What is an Emission Test? Why is it important?

If a car has been bought by an individual, and is of 3 years old, a road worthy test is a must. At the time of the test, the car has to undergo a few tests to prove that the car still in condition to be used by an individual. Of those tests, an important test is the emission test. In this test, the vehicle has to comply with the EPA (Environmental Protect Agency) standards to prove that it is limiting its negative impact on the environment. 

What happens during this test?

This test is primarily done to identify and assess where the emission is from. It is assessed in two stages.

The first is checking the emission at fast-idle speed, where the engine is made to run at 2500-3000 rpm. The emission of CO and HC will be checked in this stage of the check. The second is checking the emission at normal-idle speed, where the engine would be idle at 450-1500 rpm.

The emission of CO alone is checked in the second stage. If the required standards are not met in the basic emission test, the vehicle is taken for the second stage of the car check.

If the car has passed the test, it is viable to be driven around. In the unlikely event, if the car has failed the test, it needs to undergo the required repairs and pass another test. In addition to these, the car is also checked to see if there are any leaks in the exhaust and fuel system.

What is the common reason for an emission test failure?

High emission of hydrocarbons from the exhaust is the common reason for an emission test failure.  It happens if a car has not been maintained properly, or if the car has been left idle, and not been used in quite a sometime. This eventually leads to faulty ignition system, which in turn results in emission test failure.

Validity of an emission test

The validity of an emission test report is for a year. If your vehicle has undergone, and passed the emission test, its reports are valid for a year, and the report has to be renewed every year to ensure that its impact on polluting the environment is less.

How can I check CO2 emissions of my used car?

With a free car check from CarDotCheck, you can find out many details such as the technical specs of the car along with the CO2 emissions that it produces. The more the CO2 emissions, the more the tax levied will be (the VED), make sure that you buy a used car that is reasonable in terms of MOT records and such emissions for a long lasting vehicle that contributes to your daily life.