| Regular
Smog Check (not "Test Only")
Most vehicles are sent by the California
DMV for smog check testing at stations
designated as "Inspection and Repair" stations which
are licensed to conduct inspections and then repair vehicle defects
related to the emission equipment installed on the vehicle. Other
vehicles, usually older vehicles, are most often sent by California
DMV to "Test Only" stations.
The "Test Only"
station is not permitted to do any repairs on a failing vehicle
other than to re-attach disconnected vacumn hoses and to replace
gas caps which fail testing. Nor are they allowed to make a specific
referral to a repair facility. The consumer has the choice of
which smog check repair facility, if any, they might choose to
do the repairs. The current maximum amount a consumer is required
to spend at a licensed smog check repair station to correct a
defect is $450. Spending at least that amount entitles the owner
to obtain a "repair cost waiver"
which allows the vehicle to be registered
without "passing" a smog check.
There are several reasons for the difference in the DMV referral,
but the main reason for
being sent to a "Test Only" is that the vehicle has
been been flagged as having a
greater chance of failing the smog inspection based on statistics
compiled by the
Bureau of Automotive Repair which has been monitoring the pass/fail
records of
tested vehicles, since the early 70's,when the Smog Check program
began in
California.
Regular
Test and Repair Smog Stations in Los Angeles
Test Only Smog Check Stations
in Los Angeles
Copyright 2009 AATC, Inc All Rights Reserved
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