OAR 340-256-0355: Emission Control System Inspection: Emissions Control Test Method for OBD Test Program

This rule documents the general requirements and test sequence for the light or heavy-duty vehicle OBD test method. (1) General Requirements: (a) DEQ must reject from the testing area vehicles having coolant, oil or fuel leaks or any other such defect that make conducting the emission test unsafe. The inspector may not conduct the emissions test until the defects are corrected. (b) Light duty gasoline vehicles must be 1996 and newer model years. (c) Light duty diesel vehicles must be 1997 and newer model years. (d) Heavy duty gasoline vehicles must be 2013 and newer model years and equipped with an OBD-II compliant or newer OBD system. (e) The vehicle must have a properly affixed and readable VIN. (f) The vehicle’s OBD system must match the original manufacturer’s information and must communicate with DEQ’s OBD analytical equipment. (A) All 2005 and subsequent model year light duty vehicles must have the VIN included in the vehicle OBD information. (B) All 2013 and subsequent model year heavy-duty vehicles must have the VIN included in the vehicle OBD information. (g) If an Original Equipment Manufacturer LPG powered vehicle, model year 1996 through 2004, has a DEQ-recognized OBD manufacture defect, DEQ will follow the idle emission testing criteria of OAR 340-256-0340, OAR 340-256-0380, OAR 340-256-0390, OAR 340-256-0400 and OAR 340-256-0420. (2) Test criteria: (a) Gasoline powered motor vehicles from model years 1996 to 2000 are allowed two unready monitors; 2001 and newer vehicles are allowed one unready monitor. (b) Diesel powered motor vehicles from 1997 to 2008 are not allowed any unready monitors; 2009 and newer model year diesel powered motor vehicles are allowed one unready monitor. (c) A vehicle which previously failed with either a catalyst or evaporative Diagnostic Trouble Code must have their respective monitor in a ready status to pass a subsequent retest. The vehicle will be allowed one or two unready monitors depending on the model year, but an unready catalyst or evaporative monitor cannot be one of them. (d) Vehicle OBD systems deviating from manufacturer’s design or intended operation will fail for: (A) Malfunctions of the OBD systems triggering the Malfunction Indicator Light commanded on. (B) A missing, broken or inaccessible Data Link Connector port. (C) Low or missing vehicle battery voltage from the Data Link Connector port. (D) Vehicle OBD data that does not match original manufacturer’s OBD data. (E) The OBD system VIN does not match the vehicle VIN labeling unless recognized by DEQ as a known unresolvable manufacture defect. (F) The OBD system fails to properly communicate. (e) When light duty 1996 – 1998 vehicles that DEQ knows have manufacture readiness issues have three or more unready monitors and do not fail OBD systems criteria in section (2)(d)(A-F), DEQ will test those vehicles with a basic test following OAR 340-256-0340. (3) The Director or the Director’s delegate may grant a waiver from one or more of the requirements or criteria listed in sections (1) and (2) for vehicle classes that DEQ determines present prohibitive inspection problems meeting the requirements or criteria of sections (1) and (2) if DEQ deems the motor vehicle pollution control system otherwise meets the standards of this Division. [NOTE: This rule is included in the State of Oregon Clean Air Act Implementation Plan that EQC adopted under OAR 340-200-0040.]