Pennsylvania Motorists to Get Free Onboard Diagnostic
Inspection and Maintenance Check
17 Counties Offering Free Emissions Checks
HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 10 -- On behalf of Pa. Gov. Mark
Schweiker, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) Secretary
Bradley L. Mallory and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary
David E. Hess today announced that Oct. 31 will be the last day for motorists
to participate in the Commonwealth's free Onboard Diagnostic (OBD) Inspection
and Maintenance (I/M) Check Pilot Program.
The pilot program, launched in Harrisburg on May 1, offers free OBD checks
to motorists who volunteer to have their vehicles tested. Thirty-three pilot
stations are offering the free check in 17 counties.
OBD I/M Pilot Program Checks can be performed on 1996 and newer passenger
vehicles, vans and light-duty trucks weighing 9,000 pounds and less, and
fueled with gasoline, since these vehicles were required to be manufactured
with the OBD systems. Motorists in the Southcentral Pennsylvania and Lehigh
Valley areas with vehicles older than model year 1996 are still eligible to
participate in the pilot program. Cars, vans and light-duty trucks that are
model year 1977 through 1995 can receive a free gas-cap check and anti-
tampering visual inspection as part of the pilot program.
During the free tests, an inspector will attach a cable to a vehicle's
onboard computer to see if any emissions equipment is damaged or otherwise
malfunctioning. If the OBD system detects a problem, a diagnostic trouble
code will be stored in the vehicle's computer, helping the inspector to
properly diagnose and repair the problem, if necessary. Vehicles also will
have a gas-cap check conducted free-of-charge. A gas-cap check is a
functional check that determines if harmful evaporative fumes are escaping
from the gas cap into the atmosphere.
The I/M program is part of the state's plan to reduce air pollution and to
keep the air clean for future generations. Vehicles are a major source of air
pollution in Pennsylvania. Vehicle emissions contribute to health and
environmental problems such as smog, air toxics and global warming. And a
third of Pennsylvania's ground-level ozone pollution comes from gasoline-
powered vehicles and refueling operations.
The pilot program has been implemented in four areas of Pennsylvania.
They are: Philadelphia area (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and
Philadelphia counties); Pittsburgh area (Allegheny, Beaver, Washington and
Westmoreland counties); South Central area (Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin,
Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties); and the Lehigh Valley area (Lehigh and
Northampton counties).
Three equipment manufacturers -- Auto X-ray, Waekon Corporation and
Worldwide -- are loaning the pilot stations the necessary OBD equipment for
the pilot program.
For more details about the OBD I/M Check Pilot Program visit the PA
PowerPort at http://www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: "Drive Clean."
NOTE: A list of service stations currently offering free pilot checks
follows.
PA SERVICE STATIONS OFFERING FREE PILOT CHECKS
PITTSBURGH AREA
COUNTY STATION NAME ADDRESS
Allegheny Calabro Tire Service 1476 Bower Hill Road
Pittsburgh 15241
Beaver Preston Dodge Chrysler 2761 Constitution Blvd.
Beaver Falls 15010
Beaver Beaver Tire and Service 1799 Third St.
Beaver 15005
Washington Budd Baer Inc. 71 Murtland Ave.
Washington 15301
Washington Waterdam Auto Service 1041 Waterdam Plaza Drive
McMurray 15317
Westmoreland Farabaugh Chevrolet-Olds 469 N. Market St.
Ligonier 15658
Westmoreland McElhinney's Service 4040 Saltsburg Road
Murraysville 15668
SOUTHCENTRAL AREA
COUNTY STATION NAME ADDRESS
Berks Dan Phelps Buick-GMC
Trucks 100 S. Museum Road
Shillington 19607
Berks Crofts Service Center 114 Revere Blvd.
West Lawn 19609
Cumberland Brenner Nissan 6271 Carlisle Pike
Mechanicsburg 17055
Cumberland Zimmerman's Auto Service 2234 S. Market St.
Mechanicsburg 17055
Dauphin Saturn of Harrisburg 1301 Paxton St.
Harrisburg 17104
Dauphin The Tire Mart 4914 Jonestown Road
Harrisburg 17109
Lancaster Jones Honda 1335a Manheim Pike
Lancaster 17604
Lancaster Lancaster Fleet and Auto 625 E. Orange St.
Lancaster, 17602
Lebanon Frederick Chevy Cadillac 1505 Quentin Road
Lebanon 17042
Lebanon Fox Automotive Service 29 Cumberland St.
Lebanon 17042
York Midas Auto Service 1190 Carlisle St.
Hanover 17331
York Meineke Mufflers 2810 E. Market St.
York 17402
LEHIGH VALLEY AREA
COUNTY STATION NAME ADDRESS
Lehigh Lehigh Valley Hyundai 675 State Road
Emmaus 18049
Lehigh Pep Boys 1901 MacArthur Road
Whitehall 18052
Northampton Key Pontiac 3439 Bath Pike
Bethlehem 18017
Northampton Paul's Garage 219 W. Northampton St.
Bath 18018
PHILADELPHIA AREA
COUNTY STATION NAME ADDRESS
Bucks Faulkner Ford-Mercury 1531 Park Ave.
Quakertown 18951
Bucks Smiths Wheel 5 Atkinson Drive
Doylestown 18901
Chester Extra Mile Auto 330 Strode Ave.
Coatesville 19320
Chester Valley Forge Auto 311 Bridge St.
Phoenixville 19460
Delaware Ryan Lincoln-Merc-Kia 321 Baltimore Pike
Springfield 19064
Delaware Valley Forge Auto 2610 West Chester Pike
Broomall 19008
Montgomery Infiniti of Willow Grove 1510 Easton Road
Willow Grove 19090
Montgomery Ridge Auto and Truck
Center 140 Ridge Ave.
Ambler 19002
Philadelphia Dunphy Motors 7700 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia 19136
Philadelphia Schock's Automotive 5650 Ridge Ave.
Philadelphia 19128
