Licensed Inspection
Lech Garage & Auto Body is an authorized inspection station for D.O.T. inspections and enhanced emissions & safety testing.
We can handle cars, trucks, motor homes, buses, fire engines as well as diesel vehicles.
Inspection Stickers
The Massachusetts Enhanced Emissions & Safety Test has been in effect since October 1999 for all motor vehicles registered in the Commonwealth, including buses and trucks.
Generally vehicles will be tested for emissions every other year based on model year and will continue to be tested for safety annually.
The inspection is part of a comprehensive plan to reduce air pollution and its impact on the health of Massachusetts residents, particularly those with lung and respiratory ailments. It complies with requirements set by the Federal Clean Air Act of 1990. Together safety and emissions test take 20 minutes. This inspection fee is $35.00.
Inspection Services
- Massachusetts Emissions Inspections
- 5 Star Massachusetts Registered Emissions Repair Facility
- Full range of DOT Inspections
- Authorized emissions and safety testing station
On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) Test
Massachusetts is now using an advanced computerized emissions test — the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) test — for most model year 1996 and newer cars, light trucks, and SUVs.
The OBD emissions test uses your vehicle’s internal computer, which continuously monitors the engine, transmission and emissions control system. OBD is, in effect, an “early warning system” that alerts you to the need for repairs that can reduce air pollution before they cost you a lot of money or your vehicle fails its emissions test.
The OBD emissions test is designed to ensure that your vehicle keeps running as cleanly as it was designed to run, which in turn protects the air we breathe.
How does the OBD work?
The test is quick and easy. The inspector connects your vehicle’s internal computer, which continuously monitors the engine and emissions controls, to the inspector’s computer and downloads the data. The results are printed on the Vehicle Inspection Report, which you receive at the end of the inspection.
If your vehicle passes both the OBD emissions test and the safety inspection, it is issued a sticker. If OBD detects a problem with your vehicle (generally indicated in advance by an illuminated “Check Engine” or “Service Soon” light), your vehicle fails inspection and needs to be repaired.
The Vehicle Inspection Report provides information that your repair technician can use to diagnose and fix the problem, fix it before it causes more air pollution, and spare you from more expensive repairs down the road.
Why is Massachusetts using the OBD test?
The OBD test is faster and more precise than the current tailpipe test used in Massachusetts, resulting in cleaner air and savings for you. Specifically, OBD delivers:
- Quicker inspections. A full inspection with an OBD test takes about 15 minutes, compared with roughly 25 minutes for an inspection with a dynamometer tailpipe test. A faster inspection means a shorter wait for you.
- Precise results. The OBD test is sensitive enough to detect pinhole-sized leaks in the fuel system or gas cap. It can also identify problems that are intermittent, occur only at highway speeds or happen when the vehicle first starts up.
- Cleaner air. By illuminating a light on your dashboard, OBD alerts you of emissions problems as soon as they develop. You no longer need to wait for an inspection to find out that your vehicle needs service. Making repairs right away means reducing air pollution sooner.
- Savings for you. The earlier you know about problems with your vehicle’s emissions control system, the faster you can address them and avoid more costly problems down the road. If you own a newer vehicle, it is possible that some repairs and replacement components may be provided free of charge under your vehicle’s emissions warranty.
The OBD test also meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s requirement that states incorporate new technologies into their emissions testing programs to comply with the federal Clean Air Act.
What about model year 1995 and older vehicles?
Many vehicles built before model year 1996 have on-board computers, but not all are equipped with OBD systems that make standardized emissions testing possible. Therefore, the tailpipe test is still given to some older vehicles.
Each year, a greater percentage of cars, light trucks, and SUVs will get OBD tests as older vehicles are retired. Still, the dynamometer tailpipe test will remain an important tool for keeping the air clean in Massachusetts.
Contact us today!
Malfunction Indicator Light
There is a little orange or yellow light on your vehicle’s dashboard display that plays a big part in your vehicle’s OBD system.
Known as a Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL), it illuminates a message such as “Check Engine” or “Service Engine Soon” whenever the on-board computer detects a problem with the engine, transmission, or emissions control system. The MIL lights for a few seconds when you first start your vehicle, which is normal. But if it stays on at other times, then your vehicle’s computer has detected a problem that needs attention.
If your vehicle’s Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) turns on:
- Don’t ignore it. An illuminated MIL is telling you that your vehicle is unlikely to pass its OBD test. Knowing this, you can get it repaired before bringing it in for inspection, which will save you time and money in the long run.
- Try tightening your vehicle’s gas cap, and then take a few trips to see if the light goes off. The gas cap is part of the emissions control system, and closing it tight is important.
- If the light remains on, then your vehicle’s computer has detected a problem that needs attention. Take your vehicle in for service. Even if performance and road handling still feel normal, an illuminated MIL means your vehicle needs to be fixed.
By keeping up with routine vehicle maintenance and following these steps when necessary, you’ll save money on fuel and repairs while doing your part to protect the air we breathe.
