What should a Smog Inspector do if the odometer reading cannot be read?

• A. Ask the customer for the vehicle's approximate mileage.
• B. Leave the odometer field blank.
• C. Guess a mileage and document it.
• D. Deny the test until the odometer can be read.

Answer: (A)

When the odometer can’t be read, you still need a numeric mileage to complete the smog test record. The proper step is to obtain the vehicle’s mileage from the owner and document where that figure came from. Asking the customer for the approximate mileage is the best approach because the owner is usually the most reliable source for this information when the gauge is unreadable, and it provides a verifiable number for the certificate. You should not leave the field blank, guess the mileage, or deny the testPending the odometer reading isn’t necessary if the mileage can be provided by the owner. Just be sure to note that the odometer couldn’t be read and that the mileage was provided by the owner (and mark as approximate if only an estimate is available).