Minimum driving required for Dodge B3500 van to pass smog test.

The van is a 1999 Dodge B3500 camper conversion and in storage for the winter. We need to take it out for a smog test. I've heard there is a minimum amount of driving one should do before the test. Is it just enough to warm up the engine or do we need to drive some number of miles. Do we need to do stop & go driving? Go through some engine on and off cycles?

Answer:

There are two types of driving recommended before the smog check... actually the one type in some cases is required. For vehicles which have been stored for an extended period of time and which need to have their batteries recharged in order to start (or have had their batteries removed as part of the storage process), must be driven a minimum of 200 miles in various traffic conditions in order to reset the emission readiness monitors required to pass the smog check. If your stored vehicle did not need a battery jump, or recharge, and started on its own chances are the emission readiness monitors were not erased during storage and you only need to drive your vehicle long enough to warm it up prior to the smog check. Usually 20-30 minutes of driving does the trick.

posted by SmogTips Support