Emissions Test

What To Do When Your Vehicle Fails an Emissions Test?

You took your car to get inspected and it didn’t pass muster. What do you do now? What if you have to pay thousands to repair your vehicle? What if you can’t come up with the money? Will you get a ticket for driving it? Will you go to jail? When your car fails, hundreds of questions start swirling around in your head. To help ease your mind, here are four tips that can help you get your car back to being ‘street legal’ by passing the emissions test without the need for expensive repairs.

Don’t Throw Money At Your Car

Many drivers panic when they find out that their vehicle didn’t pass the emissions test. So, they take it to the nearest mechanic only to throw money at the problem. This would be fine if it always worked. However, even expensive repairs might not be enough for your vehicle to pass. Before you take your car to a mechanic, review your options. One option is to qualify for a ‘Waiver’.

Waivers

A ‘waiver’ is a loophole that allows some vehicles to pass an emissions test even when they can’t meet the applicable requirements. If you cannot afford to make the necessary repairs to your vehicle in order to pass an emissions test, you may qualify for one of these waivers. You will be given credit towards repairs that will fix your vehicle ‘just enough’ so that you can get back on the road. The waiver program varies from state to state, so contact the Department of Motor Vehicles in the state you reside in and ask plenty of questions.

Get Several Estimates

If you don’t qualify for a waiver and you still think you may be facing serious repairs, take your vehicle to as many auto mechanics as you’re able to. While this seems incredibly time-consuming, the effort will be well worth it when you manage to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on the least expensive automotive repairs.

Maintain Your Vehicle

The best way to prevent your vehicle from failing an emissions test is to maintain it properly. And that’s why you should always have a great auto mechanic’s phone number on speed dial. For help finding the perfect auto mechanic, visit Auto Air & Electric, where you’ll find more of this and much more, including air conditioner repair in Phoenix.