[ba] Reliability of B5 vs. B6 A4s? or???

[Chris Maresca]

Yes, sorry, I left that out as I though it was widely known.  A check 
engine light is just an indicator that a code has been set in the ECU 
memory.  Most/all codes are available via OBDII, although special 
software/lookup tables are needed to decipher some OEM specific codes.

The codes are divided in to four types B, C, P and U (Body, Chassis, 
Powertrain and Undefined).  Generally, smog will fail on any P codes, 
AFAIK.  However, P1xxx codes are generic, P2xxx codes are OEM specific 
and P3xxx are 'SAE' codes.  I think that only P1xxx codes fail smog as 
P2xxx could be anything - although technically all P-codes are emissions 
related.

P codes are further divided into A & B codes, where A codes general an 
immediate MIL (check engine light) and stores the associated data.  Type 
B codes will only set the MIL and store data after two consecutive 
failures.  If it's a type B P-code, you might have a chance to reset it 
before a smog check, but it may be that pending codes also fail smog, I 
don't know.

HTH,

Chris.

On 11/25/10 9:59 AM, John wrote:
> What Chris left out is that during the smog check, they connect to the OBDII
> port and read the codes, along with other data needed for the test. The only way
> to get around it is to make the ECU happy, you'd need to spoof the TQ signal...
>
> John
>
>
> On 11/25/2010 09:43 AM, Chris Maresca wrote:
>> You can do that, but it won't work.  The light sets a code and that's
>> what they look for, not whether/if the dash light is working.
>>
>> Chris.
>>
>> On 11/25/10 9:19 AM, George wrote:
>>
>>> Insofar as I can't smog the car in California with the check engine light
>>> on, and if the TQ is still running fine a year from now, when I do need to
>>> smog it, I will pull the dash and cut the check engine light PC board
>>> traces. I will then install two wires and bring them out to a switch tucked
>>> up under the dash. That way I can control when the check engine light works
>>> and when I need it off. After all, a leaky seal in the TQ has nothing to do
>>> with emissions.
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