MOT emissions failure, need help!!

[G00D3]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just registered here in an attempt to get my MK6 1.6 16v ZS through its first MOT since purchasing. 

 

Yesterday I took the car to my local Halfords to be MOT'd (which I now regret)

It failed on a whole list of things, but the main concern's are the following:

 

- Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive 

- Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive

- Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive 

- Exhaust emissions lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits

 

The figures on the printout are as follows:

 

1st idle test - RPM 2750/3150, CO 1.62%, HC 232, Lambda 0.95

2nd idle test - RPM 2750/3150, CO 2.60%, HC 298, Lambda 0.92

Natural idle test - RPM 650/850, CO 1.59

 

Cars currently sat at 106,000 miles, it's my first car and my experience is limited. I stupidly didn't take it out for a bit of a drive beforehand...  was later told I should've done just to be on the safe side 

Only known related problem is that the engine management light is on. Code comes out as - P0030 HO2S heater control circuit bank 1 sensor 1, which is the lambda sensor. I have a new one on the way. Wondering if this will solve the problem entirely?

I've now taken the car to my trusted local garage to be diagnosed. Halfords have quoted me ridiculous prices for small/cheap parts to be replaced, and don't trust their thirsty pockets.

On the write up they listed it possibly needs a new catalytic converter and lambda sensor. But that they would have to look into it to be certain... Cat is also listed on the advisory's as being "deteriorated on the inside"

So what I'm really asking is... from the results and known problems d'you guys thinks it's as simple as just a new lambda sensor? Or the cat as well?

 

Thanks to anyone in advance!

 

 

 

[Ian Lanc]

Could be just the sensor that needs replacing ......Next time don't use Halfrauds as they are not there to help but to make money out of every sucker 

I've known some go to Halfrauds for their MOT and fail on a load of things and decide not to go back but instead go to an independent MOT station and all the failed parts were listed as only a minor advisories.  Remember reading on a failure sheet from Halfrauds where the tester had written 'dangerous sharp bodywork' ...We couldn't work out what the so called dangerous sharp bodywork was on a 8 year old Micra....Turns out it was a loose rear mudflap with a metal clip showing! Just pushed the mudflap back on!! A joke.

[Gizza11]

You could try that Tetra Clean if you have one near you (luckily I do but not tried it) That is supposed to clean your system  right through to you exhaust ,cat as well>I dunknow how well it works as I've not used it my self but the blub says it will.  On Wheeler Dealers  they used it and it made a unpassable car to pass easy with just a good clean by this system.I have no Idea how much it costs

[biff55]

put some fuel system / injector cleaner in the fuel tank and drive around as normal for a few days then have the car MOT retested at another garage , making sure that the engine is hot with a 15 min blast on the motorway just before dropping the car off at the garage - it should improve your engine emissions for the test considerably......

[iantt]

its running rich acording to the data, so first to do is lambda sensor, but the co and hc is quite high even for a faulty sensor so may need a cat also.
so sensor and then give car a good run before getting retest or new test elsewhere.

[jbell]

What a lot of folk do is stick a carton of fuel treatment & engine flush in a few miles before the MOT. My local independent did that on mine at-cost. 

 

Re : halfrauds, if you want a big list of things that could be done (e.g. if you are trying to locate causes of a noise etc), get a pre-mot there or kwikfit etc - places that want to find things that they can charge for.

For actual MOT worth just taking it to an independent you trust. 

[G00D3]

Cheers guys! I'm gonna install the new sensor and go from there. Will keep you posted.

 

 

[isetta]

i had an escort (car, not a woman) where the mot failure was on emissions. The garage in trying to help me out had tried revving the ***** off it and letting it get really hot etc etc to get it through but it was miles out.

It was an old school garage that did not have OBD reading stuff ( a few years ago). I hoped It was caused by the lambda sensor. I replaced it and it was fine.

trouble is when you replace the sensor you can't tell if it has fixed it as you don't have the equipment to test it yourself.

So, before I replaced it I knelt down by the exhaust pipe with engine running and breathed it in. It was quite horrible.

Replaced sensor, knelt down and breathed in the exhaust and it was like I could beathe it in all day without it being horrible.

This gave me some confidence that the sensor had made a lot of difference.

It then passed the MOT, easily within limit

I DO NOT RECCOMMEND YOU DO THIS. BREATHING IN TOXIC GASES CAN KILL YOU.

I am merely telling you what i did.

[G00D3]

Update on the car... It's passed and back on the road 

Turned out to just be the Lambda Sensor, local garage fitted the part and it went straight through the emissions test. They also took a look at the Cat and said it was absolutely fine.

Lesson from all of this - don't have your car MOT'd at "Halfrauds". Saved myself around £500...

[AlexBartlam]

mines up 13th next month, taking mine to an independent garage my dad uses and recomends, they are ususlly quite good, largers companies will probably run you out of pocket as they can afford to loose one customer after they have emptied their pockets. 

[dave_k]

4 hours ago, G00D3 said:

Update on the car... It's passed and back on the road 

Turned out to just be the Lambda Sensor, local garage fitted the part and it went straight through the emissions test. They also took a look at the Cat and said it was absolutely fine.

Lesson from all of this - don't have your car MOT'd at "Halfrauds". Saved myself around £500...

In other news the sky was blue today......

Sad thing is they will continue to grow the garage operation throughout the UK eventually turning it into a business turning over billions of pounds due to the sheer number of clueless motorists in the uk. Mainly, young people, or women etc who think they're better off going to the big "brands" Halfords, kwik fit etc for car maintenance.

[Ryan_Tango]

1 hour ago, dave_k said:

In other news the sky was blue today......

Sad thing is they will continue to grow the garage operation throughout the UK eventually turning it into a business turning over billions of pounds due to the sheer number of clueless motorists in the uk. Mainly, young people, or women etc who think they're better off going to the big "brands" Halfords, kwik fit etc for car maintenance.

I'm young I use Halfords because I got sick of being told lies prior to my MOT's tried quite a few garages one year cost me a few hundred quid because of my search. I was told Tyres worn, brakes not road worthy, wipers not clearing properly and many other things over the years I knew the items were okay because I'd only just replaced my brakes and wipers and measured my tread depth which was evenly worn and way within the legal limit.

Been using Halfords for 4 years now never had a problem never been ripped off, I had to get my beam pattern corrected this last time but glad I did I can see brilliantly at night now.

[AlexBartlam]

not used the mot at Halfords not had to do an mot yet as i got rid of my first car the month befor it was due, if they are cheap i ma concider it.

[Luke4efc]

6 minutes ago, AlexBartlam said:

not used the mot at halfords not had to do an mot yet as i got rid of my first car the month befor it was due, if they are cheap i ma concider it.

Just looked online, they seem to be £30. No doubt they will find something to fail it on so you spend the money there to fix it

[AlexBartlam]

4 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

Just looked online, they seem to be £30. No doubt they will find something to fail it on so you spend the money there to fix it

true i looked also, ill get it done at the one my dad goes too they are good and genuine only a small shop so they like the customer loyalty. like any buissness you have a bad customer service and do things to make more money the reputation will fall. like when i used autoglass had to pay £70 excess for replacment, but customer service on the phone booking and the drivre when he turned up at my work, was really pleasnt ill no doubt us them again.