Check Engine Light
You automatically FAIL the Smog Check if the check engine light is on. Thus, make sure the indicator is off before you go to the smog station. If it is on, visit a repair shop and find the cause first. It may be as simple as replacing an oxygen sensor.
Warm Up Your Car
Drive your vehicle for 20 minutes before your appointment to get your engine up to an optimal level where it can burn fuel more efficiently. Your vehicle produces less emissions when it burns fuel efficiently.
Get a Tune Up
If your vehicle is due for routine maintenance, perform the procedures recommended by the manufacturer typically known as a tune-up.
Regular maintenance can greatly improve your vehicles emission output by cleaning out engine oil contamination high in hydrocarbons. Overtime, unburned engine fumes get reintroduced back into the engine and might run the risk of burning fuel high in hydrocarbons.
