PCM reset / smog check

[steagle]

since i live in CA i have to get my car smog checked every two years. well as some of you know my gas mileage has been horrible ever since i bought the LS and my top two suspicions are bad 02 sensors or bad cats. so obviously im a little worried about the smog check... i've been wanting to unplug the battery to reset my PCM but the smog check dude said don't do that because you'll automatically fail the check. the computer won't have enough information to give an accurate reading. that makes sense, but on the other hand, what if my PCM's current readings are totally inaccurate, and a reset would get it back on track? what are your thoughts?

 

[steagle]

boink..

 

[Quik LS]

i've been wanting to unplug the battery to reset my PCM but the smog check dude said don't do that because you'll automatically fail the check. the computer won't have enough information to give an accurate reading. that makes sense, but on the other hand, what if my PCM's current readings are totally inaccurate, and a reset would get it back on track? what are your thoughts?

correct - you have to have a number of 'drive cycles' on the car before you can test it. this is kept in the PCM, but cleared on a reset.

So you will fail the test simply because you have not driven the car enough to have the PCM reading valid. It is to prevent exactly what you are trying to do - where you clear the error codes right before the test, where they would appear after driving it for some miles.

Trust the PCM, if you are out - it should throw a code, if not - your likely ok.