Eco-conscious drivers in Georgia are finding out that the grass isn't necessarily greener on their side of the fence. 2007 is the first year drivers of the 2004 Prius are required to get their cars tested for emissions. You'd think the clean-running hybrid would have no problems breezing through the exam. But, as CNN reports, no matter how many times Georgia drivers try to test one, they all fail. Huh?
Well, sorta. It's more like the Prius refuses to take the test. When the Prius is set to idle at 2,500 rpm on the tester, it does what it's supposed to do. It shuts off the engine to save fuel. Georgia's pre-hybrid equipment issues a failing grade because of an incomplete test.
Instead of just acknowledging its system is outdated, Georgia still requires Prius owners to pay the $25 testing fee for an "aborted test." That allows them to get a failed certificate from the tester which car owners must take to one of five waiver centers (M-F, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) to be granted permission to buy a license plate. Don't ya love bureaucracy?
As one man in the CNN video says, "They say no good deed goes unpunished." Ain't that the truth.
[Source: CNN]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
paul34 @ Apr 16th 2007 1:01PM
Don't you love how governments exploit any opportunity to pick the pocket of its' slaves, I mean, citizens even more?
I don't know why more people can't be like Florida - we don't have to waste time with ridiculous "emissions tests."
epilonious @ Apr 16th 2007 1:10PM
*shrug* I would have thought there was an "emissions test" setting somewhere in the guts of the maintenance works... complete with a little slider for where the RPM should sit.
Paul: Careful, the government is taxing you to build the roads you drive on... and to provide you with this shiny whaaaaaaambulance.
Nelson Muntz @ Apr 16th 2007 1:13PM
HA-HA!
Kowell @ Apr 16th 2007 1:19PM
Efficient bureaucraty = doing in 12 steps that wich could be done in 2
roadside observer @ Apr 16th 2007 1:19PM
So it's the state of Georgia's fault that the Prius flunks the emissions test?
Wouldn't it have made sense to program a smog-check mode into the Prius's computer which allowed it to run for a smog check?
Sounds like Toyota's engineers dropped the ball on this one.
Phil L. @ Apr 16th 2007 1:21PM
There are well-known DIY Prius hacks that can, for example, force the car to use the battery for a longer distance than normal US-spec cars will allow (in this case, it makes use of features designed for other markets). It wouldn't surprise me if someone quickly figures out how to wire a switch that forces a Prius to leave the engine on for emissions-test purposes...
Mike @ Apr 16th 2007 1:22PM
I have to agree with RO here, an hour in front of the computer could have fixed this problem before the Prius left the factory. There is NO WAY that engineers did not envision or take into account that a Prius would have to pass a smog test at some point.
Phil L. @ Apr 16th 2007 1:23PM
Also, to be fair, the emissions test equipment doesn't care that it's a hybrid - it only wants to make sure that the internal combusion engine runs properly and all emissions equipment is functioning properly. The test equipment can't do that when the engine is off...
Andrew @ Apr 16th 2007 1:25PM
Who the hell still uses tailpipe sniffers on ODB-II equipped cars? Georgia apparently.
Phil L. @ Apr 16th 2007 1:26PM
And yet another thought:
Georgia doesn't use the OBDII port? Here in Maryland, all '96+ cars bypass the treadmill/exhaust probe test, and simply check the OBDII port.
dougjp @ Apr 16th 2007 1:28PM
I smell a class action suit coming on, against the State! What a place, don't you just luv it. :)
Viv @ Apr 16th 2007 1:31PM
That us Georgians boys, ain't we grrrrrrrrrrreat???
Tool @ Apr 16th 2007 1:45PM
You'd think that TMS would have known about this and would have worked with state DMVs to handle this problem.
SB @ Apr 16th 2007 1:51PM
ahahahahahah
they still run test on tailpipe.
Have you heard about OBD-II Georgia?
Gardiner Westbound @ Apr 16th 2007 1:52PM
Government values and rewards process, not results. It has no concept of cost and time constraints. The vast majority of bureaucrats lack business knowledge and skills, have unhelpful attitudes and nonproductive work habits, cannot accept or discharge responsibility, and are unaccountable.
lalaland @ Apr 16th 2007 1:59PM
California still uses tailpipe sniffers, so don't be so hard on the good ol' boys down in peanut farming land.
synergeist @ Apr 16th 2007 2:02PM
It doesn't get 60 MPG, however it's still suitable for target practice for Jeremy Clarkson.
Mike @ Apr 16th 2007 2:04PM
BLAME PRESIDENT BUSH!!!!!
that's the cool thing to do, right?
Curt Kicklighter @ Apr 16th 2007 2:09PM
Here in Georgia, the emissions testing is done by a quasi-state run organization called the "clean air force". Commonly referred to as the "clean air farce". It is politically correct to test for emissions, but as Florida finally admitted when they ended their testing, not effective since the vast majority of the pollution in the Atlanta area is caused by power plants, industry and trucks which are exempt from the testing. Plus the old beaters that are running around with Antique lic plates are also exempt even though they put out at least 1000 time more pollution than a typical modern car. It will never go away since there are private companies making so much money off of it.
Richie638 @ Apr 16th 2007 2:10PM
It wasn't fair when Pearl Harbor got bombed on a sleepy Sunday morning. Hope Georgia fails them all.