I have a 2002 Toyota Land Cruiser that did not pass the smog test because my catalytic converter needs data. My battery was changed two month ago. How can this get fixed?
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Failing emissions usually means error code(s) stored in memory, check engine indicator turned on. Is it on or off? Off, one monitor failed, halting completion. Vehicles in the USA market are required to have OBD II; essentially emissions self tests run every time we start and drive our vehicles. Most generic readers can decode emissions errors, P type codes. Autozone or Advance Auto provide free readings of emissions error codes. Other auto stores, dealers, repair shops can decode errors (fee). Perhaps a friend, relative or acquaintance with a reader can decode stored info in your TLC.– F DryerCommented Oct 28, 2022 at 0:21
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3 Answers
I'm guessing here, but I think the problem is your engine control unit (ECU) has not passed the internal smog tests, also known as a "drive cycle". This is part of the OBD II system and are the parameters which are read by the smog station to pass the vehicle. If the ECU has been reset either directly, or as in your case through loss of power (battery replacement), the OBD II system must run the drive cycle again. It is in sort of a "limbo" state while the vehicle does the things to pass the drive cycle. How the drive cycle gets to a valid state can be different in every vehicle type and manufacturer.
Most vehicles check for eight separate things to pass the test, one of them is the catalytic converter. Some of the checks occur right after startup or through what I'd consider an "easy" check. Some of them require quite a few different things to occur for them to pass. This is where the drive cycle comes in.
According to this site, the drive cycle to pass the cat check for your Land Cruiser is as follows:
- Do not turn off the ignition switch during the test procedure.
- Allow the vehicle to run at idle until warmed up.
- Drive at a steady speed between 40 and 70 MPH for 10 minutes. It’s a good idea to stay in the middle of this range, so 55 MPH is optimal.
- It may take several attempts and warm up cycles to complete the drive cycle.
When it says "Drive at a stead speed between 40 and 70 for 10 minutes", it means it. If you go below or above these speeds or even use your brakes (or so I've read), it can invalidate the test and cause it to remain in the "limbo" status. My suggestion is to know your route prior to performing the drive cycle and plan accordingly. In some areas this may be very difficult as traffic can be a bugger.
Other things to consider for tests other than your cat is to ensure your gas tank is only partially full. It needs to be between 1/4 and 3/4 tank in order to check for the EVAP check to occur, and this is between several heating/cooling cycles.
If this does not get your cat passed for emissions purposes, you may have bigger issues which needs to be checked. It is my suggestion to you to purchase an ELM 327 OBD II device from Amazon (very cheap but handy device), then get the Torque Lite app (which is free) for your phone so you can check codes and emissions state on your own. You won't have to go back to the emissions shop to see if the vehicle is ready, you can do it on your own.
answered Oct 27, 2022 at 10:59
A Catalytic Converter is an exhaust pipe /muffler looking device and has no 'data' I would look at your Downstream Oxygen Sensor (o2) as it's the only thing that will provide any data to the ECU from after the Cat. You don't give the model, so I'm going to assume that being an 01 year it is an FJ75 model. Have a search for toyota 89465-39885 (Cheap on amazon) This may not be the correct one, nor the correct issue. get your mechanic to explain what he means by "needs data from the cat converter".
Post-2000 cars actually have very sophisticated computers, and the so-called "smog test" actually is nothing more than asking the computer if everything is alright.
How does the computer know if everything is alright? It uses its sensors, including the "after-catalytic-converter" oxygen sensor, to monitor the car's smog performance in a wide variety of operating conditions.
That means city and highway driving, a mix of commuting, highway cruise, and stop-n-go around town. Sitting at the curb idling until the car warms up is not one of those tests, and violates the operating instructions. Read your owner's manual.
As a convenience to people doing repairs, the computer lets you "wipe out" its memory of recent performance by unhooking the battery terminals. That way you can get fresh data after a repair. If you have one of those "battery shut-off switches" on your battery, this will make the computer forget every time, which would assure a smog fail.
It's often a problem that a car is only used for city driving, or never used for city driving, and so the computer never gets a complete picture. That is the error being reported.
So don't disconnect the battery, and go take the car on an adventure to do the kind of driving you don't.
If you just can't clear that code - and many auto parts stores will check your codes for free - it's also possible the oxygen sensors have gotten tired out - one before the cat and one after. They are not costly so you might replace the pair. I would not replace only one.
answered Oct 28, 2022 at 1:28
