Didn't your new cat cost more than $450? That would entitle you to a waiver.

 

He got the waiver, but it's only good for 2 years, until the next smog test is due. Now it's due again, but the issue was not fixed in those 2 years.

 

That's obvious, isn't it? I got the Foxwell NT201 working and it said all the tests were OK except the O2 sensor which was incomplete. I saw a youtube video where someone demonstrated an OBD2 tester and he drove at 55 mph and slowed down to about 20 mph to get the tests to complete. I might have to do that with my HHR.

 

So the Foxwell is saying the catalytic converter or one of the O2 sensors aren’t working

 

O2 sensor test incomplete

 

O2 sensor tests run continuously; if it is not ready after 2 years it will never be ready. Maybe it is time to think about addressing them, it is recommended to replace them when replacing the cat.
Agonizing about it doesn't help.
Drive cycle is a fiction. Normal driving for 10 days is usually sufficient. There is NO need to clear codes, they clear themselves after repair; clearing makes all of the OBD start from scratch.

 

So exactly which code are we advising on , just the code or codes please.

 

As far as I can tell; it flunked emissions 2 years ago, no codes cited, got new cat with a 2 year waiver. Now we are worrying about the TPMS needing new sensors and the fuel gauge not working affecting a new emissions test. For unknown reasons the OBD2 O2 sensor test is "not ready", no codes cited.

Evidently, the car did not actually "fail" in 2022 rather it was "not ready". No reason is given for replacing the cat at that time.

The usual cause of a "not ready" is a pending or current code. Since 1996 the OBD computer has done all of the emissions tests that were formerly done at the inspection station with a tailpipe probe. "Not ready" means not ready for inspection, inspection being a state employee plugging a OBD2 reader into the OBD2 port and receiving Passed or Failed on the various tests. If a test is "not ready" it means that something is inhibiting the test; all of tests have certain criteria for running, including the absence of certain codes.

When I was dealing with a P0420 I was not worried about I/M readiness (no emissions testing in my county). I know that every time I reset the codes there would be no codes for 10 days of driving then the EVAP test would run and pass followed by the P0420 popping back up; I don't know what the I/M readiness state was. The car was gone before it got fixed.

 

This is what my reader showed 1.5 years ago. The Red Xs are not applicable.

 

O2 sensor test isn't completing, I don't see in either thread that the o2 sensor wiring had been looked at. I would be visually inspecting this. If all looks good, try a new sensor. Anybody know which one to start with?