ANYWHERE,California,United States of America(Free-Press-Release.com)October 30,2012--The California Department of Motor Vehicles has jumped the gun on STAR smog inspection requirements and has started requesting vehicle owners visit STAR smog stations even though the BAR has not yet officially rolled-out the STAR smog check program.
Vehicle owners who have received their vehicle registration notices requiring a smog inspection at a STAR certified smog check station can visit non-STAR smog stations until January 1st,2013,at which time the Bureau of Automotive Repairs will certify certain California smog check centers as STAR Certified.Vehicle owners should keep in mind that if the DMV requires a STAR smog inspection from them before January 2013,they must obtain the smog inspection at a Test Only or Gold Shield certified smog station only.Only after January 1st,2013 will vehicle owners be required to locate a STAR certified smog check center(when requested to do so by the California DMV).The DMV will continue to require regular smog inspection for vehicle owners with late model vehicle,which can be obtained at any California certified smog check station.
SmogTips.com will be implementing new search criteria to its existing smog station and smog check coupon search tool in order to assist vehicle owners in finding STAR certified smog check stations.
On January 1st,2013 the State of California will implement the new STAR smog check program statewide;revolutionize the smog check industry once again.The last major change to the California smog inspection program occurred in 1997 with the implementation of the BAR 97 smog machine and testing procedure.
The new STAR program doesn't change much of how the California smog test is administered yet aims to restrict smog check centers with low smog check performance scores from inspecting"directed"vehicles.Directed vehicles are those which the state has recognized as gross polluters and/or vehicles which fall under the HEP(High Emitter Profile)group,and which currently make-up approximately 18 percent of vehicles on California roadways,and which currently are required to under smog inspections at"Test Only"or"Gold Shield"certified smog check stations.
Under the new STAR program the only smog test facilities which will be eligible to smog check"directed"vehicles will be the smog check stations which have received the STAR seal of approval from the California Bureau of Automotive Repairs.Either current test&repair or test only stations may apply and be eligible to participate in the new STAR program if they pass stringent requirements set by the BAR.
How does a smog station become STAR smog check certified?What are the requirements?
First and foremost a smog station can not have received a citation within one year from the effective date of its last citation.Second,the Bureau of Automotive Repairs wants and needs smog stations to perform smog inspections as accurately as possible,and in the BAR's own words"If a vehicle should fail,let it fail".The scoring criteria is very complex.Through BAR smog check data,collected over the lifetime of a vehicle,if the particular year,make,model of vehicle has had a tendency of failing its smog inspection,anywhere throughout California,yet these vehicles repeatedly pass at a particular smog center,that smog station and smog technician(s)will receive a low FPR(Fail/Pass Rate)score.The FPR score rating system is zero to one(0 to 1).One(1)being the highest score a smog station or smog technician can receive.Smog check centers with a FPR score less than 0.4 and will not be eligible for the STAR program.
Additional criteria is used in developing an emission test center's or smog repair center's FPR score.Some of the criteria include the number of aborted smog tests,the number of incomplete tests,smog tests which required OBD II testing but were not administered,smog inspection where the EVAP test was required but was not administered,ignition timing inspections which were required but were not administered,incorrect gear shift incidents,and gas cap inspections not administered when required.The serious concern here is in the passing of vehicles which the State says should not have passed,or at least not as often as they did at a particular smog station.
The expert advice for smog check technicians and station owners is to perform smog checks as accurately as possible,and to be extremely cautious to avoid,pre-conditioning the engine,over-conditioning the catalytic converter,and using incorrect gear during ASM.
