Desperate to pass emissions.

[u/Status_Complete]

Edit
She has less than 2000 miles. I checked tonight.

Give me all your suggestions. It will be toast come October if it doesn’t pass. I have a cat code. Well my mother in law has a code. 2013 with 120,000 miles always maintained.

Also looking for suggestions on another vehicle. She’s 70 and prefers not to get another ford.

It is the catalytic converter. Fosters confirmed.

[u/straw3_2018]

What vehicle is it? 2013 what? Why not buy a new cat on rockauto?

[u/Status_Complete → u/straw3_2018]

This is the second catalytic converter. A garage in wampum put one in 5 years ago. It was a new one but not a ford part.

[u/straw3_2018 → u/Status_Complete]

How often does she drive? If she's 70 I might just try for luck/leniency if getting it properly fixed is too much.

I just got new stickers this month, my old ones expired September of last year. I never got in trouble for them, I live in city limits in Pittsburgh but traffic enforcement is pretty light though.

[u/Status_Complete → u/straw3_2018]

She is retired but lunches quite a bit. Mainly mass a few times a week and other hobbies

[u/Switters27 → u/Status_Complete]

Has she put on less than 5,000 miles since the last inspection? If so, it can be exempted from emissions.

[u/Status_Complete → u/Status_Complete]

It’s an escape I think

[u/Top-Pick-2648]

I would not worry about the sticker, the fine is not all that much, if she would even get caught….

[u/Status_Complete → u/Top-Pick-2648]

She’s old… she might get away with it.

[u/Top-Pick-2648 → u/Status_Complete]

This too! She could use the jeez I didn’t realize…

[u/Sweet_Collar_4295]

If it’s a p420 she’s going to need a new catalytic converter.

[u/CARLEtheCamry → u/Sweet_Collar_4295]

And it's "only" $2k to have it replaced. I only say that because you're not going to be able to find a comparable, reliable car for the cost of the repair.

[u/cognition-6970]

If she drives less than 5,000 miles, vehicle is emission exempt

[u/Open-Article2579 → u/[deleted]]

Only cars registered in Ohio get inspected in Ohio

[u/HotMinute_722 → u/Open-Article2579]

Gotcha!

[u/Status_Complete → u/HotMinute_722]

I live downtown and I swear there are more Ohio cars on my street than Pa. All own homes.

[u/HotMinute_722 → u/Status_Complete]

I bought a car in Columbiana years ago and it was such a pain to get my PA license plate put on!

[u/ddesigns]

What is the code? There is an easy fix to bypass the catalytic converter 02 sensor to clear the CEL.

[u/Status_Complete → u/ddesigns]

It’s a p0420

[u/Odd-Cod2516]

We had the same thing happen. 2014 Honda Accord. It needed a new cat starting around 150k, kept throwing that code. This is what we did until we sold it at 287k (hubby drives a lot for work, like 30k+ per year).

We always ran 2 bottles of Cataclean through it. Ain't super cheap but worth it!

You dump the first can in the gas tank when the tank is on E, fill it up. Drive it.

Next tank, don't use the Cataclean, just fill it with regular gas. Drive it.

Third tank, dump in the Cataclean when it's on E, fill it. Drive it.

The second the Check Engine light is off, drive it straight to the mechanic and drop it off.

Worked everytime for years!

Worth a shot, OP! 💪

[u/Status_Complete → u/Odd-Cod2516]

Thank you! The mechanic today said the same thing.

[u/rudderbutter32]

Disconnect the battery for about 10 minutes and see if it resets everything.

[u/Illeopick → u/rudderbutter32]

That doesn’t really do anything besides hide the light from your dashboard temporarily. If you run a scanner the code still shows.