Smog Check re-test

Even though I reset the car electrical system (disconnect and reconnect the battery), cleaned the MAF sensor, I am still very nervous when I took RX300 for re-test in the morning. "Check Engine" light was still off after restarting the car at the test station, the mechanic moved it in after 10 minutes for the re-test - it was probably the longest 10 minutes, I was thinking what to do next if the test still fails but luckily it passed the re-test. We will be watching the "Check Engine" warning light for a long while to see the MAF cleaning worked even though we won't need to go through this for this car the next 2 years (smog test is required once every two years).

RX300 smog test fail

Took RX300 to a test-only station (at 1756 Houret court near Montague express) for smog test, waited for 40 minutes before my turn and another 20 minutes for the test and got a fail result. All the usually actual emission tests pass except the one that says Mil/Check Engine light related item. Drove across Montague Express to "捷誠" and got a quote for $200 to fix it, but since they do'nt have a spare car for me to drive home, I'll have to come tomorrow. After contemplating it, I decided to check the Internet for clues on the issue, there was one article that has detailed instructions and photos on how to clean MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor - possibly the cause for the problem, fairly simple - disconnect the electrical wire connector, unscrew two screws and remove the sensor. Went to Fry's and got a can of "Pure/99% Isopropyl Alcohol" spray to clean the sensor. RX300 does not have the "Check Engine" light when I drove to Frys as I did another power reset before hand - this at least will temporarily remove the light. I disconnect the car battery again before took out the sensor and cleaned it. Reinsert the sensor and reconnect the battery, starting up the engine OK, after taking it out for a test drive (about 30 miles), it is, for the moment, ready to go back for re-test.

A follow-up on car in the street

Several days after the previous C guy incidence, he brought in another car (actually the one that has parked across the street for nearly 2 months) and started working on it, he started the work in the afternoon but we wanted to see how it took him, by late night it is still going on so I did not wait any longer and called 311, police came after some 50 minutes and watched him cleaned up the mess a little and left. But the next morning he resumed his act, called 311 and went to the movie at Santana Row (Capitalism: A Love Story). The car was gone (moved to his own drive way) by the time we came back - obviously the police came and gave him a good lesson (to be fined a bunch or something like that otherwise no such move can take place) but there was a big pile of dirt in the street which he used to cover engine oil - I thought I'd clean it up the next day but it is taken away and washed clean - likely the effect of police giving him the warning. He now worked on the car on his driveway. It has been almost a week since the last call to 311 and the street has been relatively empty except occasional come-and-go vehicles. Thank God for this.