Inspection Info
Why AirCare is Unable to Test Your Vehicle
Any defects that may cause a potentially dangerous situation must be corrected before the AirCare inspection can be completed.
The Workers' Compensation Board Industrial Health and Safety Regulations, Section 3.12 [external link] provides for the safety of persons in dealing with potentially hazardous situations:
A person must not carry out or cause to be carried out any work process or operate or cause to be operated any tool, appliance or equipment if that person has reasonable cause to believe that to do so would create an undue hazard to the health and safety of any person.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation Section 3.12 [external link]
Provincial legislation states:
If an inspector determines that a motor vehicle cannot safely undergo an emission inspection, the inspector must not perform the emission inspection
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 40.05 [external link]
We are unable to proceed with an AirCare inspection for the following reason(s):
Inaccessible exhaust opening
The tailpipe must expel the exhaust beyond the perimeter of the vehicle for all motor vehicles 5000 kg or less
4 or more readiness monitors not ready (initial inspection of 1998 and newer light-duty vehicles)
If your 1998 and newer light-duty vehicle has four or more readiness monitors Not Ready it is not in an acceptable condition to receive an OBD inspection because the information needed to make a pass/fail determination is not yet available. Resolving this situation requires that the vehicle be operated under the circumstances prescribed by the manufacturer that will allow all of the necessary self–diagnostic checks to complete. See your repair centre for more specific information.
Read more about readiness monitors.
2 or more readiness monitors not ready (re-inspection of 1998 and newer light-duty vehicles)
If your 1998 and newer light-duty vehicle is re-inspected after previously failing the OBD test, and you have not had repair data submitted by an AirCare Certified Repair Centre, the vehicle will be rejected from testing if 2 or more readiness monitors are Not Ready. Resolving this situation requires that the vehicle be operated under the circumstances prescribed by the manufacturer that will allow all of the necessary self–diagnostic checks to complete. See your repair centre for more specific information.
Read more about readiness monitors.
Unable to perform emissions control equipment inspection
Every owner of a motor vehicle presented to an inspection centre for an emissions inspection must submit the vehicle to an inspection of emission control devices . . .
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 40.05(1)(c) [external link]
Lack of brake control
The Workers' Compensation Board forbids an unsafe vehicle be tested. Front and rear brakes need to be working properly.
Excessive exhaust leak (sample dilution)
If the exhaust system has a substantial leak(s), it is not possible to obtain an accurate measurement of the engine's true emissions.
An exhaust system shall not have loose or leaking joints, seams, or holes.
The exhaust systems and its elements must be securely fastened.
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 7, Schedule 1, Section 22 [external link]
Internal engine problems may also cause sample dilution.
Excessive smoke
The engine and exhaust system shall be equipped and adjusted to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke as compared to other motor vehicles of the same or similar types and sizes.
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 7, Schedule 1, Section 16 [external link]
Tire/wheel problems
No tire on a vehicle shall have any of the following defects:
- Cord break or air leak;
- Tread damage including cracks, cuts or snags in excess of 25 mm in any direction and deep enough to expose the ply cords;
- Sidewall cracks, scuffs, cuts or snags to the extent that body cords are damaged or exposed;
- Bumps, bulges or lumps apparently caused by separation of the tread or sidewall from the ply cords or by partial failure of the tire structure, including the bead area.
The wheels and tires with which a vehicle is equipped shall be of the same size on one axle.
No wheel shall have loose, missing or defective bolts, nuts or lugs, or bent, loose, cracked or defective rim or wheel flanges.
A wheel shall not have any missing, loose or broken spokes.
Hub caps shall be of such design and construction that minimizes the damage done to an object or injury to a person coming in contact with it.
The tires of a vehicle presented for inspection between May 1 and September 30 shall not be equipped with studs, and during the remainder of the year vehicles equipped with studded tires shall comply with section 19.03 of the regulations.
A disk wheel shall not have elongated bolt holes or cracks between handholds or stud holes.
A cast wheel of spoke type shall not be cracked.
Each rim and ring shall be matched and no rim or ring shall be bent, sprung or cracked.
A wheel or rim shall not be repaired by welding unless the weld repair is to an aluminum wheel or rim and is made in accordance with the Weld Repair of Aluminum Alloy Wheels Regulation.
A tire shall not be mounted or inflated so that it comes in contact with another tire and a tire marked ‘Not For Highway Use’ or with other words having a similar meaning shall not be used.
A tire shall not be regrooved if it is not designed to permit regrooving and is not marked "regroovable" at the time of manufacture, or if it has tread or groove cracks extending to the fabric.
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 7, Schedule 1, Section 20 [external link]
Lack of steering control
The AirCare inspection requires the drive wheels of a vehicle to maintain a steady speed of 40 km/h (for 1991 and older vehicles) or speeds of up to 90 km/h (for 1992 and newer vehicles) on a dynamometer (road simulator). In the case of front wheel drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles, steering and/or alignment problems may cause an unsafe condition when attempting to test the vehicle on the dynamometer.
Engine stall
The AirCare inspection procedure includes a measurement of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions while the engine is idling. This simulates a normal driving condition. If the engine has any defects that cause unstable idle speeds or stalling, emissions cannot be evaluated.
Fuel leak
A fuel system must not have a leakage in any part.
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 7, Schedule 1, Section 21 [external link]
Excessive engine speed (rpm)
The AirCare inspection includes a measurement of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions while the engine is idling. This simulates a normal driving condition. If the engine has defects that cause the speed to remain substantially higher than the manufacturer's specified idle rpm, the emissions cannot be evaluated.
Overheating
The operation of a vehicle on the dynamometer will not overheat a properly functioning cooling system. If the cooling system performance is not up to the manufacturer's designed capabilities, excessive engine temperatures may result. To prevent the possibility of engine damage, the cooling system defect should be repaired prior to emission testing.
Excessive fluid leak
A power steering system, including valve body and hose connections, shall not show signs of active leakage.
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 7, Schedule 1, Section 19 [external link]
No person shall drive or operate a vehicle on a highway unless the connections for any air, vacuum or hydraulic braking system with which the vehicle is equipped are
- of such manufacture and design and so installed and maintained that the proper operation of the brakes of the vehicle shall not be impeded or adversely affected,
- secured adequately against accidental disconnection, and
- of such manufacture and design and so installed and maintained that no leaks, constrictions or other defects occur, and,
in the case of a vehicle equipped with a vacuum braking system, unless the vacuum brake engine manifold connection is at least 9.5 mm in diameter.
BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations Division 5.07 [external link]
To prevent the possibility of engine damage, vehicles identified with transmissions fluid leaks should be repaired prior to emissions testing. Any leak of engine coolant, engine oil and transmission oil will result in unsafe conditions to conduct a test.
The Province of British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act [external link] sets standards for the safe operation and testing of a vehicle.
