sis's Nissan 1999 Quest, emissions Chk Eng Lt

[Thomas C Potter]

My sisters van has intermittent Check Engine Light. She is due emissions test. Can she disconnect the battery to hopefully clear all codes, take it for test, and the old cleared?? codes not interfere with her enmisions test?? She has been laid off and wants to spend minimal $$ on this old van. I assume being an OBDII car her test station will plug into her port.

[bigmerc2003]

When you unplug the battery it will put the computer into a "not ready status" until the vechile has passed its internal checks. While the system checks the emissions parts it will realize the fault and trip the light again. The codes most likley will cause it to fail period until it is fixed now that most states have switched to the OBDII test. Save the hassle and take it to someone to read the code, fix the part (at a shop or yourself) and eith diconnect the battery AND run the drive cycles to get the computer ready for the test OR drive the car with the light on until the computer does its next self test and recognizes the code has been fixed.

[jgc61sr2002]

You can have the light reset.

Then you must drive the car for approx. 50 miles to recycle the computer.

Hopefully the light will not come on until after the inspection.

A check engine light on in NY is an automatic failure,
I would assume it is the same where she lives.
Good Luck

[RF Overlord]

+1 for what bigmerc2003 said.

A check engine light is an automatic fail, and if you just temporarily clear the light, the computer will tell the state's diagnostic machine that the I/M Readiness flag is not set, and it will fail that way. Go to any AutoZone or Advance Auto and they will read the codes for free.

[Thomas C Potter]

thnx folks, she went to insp station - short of driving some 50 miles with light off - failed, but they gave her the $100 waiver good for one year. So once she finds employment, she plans to buy something newer. Good old van tho, never been towed nor made her walk. 180K. Anyone want a cheap mini van some 6 months from now?? AC still works!!

[bigmerc2003]

Still get the code diagnosed, it could be something stupid like an o2 or major engine/trans wise. Either way good to know because emissions are like an avalanch, one small thing causes other parts to work harder causing them to break and so on

[RF Overlord]

failed, but they gave her the $100 waiver good for one year. What's this about? In MA, if you fail, you fail. You have 60 days to get the car fixed and re-tested. No waivers, although the re-test is free.