready to go back to the testing station.
 
(quoted from post at 15:03:20 05/06/22) I found this: Replacing the battery or even simply disconnected the battery on a vehicle will cause the engine control unit (ECU) to reset and clear all the emission monitors (and trouble codes; if any existed). Emission monitors are needed to be READY or COMPLETE in order for the vehicle to pass the emissions test.

Completing or making Ready the emission monitors requires driving a car through a specific driving pattern. Emission monitors are internal self-tests which the ECU performs to ensure a vehicle is not polluting and is running efficiently. The entire process of self-testing various emission control systems is called a Drive Cycle.

It is recommend to drive a vehicle 200-300 miles and over the course of a few days in both city and highway traffic conditions in order to make the emission monitors ready.
Click to expand...
cornpicker has it
 
Auto zone used to scan computer for free.
So go there before returning to the inspection center and paying another $25.
 
Sounds like he's not trying to clear anything, but build up a history in the module's memory, so it can report out how the car is behaving. Pulling the battery did that.
 
Timmycornpicker has posted the best answer so far. Your inspection stations now check your car with an OBDII hookup. If you unhook your battery (or use a code reader to clear a code), you need to fix the problem that's causing the code and then drive it for awhile to get it to pass an OBDII inspection check . Just unhooking the battery to clear the code will not allow it to pass inspection and it will make you have to drive it awhile to get it ready to be inspected. It varies by vehicle, but some vehicles can take up to 200 miles. You'll want to leave your gas tank between 1/4 and 3/4 full, give it some short drives and some long drives, all with different speeds and conditions. FYI, my '97 F150 with the 5.4 threw a code a couple of months ago. I can't remember the exact code it was, but it translated to multiple misfires. I replaced all the plugs (it DID need them and NOT the easiest of tasks, BTW), and eight new coils. It really needed all the coils also, as one of them was still a factory coil and the boot had disintegrated. I left the check engine light on instead of resetting it and it went out in a matter of minutes. Some GM products, especially pickups can take quite a long time. Good luck.
 
Usually about 50 to 100 miles of driving under normal conditions will establish an acceptable history. Idling won't get it, it wants starts, stops, warm up, the normal stuff.

They require this to prevent someone from clearing the codes and running down to get an inspection before the check engine light comes back on.

If the light is on, it will not pass regardless of the reason. If the light comes on, scan it, find the problem, and fix it. That's the only legal way to get a pass. All done by the computer connection to the scan port, VIN number, and scanning. It makes cheating the system near impossible, both for the vehicle owner and unscrupulous repair stations.

Be sure to keep your receipt and go back to the same inspection station in a timely manner, or you will get charged again.
 
What chaps me is that he charged me $25...

At only $25 to check the codes and spend some time on the car I'd say he gave you a break. Did you expect him to work for free?
 
I think for most vehicles, it's the number of cold/hot cycles. You have to drive it long enough to warm up to operating temperature, then let it cool down. Maybe ten cycles?
 
Type your truck in Google and then type OBD2 drive cycle. It will give you the steps. Follow them exactly and you won't waste fuel.
 
(quoted from post at 17:17:21 05/06/22) I received a notice from the state that my pickup will need to pass inspection by May 1 so I can get my windshield sticker for another year. I took it to an inspection station where they took the key and drove it into their bay and looked it over. After awhile one of the guys came to me and asked if I had recently replaced the battery which I did about a month ago. He said I'd have to do some more driving and bring it back to be inspected after the codes reset. What chaps me is that he charged me $25 and I will have to pay for the inspection, too. How many hours of driving does it take for the codes to reset? Will setting idle do it as well as driving across the country?

Butch
Click to expand...
he inspector assumes that you reset the codes because the check engine light was on and you were trying to get away with something. He probably sees that situation regularly.
 

Regular customer I wait till the deal is finished. Off the wall customer all I can get : ) BRCAUSE I may never see them again so why give my time away to a lost leader.

In NC if it does not pass you get your labor up front when it returns and passes you collect for the authorization ( E sticker)
Stuff like this cost shops time it don't matter if you did not know it, it cost them time get over it. I will wager once you have completed the drive cycles it will be a reinspection all you will pay for is the authorization. The one that should be pizzed is the inspector he now has to stop and deal with YOUR issue for FREE.

Without more info are dedicated scan tool run it 12 to 15 miles at a time never turn the engine off while trying to complete a drive cycle. Let the engine cool down below 125 deg and run another it may take 5 drive cycles to set the monitors to complete/ready.

Some of the drive cycles may not run if you start the cycle out with engine temps above 125. Lets say you start a cycle and want a cup of coffee for the trip. You pull into the quick stop turn the engine off you just lost your opportunity to run the cycle : (

For a cycle to complete it will take several trips so without scan data to check mode 6 it can be hit and miss... When I run a cycle I can look at mode 6 and can tell if it passed are failed that does not get it to a ready state BUT I don't have to waist time driving it till the check engine light comes on.

Lets say I drive it a few times mode 6 reads all monitors passed it still may take several more trips to get in in ready/complete mode.
 
Not sure why it irritated you to pay for his time. You are the one not prepared, not him. He cannot feed his family if he gives his time away.
 
(quoted from post at 18:40:59 05/14/22) Steve that is incorrect, NYS allows the check engine light to be lit for a 3/4 ton or larger pickup on an e-check.
Click to expand...

NC law, anything 8500lb GVWR and up is exempt from OBD2 emissions check (plug into the OBD2 connector). Its a safety only the emission part is a visual if it came from the factory with it , it must be on the vehicle and hooked up.

I saw my first waver for a emission part that's not available it was on a 2013 Ford car. The owner had ordered it from the dealer stated on the paid invoice for the part availability time not known.

Its strange times we live in Lets go 46.
 
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