What are you talking about swap? We have BOTH safety AND emissions testing. Although they got rid of the dynamic treadmill test some years back and replaced it with a simple OBDII scan now.
Maybe @GeorgeSanJose means just emission testing. I know after 15 years you donāt have to pass the OBD2 test for emission related failures according to the state of MA. Just hit my last year now and shouldnāt have to worry about those types of failures in the future; only safety related ones (i.e. excessive smoke from tailpipe or hole in exhaust you can smell or hear)
I know after 15 years you donāt have to pass the OBD2 test for emission related failures according to the state of MA
Are you sure about that? They exempted 15 year old cars now because thatās about the time when OBDII became widely implemented. It would surprise me if they continued to move that threshold date forward.
1 Itās simple to administer the OBDII test.
2. The cars most likely to fail will be the oldest cars.
3. Although the population of older cars continues to go down and the benefits diminish, see #1
Iād appreciate any reference you can provide. Just want to be educated on the requirementsā¦
The state website says this (highlighting is mine)-
The following vehicles must successfully complete an OBD emissions test:
2002 to current model year passenger vehicles (e.g. cars, trucks, SUVs).
2008 to current model year medium duty vehicles.
2002 to current model year light-duty diesel vehicles that weigh no more than 8,500 pounds.
2007 to current model year medium-duty diesel vehicles that weigh between 8,501 and 14,000 pounds.
2008 to current model year medium-duty non-diesel vehicles between 8,501 to 14,000 pounds.
Itās been 2002 for years now. Iāll bet dollars to donuts that in 2020, it will still say 2002ā¦but if you have information to the contrary, love to see it.
OBD2 became standardized in 1996. I donāt recall what you show to have 2002 listed last year, but hereās the law regarding it, so something will definitely change:
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXVI/Chapter111/Section142M
Do a search on ā15ā in the article.
1996 became the first model year that the feds required cars to be manufactured with OBDII systems integrated into them. Donāt confuse the feds requirements to manufacturers with EPA testing requirements by the states. States have varying schemes and rules for testing, all approved by the EPA. In NH, whether emissions is required depends on what county you live in. The EPA nationwide pollution study years ago that established the groundrules regarding who has to test show variations within the state, and NH submitted a program that only tested in those counties where the levels exceeded the goal. The EPA bought it. Originally NH did a tailpipe test (the olā combustion analyzer), but some years back they resubmitted to use OBDII downloads, and it was approved. Note that NH inspection stations will and can still reject the car if the CEL is on, regardless of where itās registered. Itās required by the inspection regulations not to be. Call this a āgrey areaā if you like, as it pretty much extends the emissions requirement statewide without specifically doing so by mandating an ECU check with every inspection. I guess itās āpolitispeakā.
Many states donāt have emissions testing. Hereās a good link to a chart.
Here in the SF Bay area of California, driving older cars often means a treadmill/tailpipe emissions test once every two years. Thatās whatās required for my Corolla. Treadmill testing extends back to 1975 models. Older than appx 1975 (and fairly new cars) are exempt.
Thanks for the reference. Only a government body could turn a simple matter into an excruciatingly long document like that. The excerpt below:
The commissioner may establish regulations for exempting certain motor vehicles from some or all of the requirements of this section. The following motor vehicles may be exempt from the provisions of this section and may require alternative test procedures: (i) any motor vehicle the model year of which is 15 years before the year in which the inspection occurs;
Notice it says may and not will or shall. It doesnāt mean they are going to institute a sliding exclusion date but allows for that to occur if they choose to do so. Itās been 2002 for some time now and hasnāt changed. My bet is that they will not. Itās no extra effort to require it so why not?
Yes, OBDII was launched earlier than 2002 but not widely enough to warrant using it across the board for testing. Plus, the states had to react to its release and that took some time to do. Maybe they were working on this document for a few years in MA 
Yeah, I guess it would bum me out if it stayed the same. When you first mentioned it, I found a newsletter online about OBD2 testing being deployed in MA back in 02. I guess Iām somewhat lucky in the sense I bought my truck out of NH and it wasnāt 50 state compliant, but due to OBD2 testing it passed even when it shouldnāt have since it wasnāt MA compliant. You would think theyād exempt it at some point in time, but maybe not.
I do feel your pain. I have one car that is a hassle almost every single year due to a slight non-conformance. So I grit my teeth, cross my fingers and hope it passes without an act of congress as it has in some years past.
One thing, they may exempt it from emissions at some point but all cars are subject to safety inspection. So this steering lock issue is unlikely to go away until you fix it. I tend to go to the same place year after year just hoping the same people still work there and they know me. When thereās turnover, the whole episode has to be repeated and hope they are as understanding as the prior technicianā¦Hence the approach- hey, I have this kind of unique situation and Iād appreciate your taking a look and letting me know if it will pass or notā¦