What should be done if a vehicle passes the tail-pipe portion of the smog test?

• A. The vehicle should be repaired now.
• B. No action is required.
• C. The tail-pipe pass means the entire test is complete.
• D. The vehicle should be repaired, but it could be repaired in the near future.

Answer: (D)

Passing the tail-pipe portion shows the vehicle currently meets the required exhaust-emission limits for that part of the Smog Check. But the test also includes other checks (like evaporative/OBD-related items), and emissions-related repairs may still be advised or required to keep the vehicle compliant or improve performance in the future. Because the tail-pipe result is favorable, immediate repair isn’t mandatory, but planning to address emissions-related issues in the near future is appropriate. Therefore, the best choice is that the vehicle should be repaired, but it could be repaired in the near future.