While not every vehicle requires a Drive Clean emission test, every vehicle can benefit from these simple and practical tips. Reduced vehicle emissions improve the air you breathe, and can actually save you money at the gas pump! Here are some tips to help your vehicle pass its Drive Clean emission test and keep our air cleaner in Ontario. Simple regular maintenance to your vehicle including an oil change, air and fuel filter replacement and evaluation of the condition of spark plugs, gas caps, etc. is recommended for many reasons: your vehicle will run a lot smoother than before, you'll get more gas mileage (saving you money at the gas pump), you reduce the risk of future costly repairs, and your chances of passing the smog test are increased. Check your vehicle’s warranty for maintenance schedule recommendations, but if your engine shakes or has a misfire, don’t delay in getting a tune-up as it may fail the emission test and may be an indication of a larger problem. If you have a bad misfire, this could cause your check engine light to come on as well, meaning you will automatically fail the functional portion of the Drive Clean test.

Confirm required emissions components. Depending on your vehicle, a visual inspection of emission control components and systems may be required. For example, a working catalytic converter must be installed on your vehicle in order to pass its Drive Clean emission test.air cleaners for home walmart Make sure your check engine light works.air purifiers remove second hand smoke Most vehicles are equipped with a check engine light. air purifier for hotel roomsIf your vehicle comes equipped with a check engine light but it does not work, it either went out or someone tampered with it. Your car will likely fail inspection if its check engine light is on. Using a fuel cleaner regularly will help remove gunk stuck to your engine’s valves and head to help it run more efficiently.

Just don't put it in right before you take your car to get checked, as the fuel cleaner will need time to work all of the junk from your vehicle’s systems. Use all your senses. Keeping your eyes, nose and ears open for potential problems can help you catch an issue before it turns into an emission test failure or costly repair. Pay attention to your vehicle's dashboard warning lights. Watch for fluid leaks where you park your car, as low fluid levels can affect the efficiency of your vehicle. Inspect your gas cap to avoid excess evaporative emissions from your tank. Jerking and jumping, sudden drop in fuel efficiency, difficulty in starting or staying running, or a foul smell can all be signs of a faulty catalytic converter (which is a very common cause for emission test failure). If you need to replace a catalytic converter before its normal life, rather than replace it again, there may be a deeper underlying issue in the emissions control system that should be diagnosed by a certified repair facility.

Not sure if an emission test is required for your vehicle? Read more tips according to your vehicle type: Tips for Light-duty Vehicles Tips for Heavy-duty Vehicles Vehicle inspections in Ontario Buying or selling a used vehicle Vehicles are a major domestic source of smog-causing emissions in Ontario. Drive Clean, administered by the Ministry of the Environment, reduces smog-causing pollutants from vehicles by testing them to identify emissions problems and requiring vehicles to be repaired. Effective September 1, 2011, changes to the program exempted some vehicles from testing: Vehicles are tested for registration renewal at seven years of age, instead of five. Light-duty vehicles no longer require a test for family transfers and lease buyouts by the lessee, unless the test is normally scheduled for that year. No test is required for licence renewal if your light-duty vehicle passed the test in the previous calendar year. Vehicles plated “Historic” no longer require testing.

If your vehicle registration expired before September 1, 2011, the previous rules apply. Light-duty Vehicles (weigh less than 4,500 kilograms) Most passenger cars, vans, and light trucks registered in the southern Ontario Drive Clean area must pass a test every two years in order toVisit the website for details on exemptions and the Heavy-duty Vehicles (commercial vehicles weighing 4,500 kg or more) Diesel trucks and buses registered anywhere in the province and non-diesel vehicles registered in the southern Ontario Drive Clean area must be tested every year and be fully repaired. An incentive is available to encourage maintenance.Ontario’s auditor general has questioned the effectiveness of the province’s emissions testing program leading Conservatives to call the Drive Clean program "redundant." Ottawa mechanic Lloyd Gilchrist says there has been a large jump in failed emissions test since the new on-board diagnostic method came into effect in 2013.

As of Jan. 1, emissions testing in Ontario changed and began using the on-board diagnostic testing method instead of the old method of measuring exhaust emissions straight from the tailpipe. The new form of testing only tests vehicles built in 1998 or later. Vehicles built between 1988 and 1997, which experience a failure rate between 11 and 31 per cent, are still tested using the "two-speed idle method." Mechanics have told CBC News half of the vehicles they see fail the new test due to problems with the vehicle's computer, which are not due to emissions problems. Many of the mechanics, including Lloyd Gilchrist, are struggling with the new Drive Clean emissions test due to circumstances that lead to a reboot of the system. He said about seven of every 10 vehicles he has tested in 2013 have failed. "I think (the government) should have tested it a bit longer before they brought it out to get all of the bugs out of it," Gilchrist, who has been testing Honda vehicles for a decade, told the CBC's Stu Mills.

The province's auditor general, Jim McCarter, said "the reduction in vehicle emissions in Ontario is due largely to factors other than the program," which was featured as part of his 2012 annual report. McCarter credited "better manufacturing standards for emission-control equipment and federal requirements for cleaner fuel" for a decline in failed tests. PC environment critic Michael Harris is accusing the government of changing the emissions testing method to spike the number of failed tests. He added it might not make sense to charge drivers $30 million per year when the failure rate is as low as reported. The PC environment critic, MPP Michael Harris, also said a report on vehicles tested between 1998 and 2010 shows only five per cent of vehicle's emissions are too hazardous to pass a test. The report was conducted for the Ministry of Environment by a firm in Vancouver. At the turn of the millennium, about 16 per cent of vehicles failed an emissions test.