e-test question - mechanic help please

my son's 2002 Honda Civic failed the e-test.
$715 repair including diagnostics
one of the items was Evaporator pressure regulator valve

Is this not a part for his air conditioning ? I doubt it would cause emission test failure.
Am I wrong ?

 

over 700$ in repairs for a 15 year car seems like a rip off to me you probally have a evap emission code not an issue with air conditoning sounds like a few hundred dollar repair i can take car of text me at 416-721-5967 steve

 

Hi Steve, I called the store service manager and the mechanic, asking for an explanation why an A/C code would fail the emission test. I also threatened to expose their diagnosis and costs to social media and the professional media. It turns out later, that the emission test passed without the evaporator regulator replacement. Final cost was $215. Seems it paid off to do the research and make the complaint.
thank you for the reply. BTW, this was a Canadian Tire garage.

 

Larry,

It sounds like you were able to resolve it to your satisfaction. The EVAP module is an item that does fail on older cars. It has nothing to do with the AC. What you might be thinking about is the evaporator for the AC which is a different part and will not trigger a Check Emissions Light (CEL).

"The evaporative emission control (EVAP) system captures gasoline fumes and other emissions produced when fuel evaporates within the gas tank or fuel system. The EVAP system then returns these vapors to the combustion process to keep harmful chemicals from reaching the air when the vehicle is not running."

As part of the Emissions self test the EVAP module runs a pump to insure vacuum integrity in the system. Sometimes the pump, control module, valve or cracked hoses cause it to throw a code and turn on the CEL lamp.

 

Well you certainly explained it better than the garage. Thank you. It does make sense now, and yes when I saw the term evaporator I assumed it was an A/C problem. It seems the car passed without the EVAP module replacement, making my son happy. Now I'm not sure if it was from my complaining or not. At this point its water under the bridge.
Thank you JD and Steve for the responses. Always learning, Cheers

 

You guys do realize that the whole e-test thing was dreamed up by a couple of CanTire execs years ago. It is a gold mine for them. Thou recent changes have cut into their profits.

 

I didn't know it was CanTire execs who dreamed that one up. I assumed it was another government cash grab.
My friend owns a custom muffler shop and used to make a fortune when they did the exhaust pipe sniff test. Any leaks or holes in the exhaust would warrant replacement pipes mufflers etc. Now the ECU tells all.

 

Me neither

 

They certainly "dreamed up" the original poster's CEL issues.

Whether or not they encouraged Ontario to start emissions testing in 1999 is a different issue. The standards that Ontario uses are more strict than the US. Quebec adopted California's emission testing standards in 2009.

My favorite story is that Vancouver started car emissions testing in 1992 and cancelled the program in 2014 based on the success of newer on board car emissions systems. We should follow Vancouver's example and cancel it as well.

 

Cancelation is not to far away. It's very rare I have a car in that does not pass an etest. They are now also "free" if the car passes. (Even though they upped the sticker price to cover the cost..so it is not free at all..still a tax grab).

 

Does that mean when they cancel the e-test program, that they will lower the sticker price since there is cost to cover? Of course, my question is rhetorical.

 

That should read "no longer a cost to cover"