Diesel Smog Check in Concord
Not every station in the East Bay is set up to smog a diesel. We are. The rules for diesels are also different from the rules for gas vehicles, in ways that catch people out.
Diesel owners in Concord tend to find out the hard way that half the smog stations nearby will turn them away. We smog diesels, and we have been doing it for two decades.
The bigger problem is that the exemption rules for diesels read as though they contradict each other, and a lot of shops get them wrong. Here is the straight version.
Diesels Get No Rolling Model Year Break
Gasoline vehicles get an eight model year head start. Anything eight model years and newer skips the renewal smog check and pays a smog abatement fee instead, and that window rolls forward every January.
Diesels do not get that. The Bureau of Automotive Repair states it plainly: there are no model year exceptions for diesel vehicles. A brand new diesel pickup does not get the free pass its gasoline equivalent gets.
The Exemptions Diesels Do Get
Separately from that, the DMV exempts two categories of diesel from smog inspection entirely:
- Diesel vehicles from the 1997 model year and older.
- Diesel vehicles rated above 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
Put the two rules together and the band that needs a smog check is straightforward: a diesel from 1998 or newer, rated at 14,000 pounds or under, needs testing. No matter how new it is.
Above 14,000 Pounds Is a Different Program
If your diesel is rated over 14,000 pounds, it is not exempt from emissions oversight, it is just covered by a different program. Heavy duty vehicles fall under CARB's Clean Truck Check, which runs on its own schedule with its own fee.
Almost all vehicles in that program are tested twice a year. Diesel engines from 2013 and newer get an OBD scan, while 2012 and older diesels get a smoke opacity test and a visual inspection of the emissions equipment. CARB also charges its own annual compliance fee on top of the test itself.
Call 925-246-9330 with your engine year and weight rating and we will tell you which side of the line you are on.
What It Costs
Diesel pricing is not the same as the coupon rate on a 2000 or newer passenger car, because a diesel test is not the same job. Tell us the year, the engine and the weight rating when you call and you will get a straight number before you drive over, not a surprise at the counter.
Why Test Only Matters More on a Diesel
Diesel repairs are expensive. A station that tests and also repairs has a real financial reason to want your diesel to fail. We do not do repairs at all. If your truck passes, it passes, and there is nothing for us to sell you either way.
Diesel Smog Check in Concord Questions
Do diesel vehicles need a smog check in California?
Yes. Diesels from the 1998 model year and newer, rated at 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or under, need a smog check. The Bureau of Automotive Repair states there are no model year exceptions for diesel vehicles, so diesels do not get the rolling eight model year break that newer gasoline vehicles get.
Which diesels are exempt?
The DMV exempts diesel vehicles from the 1997 model year and older, and diesel vehicles rated above 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
My diesel is over 14,000 pounds. What do I need?
Heavy duty vehicles over 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating fall under CARB's Clean Truck Check rather than the regular smog check. Almost all vehicles in that program are tested twice a year, with an OBD scan for 2013 and newer diesel engines and a smoke opacity test plus visual inspection for 2012 and older. CARB charges its own annual compliance fee.
Does the diesel test cost the same as a regular smog check?
No. A diesel test is a different job, so the price differs from the coupon rate on a 2000 or newer passenger car. Call 925-246-9330 with the year, engine and weight rating and we will quote it before you drive over.