Having trouble getting Catalyst Monitor ready for smog test on 2003 Edddie Bauer

[SteveP]

Hello all,
2003 Eddie Bauer edition. I hadn't driven the car in a few weeks and the battery died, jump started and took it to get smogged for registration renewal and guy said he can't smog it because the sensors weren't ready since the battery died. I have cheap OBD2 scanner and I have been driving it and all the sensors except for the Catalyst and Evap are not ready (incomplete). He said the evap doesn't matter. I tried googling but it seems all over the place on what to do and tried a couple of the sequences that I found, though I think they are generic. Is there something specific to this car to get the catalyst monitor to become ready? Thanks

 

[GaryH]

Same thing happened to me last year. I was on the way to get the emissions and safety check...CEL comes on. Turned around and when I got home I reset the check engine light and immediately drove back to the inspection station. It failed. There is a specific drive cycle that the vehicle has to go through to reset the sensors. It can take 30 or 40 miles to get the sensors to reset, but I found that letting it sit overnight, then driving it for a few minutes at 30 mph with some stop and go driving, then get on the highway and drive 10 or 12 miles at 50 mph or 55 mph worked.

Try this https://smogcheckvacaville.com/ford-motors-drive-cycle-readiness-for-smog-check/

 

[kep5niner]

Straight out of my 2003 EB Owners Manual:

"Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) testing

In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass an I/M test of
the on-board diagnostics system. If your “Check Engine/Service Engine
Soon” light is on, refer to the description in the Warning lights and
chimes section of the Instrument cluster chapter. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test with the “Check Engine/Service Engine Soon” light on.

If the vehicle’s powertrain system or its battery has just been serviced,
the on-board diagnostics system is reset to a “not ready for I/M test”
condition. To ready the on-board diagnostics system for I/M testing, a
minimum of 30 minutes of city and highway driving is necessary as
described below:

• First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway.
• Next, at least 20 minutes driving in stop-and-go, city-type traffic with
at least four idle periods.

Allow the vehicle to sit for at least eight hours without starting the
engine. Then, start the engine and complete the above driving cycle. The
engine must warm up to its normal operating temperature. Once started,
do not turn off the engine until the above driving cycle is complete."

 

[GaryH]

Straight out of my 2003 EB Owners Manual:

"Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) testing

• First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway.
• Next, at least 20 minutes driving in stop-and-go, city-type traffic with
at least four idle periods.

Allow the vehicle to sit for at least eight hours without starting the
engine. Then, start the engine and complete the above driving cycle. The
engine must warm up to its normal operating temperature. Once started,
do not turn off the engine until the above driving cycle is complete."

That's good to know. I didn't even realize that was in the owner's manual.

 

[mbtech2003]

Do two -3 drives about 10 miles from cold to hot. Make sure you get a 5-10 minute highway cruise at 55. Constant speed. Then your done