What should a technician do if a vehicle fails the Crankcase Visible Smoke Test?

• A. Enter 'F' for defective in the category 'Other emissions related' during the visual inspection and provide documentation on all copies of the VIR describing the failure.
• B. Write a note and skip documentation.
• C. Mark as pass and finish the inspection.
• D. Delete the test from the record.

Answer: (A)

When a vehicle doesn’t pass the Crankcase Visible Smoke Test, the record must show the failure and specify the defect so the vehicle cannot somehow slip through as compliant. The proper action is to enter F for defective in the category labeled “Other emissions related” during the visual inspection and to include documentation on all copies of the Vehicle Inspection Report describing the crankcase smoke failure. This creates an accurate, traceable record that the vehicle needs repairs and a retest, and it informs the owner and the shop about what needs to be addressed.

Skipping documentation, marking the test as passed, or deleting the test would hide the failure and undermine regulatory requirements.