California Smog Issue

[Risiztor]

Hi Everyone,

I bought a 2018 BMW M3 from vroom about a week ago. Vroom is requiring a copy of a smog certificate for the car in order to take care of registration and titling. I've taken the car to two smog station and both said that they had a no communication error when trying to read from the OBDII port. As far as I know the car is stock. I don't see any sort of piggyback ecu or tune in the car (atleast so far). When plugging in my OBDlink adapter I can read the emission monitor and says everything is "ready".

Does anyone know what could be causing this issue?

[AlmondJayRoM3]

Originally Posted by Risiztor

Hi Everyone,

I bought a 2018 BMW M3 from vroom about a week ago. Vroom is requiring a copy of a smog certificate for the car in order to take care of registration and titling. I've taken the car to two smog station and both said that they had a no communication error when trying to read from the OBDII port. As far as I know the car is stock. I don't see any sort of piggyback ecu or tune in the car (atleast so far). When plugging in my OBDlink adapter I can read the emission monitor and says everything is "ready".

Does anyone know what could be causing this issue?

No idea what the issue could be but dealerships that operate in California are required to provide a valid smog certificate for any vehicle they sell and is good for 90 days to allow you to register the vehicle. I.e. make them do it.

[spidy512]

AlmondJay is right.

It is Cali law that the dealer provides the smog cert. I believe it is the responsability of the selling part to provide the smog cert. period (again, by law). So that seeems fishy they are asking you to take care of it. I would assume Vroom is very versed on Cali smog laws...

I will assume they are reimbursing you? Maybe you agreed to take care of it?

As far as the no comm error, I would have one of the remote coding follks take a look. Possibly the car as tuned and was not locked properly when set back to stock.

Do you have a OBDII port dongle by chance? If so you may want to try and see if you are able to get any data out of the port. I would be surprised, but possibly there is an issue at the port itself?

Keep us posted, and GL!

josh

[Risiztor]

Originally Posted by AlmondJayRoM3

No idea what the issue could be but dealerships that operate in California are required to provide a valid smog certificate for any vehicle they sell and is good for 90 days to allow you to register the vehicle. I.e. make them do it.

That's what I thought as well. When buying this car, I was told that it was located in Arizona. I did buy it from Vroom, and this is the first time I ever bought a car online before and completely lost about it.

[Risiztor]

Originally Posted by spidy512

AlmondJay is right.

It is Cali law that the dealer provides the smog cert. I believe it is the responsability of the selling part to provide the smog cert. period (again, by law). So that seeems fishy they are asking you to take care of it. I would assume Vroom is very versed on Cali smog laws...

I will assume they are reimbursing you? Maybe you agreed to take care of it?

As far as the no comm error, I would have one of the remote coding follks take a look. Possibly the car as tuned and was not locked properly when set back to stock.

Do you have a OBDII port dongle by chance? If so you may want to try and see if you are able to get any data out of the port. I would be surprised, but possibly there is an issue at the port itself?

Keep us posted, and GL!

josh

That's what I was expecting as well, and took me by surprise. This is my first time buying a car from Vroom which is an online dealership so I had no idea. I think they're based from Florida, and the car being from Arizona may have something to do with it?

And I was not told at all that I had to smog it until I took delivery. After taking delivery they sent an email requiring more documents which is a copy of a smog certificate along with needing to go to a DMV to get the vin confirmed. I did call BMW regarding the issue, and they are asking for a $195 diagnostic fee to look at it. I then called vroom and said that I just passed the 7 warranty period (called the 8th day) and told me to call another number. I really do hope that they reimburse me, if I go that route.

I also did check with my OBDlink Mx+ dongle and it's communicating completely fine. Looking at the emission monitors all of them are in "ready". So completely lost as of now. My plan is to take it to the BMW dealership and see if they can smog it there.

[Tdog86]

This might be a weird one, Carvana might be saying you purchased a car out of state, so they're not required to do smog, but you paid California sales tax or at least you should have. By law in California the seller is responsible for smog before purchasing.

[DaiLyCS]

Take to bmw dealership and let them flash back to oem, the car problem been tune. California check ecu

[Jandro2000]

California is a pain in the ass. Good luck! =)

[Pat1n0]

I’m having the same issues. Did you figure what was the issue ?

[c63sss]

Just sold my car and had to smog here in California. Im on bm3, and I converted the stock file to customROM and flashed it without locking dme. I put car back to stock leaving just my oil catch can and midpipe. Passed with no issues. Smog guy was really nice too.

[c63sss]

Originally Posted by c63sss

Just sold my car and had to smog here in California. Im on bm3, and I converted the stock file to customROM and flashed it without locking dme. I put car back to stock leaving just my oil catch can and midpipe. Passed with no issues. Smog guy was really nice too.

Ah, shit this was the wrong thread sorry. Ignore