Hey all, We had a prob with the focus today. The better half took it for the MA inspection today and it failed due to emissions. Decided to do it before I take over teh car. Anywho, He has no idea why it failed or what could be wrong. They just said it was emissions.Do any of you guys have any ideas on where he could start or what it might be??? We have a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 Thanks!!!
Got more info...it is coming up code 02 which is sensor or emissions... the DPFE sensor in new so he believes that it is not that.......
Last edited on Tue Feb 14th, 2006 10:08 pm by tekslilbrat
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
Well there is the default suspects, such as your Primary B1S1 O2 Sensor (the one before the catalytic converter). That should throw a CEL but it could be marginal enough that is fail emissions but not throw a code.
DPFE's are a know issue with the Focus, so I dont know how much stock I would place in it just being new so that cant be the issue, though I would look at other areas first obviously. It could be its not connected properly, or one of the vacuum lines may not be sealing well (try some small zip ties around them at the connection point to secure them).
There is a host of other things that could be causing the issue and without more details its going to be difficult to point in a more specific direction. You could be running rich to the point the O2's cant compensate. You could be running in Open Loop mode, your Catalytic converter could be weak or flat out bad (there again that should trip a CEL).
We dont have emission tesing here so Im not sure what the process is and what you could do to help out. Keep in mind that about 75% of the ECU's job is monitoring emission components so that should give you an idea of the scale of what could be involved.
Did they tell you what component you were high in, i.e. a particular gas or compound coming out of the tailpipe such as CO2 or something like that? I would think that if they used an exhaust sniffer they could tell you. Also, if your CEL is on, that will cause you to fail emissions testing on a visual inspection as well if they hook up to the ODB II port and see that it has been reset pretty recently that will cause you to fail also. When you clear a CEL it also resets all the testing the ECU has done to establish how the emission system is working and it has to be drove for a short period of time before it re-runs all the tests.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, just thought I would throw out there what I could.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
Thanks....I am not too sure about what the emissions said and for the most part I am car iliterate , but to put some light on things......for the longest time, since I have known him at least, almost 3 years now, the check engine light has been constantly on. (He kept putting off the inspection because of it). Well, he decides to sell me the car so we go out to a parking lot cuz its a stick and I need to learn and after about 15 mins of driving, the light went off and has not come on since so he went yest to get the inspection and it failed for emissions. He said code 02 which was sensor or cat so he is gonna look into the sensors again and pray that will solve the issue cuz its like 30.00 every time you go back if I heard correctly so who knows. I will pass on your suggestions tho so that he can go over everything and get this to pass. Thanks again!!!!
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
No problem. Let us know what it turns out to be if you find out, Im always interested in seeing how accurate my diagnosis is.
If he took it to get inspected and the light was off (CEL) and the O2 is failing it is VERY likely that the ECU tests failed, I could show you easily enough on a scan tool. But if the light was off and it failed emissions testing, either they did a exhaust sniffer test and saw the increased emissions from the tail pipe or they hooked up to the ODB II port and saw that the standard emissions self tests by the ECU failed and thats an automatic failure for inspection. More and More states are starting to go to ODB II testing where they just hook up to your port and check things out from there.
If the fuel mileage in the car is off from what is normal then I would be even more suspect of the O2 sensor. They run about $50 locally at Autozone.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
In the past here in NH if you failed you had X monunt of days to go back and get reinspected at the same station for free because you already paid and they only need to check the failing part to see if it now good. But wit hall this ODBII stuff I'm not sure if there doing it that way anymore. Here in NH not only does the shop have to pay the prone bill to upload the data to the states computer but they have to pay the state to upload the data also, kinda like a 900 number.
I called and found out and to bring it back is free and if it fails again, then you get charged. He looked up the code on line and says that is cat/ sensor so he got some info and thinks it is one of the two sensors near the cat, the cat its self or even the plugs. We are gonna try and just do the two sensors in front of and behind the cat and the plugs and see if it passes. The check engine light is dead so it would prolly still be on if it would light up. Who knows. He is gonna try and fix it next week since he is away this weekend so meanwhile I am trying to figure out how to get the car into reverse cuz I can't find italthough I mastered going forward(its a stick) and I have never driven one. Any ideas???? I feel really dumb, but I just sat out there for like 15 mins trying to find reverse and I keep putting it into 4th, yet my boyfriend has no problem getting it in and out of reverse. I can find 5 th, but trying to go into R is not happening for me. Yipes!!!! Ok Oh My god, I think I need to be in a blonde joke(no offense to any one!!!) I have been fighting with this all day and finally called th e FOrd dealer and she told me to pull up on the lil black piece between knob and cover and BOOM slid right into gear. I really feel dumb!!!1 First day with the car onn my own. The man usually got it in reverse for me and never told me to pull up.
Last edited on Fri Feb 17th, 2006 09:15 pm by tekslilbrat
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
I was just gonna tull you to pull up on the ring.....
anyway. The bulb is probably just ont on the CEL(Check Engine Light). It is replaceable but you need to remove the instrument cluster to get at it.
After he changes the sensors put the code reader back on the car and see if there is a code. Don't want to shange sensors and than pay for a 2nd failed imissions test.
Decided to do it before I take over teh car. Anywho, He has no idea why it failed or what could be wrong. They just said it was emissions.
Do any of you guys have any ideas on where he could start or what it might be??? We have a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 Thanks!!!
, but to put some light on things......for the longest time, since I have known him at least, almost 3 years now, the check engine light has been constantly on. (He kept putting off the inspection because of it). Well, he decides to sell me the car so we go out to a parking lot cuz its a stick and I need to learn and after about 15 mins of driving, the light went off and has not come on since so he went yest to get the inspection and it failed for emissions. He said code 02 which was sensor or cat so he is gonna look into the sensors again and pray that will solve the issue cuz its like 30.00 every time you go back if I heard correctly so who knows. I will pass on your suggestions tho so that he can go over everything and get this to pass. Thanks again!!!!
First day with the car onn my own. The man usually got it in reverse for me and never told me to pull up.