Call Kurtis: Did I Really Fail Smog? A Free Way to Find Out
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Lakisha Green said a smog station took her money, but didn't do the whole smog test.
When she said they refused to refund her money, it was time to Call Kurtis.
Green said the shop took one look, and told her it wouldn't pass the visual inspection.
But a repair shop found nothing was wrong!
Green said she's never had any problem with her car -- until a smog technician at a Sacramento smog Test Only station said it would fail.
After taking her money, the smog station said her car failed the visual inspection due to two hose leaks.
Green didn't think that sounded right and took it to another repair shop that passed her saying the "visual inspection ... found all hoses and lines intact."
"I was not happy about the whole situation," Green said. "A lot of headache is what I got out of it."
In California, if you disagree with what a smog station finds, you can challenge it with the Bureau of Automotive Repair's Referree Program, which will set you up with one of their certified test locations for a free re-inspection.
"We're after a good smog check test and technicians who do a good smog check test," said Russ Heimerich of the Department of Consumer Affairs, which runs the Bureau of Automotive Repair.
Heimerich said the biggest problem is smog shops that pass you when you shouldn't, not shops that fail you.
Of the 7,773 smog check stations across California, last year the Bureau of Automotive Repair issued 401 citations for improper testing.
"They need to be held accountable," Green said. "I assumed that they knew what they were talking about," she said.
Green's original smog shop refused to refund her originally, but after we got involved the company agreed to send her a refund check.
If you think you have problems with a smog check you receive, you can contact the referee program for free at AsktheRef.org.
If you need assistance with smog repairs, you can apply for the state's Consumer Assistance Program, which Call Kurtis previously reported on in January.
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