phrog fixer

Well went to get the HHR inspected/smog check today. Waited about 15 minutes then it was my turn, tech came up and said it won't start. Checked it and tried to jump it no good. So went and bought a new battery good to go. Except now I can't do a smog check cause it cleared all the smog codes. Tech said drive it for about 75-100 miles so now I'll wait till Monday cause work is a 100 miles round trip. Original battery Delco 6 year battery lasted 7 1/2 years.

donbrew

It will probably take 10 COLD start cycles to run the EVAP test. It has to be cold start to warm up, not warm starts.

phrog fixer

Well that's not good, state inspection is already past due.

db/sb

Your drive shoud do it. It has to reset the I/M readiness monitors. Two cold starts and 50 miles each way will be more than enough. BTDT

donbrew

Not for my HHR. 2 resets it took 10 cold starts, including trying the "drive cycle". I know db/sb can get it done on his double secret course. I cannot convince enough dogs, children, cars and traffic controls to get out of my way to get from cold start to 55 MPH cruise in under 2 minutes. It takes me 10 minutes to get to a highway where it is sometimes possible to get to a sustained 55MPH for 3 minutes.

However, it seems to automatically run on the 10th cold start. At least on mine twice. If you happen to access to a TechII Scanner you can induce the "drive cycle". Google "GM drive cycle" for a description of what you need to do to get it to run. I could not do it. Most of the diagnostics will run real soon, it's the EVAP that takes the work. Depending on your state laws, they might pass you for 1 "not ready".

db/sb

Not sure what that means. I was just referring to his 100 mile round trip to work......I drove mine less than that an everything that was necessary to be reset was reset. In California they don't allow any of the monitors to be not ready or inconclusive.

ChevroletCustomerService

Hey phrog,

Glad to hear you're up and running again after replacing the battery. Let us know if anything changes.

Jonathan A.
Chevrolet Customer Care

donbrew

My memory thought that you had mentioned in another thread that you had a course that worked for running a "drive cycle". Maybe my memory is a dummy.
http://www.justanswer.com/chevy/37cv...tor-reset.html
Performing a GM OBD-II Driving cycle:

Cold Start In order to be classified as a cold start the engine coolant temperature must be below 122?F (50?C) and within 11?F (6?C) of the ambient air temperature at startup. Do not leave the key on prior to the cold start or the heated oxygen sensor diagnostic may not run.
Idle The engine must be run for two and a half minutes with the air conditioner on and rear defroster on. The more electrical load you can apply the better. This will test the O2 heater, Passive Air, Purge "No Flow", Misfire and if closed loop is achieved, Fuel Trim.
Accelerate Turn off the air conditioner and all the other loads and apply half throttle until 55mph (88km/hr) is reached. During this time the Misfire, Fuel Trim, and Purge Flow diagnostics will be performed.
Hold Steady Speed Hold a steady speed of 55mph (88km/hr) for 3 minutes. During this time the O2 response, air Intrusive, EGR, Purge, Misfire, and Fuel Trim diagnostics will be performed.
Decelerate Let off the accelerator pedal. Do not shift, touch the brake or clutch. It is important to let the vehicle coast along gradually slowing down to 20 mph (32km/hr). During this time the EGR, Purge and Fuel Trim diagnostics will be performed.
Accelerate Accelerate at 3/4 throttle until 55-60mph (88-96 km/hr). This will perform the same diagnostics as in step 3.
Hold Steady Speed Hold a steady speed of 55mph (88km/hr) for five minutes. During this time, in addition to the diagnostics performed in step 4, the catalyst monitor diagnostics will be performed. If the catalyst is marginal or the battery has been disconnected, it may take 5 complete driving cycles to determine the state of the catalyst.
Decelerate This will perform the same diagnostics as in step 5. Again, don't press the clutch or brakes or shift gears.

This guy left out the requirement that the gas tank is between 1/2 full and 3/4 full.

It must be done exactly like this. You basically need to park over night in the pit area of a race track.

db/sb

I recall posting this link when someone asked about a GM drive cycle: http://www.obdii.com/drivecycle.html . But I don't recall posting anything about a specific course. You sure that was me? I might have talked about my son's Ford Escort and the problems we had getting it to reset. But I never actually had to do that with our HHR. We only had to smog check it once during our ownership. I did have to do that once in one of our vehicles but it was with my GTO. We only do the evap test here on pre OBDII vehicles so it doesn't matter how much fuel is in the tank.

donbrew

My memory lived through the 60's and 70's. If you get my drift.