1997 Toyota Rav4 Failed Because Monitor Not Ready

I had to replace my battery just before doing a smog test. So I drove my Rav4 130 miles and took the car in for the test. It passed the emissions part but failed in the readiness monitor part. The smog station said I had two components not showing up as ready. They were the EVAP and the Catalyst Monitors. They told me to drive the car some more, so I did. I drove about 700 miles in all situations and scenarios I could find on the internet. The EVAP is now ON (has green check by it) but the Catalyst monitor is still not being recognized (has a red check by it) by the ECU. Can my car pass the smog check with only one component not showing up?

Answer:

1996-1999 model year gasoline powered vehicles are allowed one incomplete readiness/emission monitor. Note however that the the Catalyst Monitor is the one monitor that is exempt from not being ready or complete if your Toyota Rav4 previously had any emission defect causing that monitor not to be ready and the vehicle is being retested after receiving repairs. In other words, if there was an emissions related problem which previsouly caused the catalytst monitor to not run, and the problem is now fixed and the vehicle is being retested... the catalyst monitor is required to be ready or complete in order for the vehicle to pass the smog inspection. From what you've described this doesn't seem to be the case with your vehicle, and it should pass the smog check with the cat monitor not yet ready or complete. Ensure, the check engine light is not on and the catalyst monitor is in fact the only monitor not ready.

posted by SmogTips Support