Hello all! I have a 1998 Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan(4 cylinder) w/105,000 miles. I just bought it used and the check engine light came on. I had to get it inspected for Pennsylvania inspection and the mechanic got a code back that was P0420, so they said that they need to replace the catalytic converter. I didnt have the money so i took it home and it sat in my driveway for about 3 months. I tried to start it the other day and i had to end up jumping it off because it sat for so long the battery was dead. I took it to the mechanic again and he replaced the battery and the check engine light went off. He says that i have to drive it for about 80 miles to reset the computer. I dont know how im going to drive it for 80 miles without an emission inspection. This doesnt make sense to me. Since the light has went off should i take it down the road to another shop and try to get another emission inspection? Money is kind of tight right now. Is there anyway that I can get this inspection with the light off and worry about repairing my catalytic converter later? Thanks for any help!

 

Just take it in, if the car's been taken care of.....it'll pass. My '92 LX Accord passed with super-low emissions at 220,000 miles!! But then again, that's not uncommon for a Honda.

 

Take it to get inspected.
If it doesnt pass OBD2 readyness then you wont have to pay.

It usually takes 80 miles or so to get ready..

 

When you disconnected your battery, you reset the computer and that's why the light went off. While it is off take it in for emmissions, because no code is registered on computer.

 

ok well, im going to drive it tonight for 80 miles, and then take it in for inspection tomorrow. i was just mainly concerned about the OBDII being "ready" when i took it in for inspection, but you guys answered that for me! THANKS A LOT GUYS!
peace

 

If you drive it 80 miles then the light WILL come back on for sure. Just disconnect battery again before going for emmissions test.

 

I was under the impression that if i do not drive the 80 miles tonight; when i take the car to an emissions inspection station tomorrow they will get an error code from the OBD2 that will tell them that the car hasnt been driven enough for that OBD2 to get "warmed up" and they will not be able to pass me. Is this right?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phillyjmb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was under the impression that if i do not drive the 80 miles tonight; when i take the car to an emissions inspection station tomorrow they will get an error code from the OBD2 that will tell them that the car hasnt been driven enough for that OBD2 to get "warmed up" and they will not be able to pass me. Is this right?</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes. The system will indicate it is not ready to be tested if the computer hasnt finished the tests it performs.

 

Because this is an emission code it will take 2 drive cycles for the code to reappear as a CEL how ever after one drive it could show up as a "code pending" by way of failing to complete the readiness cycle.

 

Go find a buddy who "knows a guy" for an inspection. Usually, the best candidates are Mustang/Camaro/Trans Am guys. I used to have an '02 SS Camaro, and we ALL ran illegal stuff on our cars, so we all shared within our little group who would pass us with multiple things wrong with our cars. Go find some of those guys, and they're bound to know someone. Sometimes it's the backwoods mom and pop garage that will just slap a sticker on your car.

My old car passed with illegal tint, illegal exhaust, bald tires, no windshield wipers, and a check engine light on (mine was catalytic converters as well - but O2 simulators took care of that....)

 

OK! i just drove the car all night, for 101 miles and there is NO Check Engine light. it DID NOT return. so im going to take it to the shop in the morning and try to get them to test it. Hopefully that OBD2 is ready and i can get this thing done! im really trying to take a road trip to Alabama this weekend since i have off work, so i REALLY would love to get this inspection DONE!!!
UUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!

And by the way "RealDealAccord"...i used to be able to find that "guy" and get some stickers thrown on my car...but its gotten a LOT tougher these days. the thing is...in Pennsylvania(City of Philadelphia), they have to be able to account for each sticker...and each sticker has a number that is assigned to it(basically)...and this number comes straight from Harrisburg...you see: at the inspection station they hook the computer right up to your OBD2 and THAT computer is networked straight to Harrisburg...if your car fails emissions then it sends a fail code right to Harrisburg(via that computer) and the mechanic doesnt get the authorization number to label that sticker...so you see that about the only way to cheat that thing is if that mechanic has an extra car that he can throw onto that computer and act like its yours...and i just dont know many mechanics AT ALL! much less a mechanic that would do that for me.

Oh well.

And oh yea...THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR ALL THE INPUT!
I'll keep you guys posted...let ya know what happens tomorrow!

 

Good Luck, on the road trip man.

 

Bring it to a Honda dealer to be inspected.

 

I had the light com eon on my 99 accord LX .. for what i thought was no reason.... come to find out my wife didnt screw the gas cap all the way down...

so make sure the gas cap is on all the way... sometimes this will make your light come on :D .. I learned that the hard way...

 

P0420 means your catalytic converter is below threshhold. My 98 accord also had this problem around 95k miles. The light WILL come back, I promise you! You need to replace the converter eventually. Use OEM converter only at HONDA. Talk to the service manager and see if he will help out with cost since warranty expired. Hope this helps.

 

OK EVERYBODY!!! I took my car to a shop for emissions inspection this morning. I just went and got it and IT PASSED!!! IT PASSED INSPECTION!!! Im so stoked man! Finally! I mean...i know that the "Check Engine" light will probably come back on and I'll get that P0420 again and I'll have to replace the catalytic converter, but at least for now...for the holidays...I'll have a little extra dough so I can buy some presents and I'll be able to drive to Alabama to see my moms!
So once again...
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT AND ALL THE HELP!
Peace