What should a Smog Inspector inform a customer if their vehicle fails due to a tampered emission control system?

• A. The vehicle must be repaired within the cost limits for that year vehicle.
• B. The vehicle is exempt from repair.
• C. The test can be rerun immediately.
• D. The EGR must be replaced.

Answer: (A)

When a vehicle fails because someone tampered with the emission controls, the driver has to be told that the repair must be completed within the established cost limits for the vehicle’s model year before it can be retested. Those cost limits are in place to ensure the vehicle is brought back into proper working order without demanding excessive spending, and once the repairs restore the emission control system and remove the tampering, the vehicle can be retested for a pass. Exemption from repair isn’t applicable in this tampering scenario, and a simple rerun isn’t allowed until the necessary repairs are made. Replacing a specific component like the EGR isn’t automatically required in every tampering case; the needed repairs must bring the system back into compliance within the allowed cost.