Posted on 01/22/2020 5:27:02 PM PST by Attention Surplus Disorder
I'm about to have to abandon my 2000 Toyota Avalon v6 3.0 (all Avalons have this and only this engine) with 78K miles because I can't get rid of a diagnostic "Cat not ready" message. Everything else passes fine. Car runs fine, rather better after changing the sensors. If I can't pass CA smog, I can't register the car and thus can't legally drive it.
I have: changed both upstream 02 sensors. Changed downstream post-CAT) sensor. I have gone through the following reco'ed drive cycle.
1. Make Sure the Engine Light is Off 2. Check if your Vehicle has a Coolant Temperature The drive cycle starts with a cold start. 3. Let the Engine be Idle for 2 Minutes The next step is to start the engine and keep it idle for two and half minutes, keeping >>rear defroster and AC on.<< 4. Drive the vehicle at a Steady Speed of 55 MPH Now, switch the rear defroster and ac off and keep the speed of your vehicle at 90 km/hr (55MPH) nearly for 3 minutes. During this period, the purge and Fuel monitor diagnostics will take place. 5. Decelerate your Vehicle’s Speed at 20 MPH Make the speed of your vehicle fall gradually up to 32 km/hr (20 MPH). Avoid touching/shifting of clutch or brake. 6. Again Speed Up Drive your vehicle back to 55MPH (90 km/hr) at 3/4 throttle for nearly five minutes. The catalyst monitor diagnostics will take place during this period. If the battery is detached or the catalyst is not ready, it might take five complete driving cycles to decide the status of the catalyst. 7. Stop the Vehicle Now, make your vehicle slow down and allow it to sit idle for 2 minutes.
Have done all of this. I have researched the drive cycle (and there are about four different versions all over the 'net) and done most of them several times.
Really at the end of my frickin rope.
Anyone? Yeah, I know it's a 20 damn year old car.
Black Electrical Tape?
A new cat from the Animal Shelter?
Black electrical tape.
Cats are *never* ready. They take a message and get back to you, and do things on their own sweet time. Try using a laser pointer. :P
(sorry, couldn’t resist)
Have you checked the fuses for the O2 sensors (if it has fuses)?
Others will have some answers on how to get around this. I just want to echo how unbelievably stupid we’ve been to allow the feds to utterly unconstitutionally try to run our lives.
They can take their freaking catalytic converters and shove it.
Buy a house in AZ and register it there. No Smog where I am at the River
I had to bite the bullet on my ‘06 Outback. Just dropped it off at the shop for a new cat converter.
It’s cheaper than a new car...
Solution: Move from California
Sounds like an electrical connection (or lack) of. The computer is looking for a certain voltage. On one car I had, the trick after removing a power sapping convertor was to stick a 2.2k ohm resistor into the sensor connector.
If you had the circuit diagram and ohm meter, you could check the lines from all sensor connectors to the computer.
Does the code at least narrow it down to front or rear sensor or convertor?
Fortunately my state doesn’t do testing but I’m curious what standard they hold you to for a 20 year old vehicle.
Do they not have an “age out” before they relax the standard?
#1 get rid of cat.
#2 get a dog.
Yep... Here in Alabama there are no inspections at all.
...and registration is like $40/yr.
Move to another state.
Something about a ‘Drive Cycle’ -
Nothing legal. As for legal, if you don’t replace the Cat when you replace the Oxygen Sensors, then you’re out of luck, as whatever is bad will destroy whatever is new.
Hummm...my wife has a 2001 Toyota Avalon and a check engine light is always on, Toyota dealer service dept says not to worry, no big deal, but then again in my county in Calif only have to smog it when we sell it.
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