CA Smog - CATs not ready

[I M Legend]

I've tried performing the drive cycle multiple times with no luck. What else can I do?




Update: Finally cats ready!

Steps I did:
1. First thing in the morning I started the car with AC and fan off. Drove straight to freeway doing my best to keep RPM under 3K and staying under 50mph. Unfortunately it's a few miles until I reach the freeway so I did have a few stop lights and it took about 5 full minutes maybe more before I reached the entrance.
2. Accelerate slowly on to freeway and set cruise control to 55mph in 6th gear. RPMs never went above 3K and settled around 2.25K during the drive. I drove for about 15 miles then exited the freeway and pulled over and checked the status. NOT READY!
3. I turned the engine off, removed the key, opened the door to simulate me leaving, closed the door and waited about a minute before starting the engine again.
4. I immediately jumped back on the freeway. Again not going above 3K RPM on my way to the freeway. This time it was less than a minute and I just had one light.
5. Drove home again using cruise control set at 55mph. Get home, check status. Cats Ready!

[Tbonem3]

Depends on whether your post cat sensors are working properly. If they are, and the cats are in decent shape, then keep trying the drive cycle - you're not doing it quite right. It's the 55mph 3k rpm for 10-20mins one.

[I M Legend]

Depends on whether your post cat sensors are working properly. If they are, and the cats are in decent shape, then keep trying the drive cycle - you're not doing it quite right. It's the 55mph 3k rpm for 10-20mins one.

55mph for me is ~ 2.25k RPM....should I do it in 5th gear then to be closer to 3k?

[ridebikes]

I have used this guide from BMW themselves and it has worked. It's a PITA but it does work.

[WOLFN8TR]

BMW Drive Cycle

( This worked for me, took exactly 15 minutes. Do not exceed 55mph or 3,000 rpm’s. )

The drive cycle consists of four tests. Each test can be done independent of the other tests. It does not matter what order you complete the tests in. Only one of the tests requires a cold start, the other three do not.

To solve your problem, you need to complete the third test shown in the graphic. You do this through the following process:

1) Fix all transmission and engine light faults before emissions testing and completing drive cycle tests. Before you perform the test, I strongly suggest you download the app called "Torque" on your phone and turn on the emissions control screen. This screen lets you know what tests you have completed in real time. In this case, you'll be looking at the Catalytic Converter test. You'll need a $10 blu-tooth OBD connector to connect the car to the phone. This step is optional, but you'll see why it is helpful in later steps.

2) Start your car and go directly to the freeway. DO NOT exceed 3000 rpm, DO NOT make sudden or large accelerations/decelerations, and DO NOT exceed 60 mph on your way to the freeway. Doing any of these will stop the test immediately and the test won't restart unless you restart your car. For these reasons, you'll want to get onto the freeway at night, preferably after midnight when traffic is the lowest. For me personally, I absolutely HAD to get my emissions test completed within a narrow time frame. To ensure I was successful, I did this test at 3AM when there is ZERO traffic.

3) Once on the freeway, SLOWLY accelerate to 55 mph and set the cruise control at 55mph. Just chill in the slow lane for 20 minutes (just to be conservative) and let the computer run its tests. As long as you stay in the slow lane, you're golden. If someone tailgates you, just stay where you are. You're in the slowest lane, they can go around.

4) Once 20 minutes has passed, get off the freeway. Open the Torque app and confirm the drive test is complete.

5) DO NOT do any work on your car until you get the emissions test done. DO NOT disconnect the battery. DO NOT run any diagnostic or performance software plugged in via the OBD port. DO NOT make software modifications. DO NOT clear any codes from the car at all. Wait until you've completed emissions testing to do any of these because the emissions test results get wiped from the ECU when you do them. If you wipe the results, you gotta perform the test again.

The test is easier than you think and works like a charm. That said, BMW engineers are retarded for requiring the test to be performed between 40 and 60 mph for 15 minutes. Essentially all American freeways are 65mph, so its hard to do the test during routine traffic without pissing off other drivers or getting stopped in rush hour. Stopping ceases the test. Two-lane undivided highways pose their own problems for the tests because some turns may force you to slow down beyond the bounds of the test (slower than 40mph) and hitting a stop sign ensures you have to start over. Secondly, for those of us with M3's, we almost always exceed 3000 rpm in first gear (and often in 2nd and 3rd too), we like going faster than 60mph, and we like sudden accelerations. My last point is EXACTLY why so many of us end of with cars not ready for emissions after we've worked on our car and cleared codes.

[oceansize]

This man smogs.

[WOLFN8TR]

Ha Ha...That was a Copy and Paste from some post on here, I can't take credit for it.

[Tbonem3]

This man smogs.

Only CA residents can wear that badge of honor!

[tlow98]

Very helpful, thanks all!

I’ll need to do this as my rear back pre-cat O2 needs replacing.

[I M Legend]

BMW Drive Cycle

( This worked for me, took exactly 15 minutes. Do not exceed 55mph or 3,000 rpm’s. )

The drive cycle consists of four tests. Each test can be done independent of the other tests. It does not matter what order you complete the tests in. Only one of the tests requires a cold start, the other three do not.

To solve your problem, you need to complete the third test shown in the graphic. You do this through the following process:

1) Fix all transmission and engine light faults before emissions testing and completing drive cycle tests. Before you perform the test, I strongly suggest you download the app called "Torque" on your phone and turn on the emissions control screen. This screen lets you know what tests you have completed in real time. In this case, you'll be looking at the Catalytic Converter test. You'll need a $10 blu-tooth OBD connector to connect the car to the phone. This step is optional, but you'll see why it is helpful in later steps.

2) Start your car and go directly to the freeway. DO NOT exceed 3000 rpm, DO NOT make sudden or large accelerations/decelerations, and DO NOT exceed 60 mph on your way to the freeway. Doing any of these will stop the test immediately and the test won't restart unless you restart your car. For these reasons, you'll want to get onto the freeway at night, preferably after midnight when traffic is the lowest. For me personally, I absolutely HAD to get my emissions test completed within a narrow time frame. To ensure I was successful, I did this test at 3AM when there is ZERO traffic.

3) Once on the freeway, SLOWLY accelerate to 55 mph and set the cruise control at 55mph. Just chill in the slow lane for 20 minutes (just to be conservative) and let the computer run its tests. As long as you stay in the slow lane, you're golden. If someone tailgates you, just stay where you are. You're in the slowest lane, they can go around.

4) Once 20 minutes has passed, get off the freeway. Open the Torque app and confirm the drive test is complete.

5) DO NOT do any work on your car until you get the emissions test done. DO NOT disconnect the battery. DO NOT run any diagnostic or performance software plugged in via the OBD port. DO NOT make software modifications. DO NOT clear any codes from the car at all. Wait until you've completed emissions testing to do any of these because the emissions test results get wiped from the ECU when you do them. If you wipe the results, you gotta perform the test again.

The test is easier than you think and works like a charm. That said, BMW engineers are retarded for requiring the test to be performed between 40 and 60 mph for 15 minutes. Essentially all American freeways are 65mph, so its hard to do the test during routine traffic without pissing off other drivers or getting stopped in rush hour. Stopping ceases the test. Two-lane undivided highways pose their own problems for the tests because some turns may force you to slow down beyond the bounds of the test (slower than 40mph) and hitting a stop sign ensures you have to start over. Secondly, for those of us with M3's, we almost always exceed 3000 rpm in first gear (and often in 2nd and 3rd too), we like going faster than 60mph, and we like sudden accelerations. My last point is EXACTLY why so many of us end of with cars not ready for emissions after we've worked on our car and cleared codes.

Thank you! I didn't realize each test was independent. That's good to know as now I don't need to worry about the first two steps. What about the AC? Obviously at midnight it won't matter but my normal driving is during the day and it's been hot lately. I will keep it under 3k and slowly get to 55mph again.

[LSB4Me]

FWIW, I tried doing the drive cycle thing numerous times only to be thwarted by traffic, or traffic lights, or traffic. I gave it 2-3 honest shots and then just gave up and drove the thing for a week. Given the ridiculous parameters for the cycle, there is no chance I just so happened to do it right by mistake. To my surprise, the sensors went from offline (not ready) to online (ready) and I was good to go.

[WOLFN8TR]

AC OFF…

Ya the drive cycle is ridiculous! Luckily I have a long desert road I can use at night with no traffic.

[simon_c]

I've been infuriated with this so many times but have a thing that works every time now.

1. Start car and head to the freeway (do not go past 3K rpm)
2. Set cruise control to 59 MPH for 15 min or about 10 miles or so. Do this at night time when roads are empty. Do not break cruise control/stop for the duration of the run. Do not exceed 3K rpm.
3. Pull over and check status of smog readiness
4. Repeat step 2 if needed.

The standard drive readiness cycle is pretty much impossible to do. This has worked for me every time and setting cruise control is the key to getting the cats ready for smog.

[jet_dogg]

Can't you just like, drive the thing for a couple of days? What's the rush?

[dHam_Slow.46M]

BMW Drive Cycle

( This worked for me, took exactly 15 minutes. Do not exceed 55mph or 3,000 rpm’s. )

The drive cycle consists of four tests. Each test can be done independent of the other tests. It does not matter what order you complete the tests in. Only one of the tests requires a cold start, the other three do not.

To solve your problem, you need to complete the third test shown in the graphic. You do this through the following process:

1) Fix all transmission and engine light faults before emissions testing and completing drive cycle tests. Before you perform the test, I strongly suggest you download the app called "Torque" on your phone and turn on the emissions control screen. This screen lets you know what tests you have completed in real time. In this case, you'll be looking at the Catalytic Converter test. You'll need a $10 blu-tooth OBD connector to connect the car to the phone. This step is optional, but you'll see why it is helpful in later steps.

2) Start your car and go directly to the freeway. DO NOT exceed 3000 rpm, DO NOT make sudden or large accelerations/decelerations, and DO NOT exceed 60 mph on your way to the freeway. Doing any of these will stop the test immediately and the test won't restart unless you restart your car. For these reasons, you'll want to get onto the freeway at night, preferably after midnight when traffic is the lowest. For me personally, I absolutely HAD to get my emissions test completed within a narrow time frame. To ensure I was successful, I did this test at 3AM when there is ZERO traffic.

3) Once on the freeway, SLOWLY accelerate to 55 mph and set the cruise control at 55mph. Just chill in the slow lane for 20 minutes (just to be conservative) and let the computer run its tests. As long as you stay in the slow lane, you're golden. If someone tailgates you, just stay where you are. You're in the slowest lane, they can go around.

4) Once 20 minutes has passed, get off the freeway. Open the Torque app and confirm the drive test is complete.

5) DO NOT do any work on your car until you get the emissions test done. DO NOT disconnect the battery. DO NOT run any diagnostic or performance software plugged in via the OBD port. DO NOT make software modifications. DO NOT clear any codes from the car at all. Wait until you've completed emissions testing to do any of these because the emissions test results get wiped from the ECU when you do them. If you wipe the results, you gotta perform the test again.

The test is easier than you think and works like a charm. That said, BMW engineers are retarded for requiring the test to be performed between 40 and 60 mph for 15 minutes. Essentially all American freeways are 65mph, so its hard to do the test during routine traffic without pissing off other drivers or getting stopped in rush hour. Stopping ceases the test. Two-lane undivided highways pose their own problems for the tests because some turns may force you to slow down beyond the bounds of the test (slower than 40mph) and hitting a stop sign ensures you have to start over. Secondly, for those of us with M3's, we almost always exceed 3000 rpm in first gear (and often in 2nd and 3rd too), we like going faster than 60mph, and we like sudden accelerations. My last point is EXACTLY why so many of us end of with cars not ready for emissions after we've worked on our car and cleared codes.

I've been trying this occasionally for the past 6 months(minus the torque app) and finally gave up and took the car to the stealership. For those wondering or just have a deep pocket/no time, I was charged $210(plus my 1/2 tank of gas) for the monitor readiness.😓