P80 OBD reader Unicorn

Post by **abscate** » 15 Oct 2016, 10:21

Well, Ive reproduced this three times on two cars so Im reporting this strange incident.

I have an AUTEL 802 in the garage for major diagnostics, ABS, SRS resets for the fleet.

Since cars started to disappear for college, each one gets a cheapie AUTEL to read out codes for the driver - she is to log all CELs with a cell phone shot as they happen.

One of my cheap OBDs has a cool feature - when it resets the codes, it leaves all the monitors in READY state!!!

WTF?

Maybe its from VW ??

Post by **Matty Moo** » 15 Oct 2016, 17:20

Which model is it? I'll order one to check it out.

Post by **abscate** » 15 Oct 2016, 18:37

I've got 5 identical ones, and only one if them does this.

They are Multiscan MS300 models

Post by **esl_97_850_T5** » 20 Oct 2016, 06:40

Have you isolated the "Readiness monitors always READY" feature to the "unicorn" MS-300 instead of it being a feature of the ECM on the one car it is seen at present. It could be that car's ECM has (illegal) OBDII emission diagnostics Readiness monitors defeating code on it?

In other words, have you tried more than one of the other daughters' MS-300 tools on the car that the unicorn MS-300 is usually used with?

Post by **abscate** » 20 Oct 2016, 10:29

Works on both Volvos but not on the VW nor BMW

Strange

Post by **dyn blin** » 21 Oct 2016, 10:26

For the cost, I will pick one up to be ready to deal with the danged PO442 that seems to pop every other year & 3 weeks before emissions testing...

Post by **abscate** » 21 Oct 2016, 16:03

Well , I bought 5 and only one does this feature , so you have to ask yourself ......

Dyn, remember you can pass emissions with two codes not ready, so passing with the latent evap codes is easy.

If you fill the tank full, evaporated won't trip the CEL until you are at least 3/4 full or less

Post by **dyn blin** » 21 Oct 2016, 17:26

I'm glad you posted this, thank you. I thought I recalled that for some mid-late 90's P80's, CARB allowed some leniency on readiness monitors, and I thought I had seen an EPA letter , but haven't been able to find it. I asked my local "SMOG-Only" test facility last year and he hadn't heard of it.

In any case, the full tank reminder is a good one.

Post by **dyn blin** » 21 Oct 2016, 18:13

Hmm, not the EPA letter, but it appears this is what's referenced for CA:

https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Check_O ... _Guide.pdf (page 28)

Post by **abscate** » 22 Oct 2016, 04:11

Interesting.

Just to clarify, in the states , the EPA issued a ruling that :

model years 1999 and earlier can have up to two monitors not ready

Model years 2000 and one can have one monitors not ready.

Generally you can pass your Inspection if your CEL is off with 1 or 2 monitors not ready

It looks like CA is following a slightly different approach per the document above, date Sep 2016

1999 earlier...any one monitor not ready
2000 later...only evap can be not ready

: CA readiness rules SEP2016