It sounds to me like you're just clearing codes and maybe doing something additional like forced charging by revving to 3500 rpm. If that's the case, there's no legal issue, but In my experience MOST P1449 return in less than the time required to clear enough emissions "NOT READY" to pass.

Good luck.

 

Hi Steve, I’m NOT doing what you think I am. I do wish I had as much knowledge as you do however. On my vehicle after I do what I do to make it “ready” for inspection it can keep from throwing a P1449 code for up to 100 miles. It might have an IMA light come on with no CEL about 30-40 miles after I’ve made it “ready.” However, I had it inspected with only 12 miles over the second/last part of my intervention. I think it would work for more of the IMA battery codes too. I do wish I had someone with another car that met the P1600/P1449 that needed to be inspected that I could try this out on. They’d get an inspection out of it if it works. It won’t change anything if it doesn’t.

 

Then you should add that. The 3500 rpm forced charge method is well known and can frequently push a IMA light/CEL further down the road. The distance driven is only relevant in so much as you have to complete the needed drive cycles to clear "NOT READY". In some cases, with Honda in particular, all but 1-2 of the "NOT READY" can be cleared VERY quickly. The last two to clear are almost always Cat and Evap. Evap almost always takes a couple of cold starts over 24+ hours.

PER https://dmv.ny.gov/brochure/what-do-...cars-not-ready, you can have up to 1 "NOT READY".

If you don't already have one, you should get a cheap OBDII code reader (<$15) that can list the "NOT READY" monitor status.

Lastly, you can be certain a HONDA is ready for emissions if you turn the key to the ON position without starting the engine. Wait for the CEL to start flashing. If it stops flashing and goes out, all "NOT READY" are cleared. If it stops flashing and goes steady on, at least one "NOT READY" remains.

 

Hi. Thanks for your information as always. I read up on the “Drive Cycle” a little bit. So I tried this on my HCH1. It had gone back to the CEL and the IMA light being on. Codes were P1449 & P1600. I cleared the codes, did the first part of what I do and drove forty miles. Although the CEL and the IMA lights were still cleared the emissions state was “NOT READY” as evidenced by the beeps when the ignition was turned to the On2 position. I then did the second half of my thing and drove ten miles. By this time I had no CEL light, IMA light, codes, or beeps. I then drove it another nine miles to an AutoZone and they read all of the emissions sensors and such and said that everything is in the READY state. I think that it’s pretty cool to replicate it reliably without any specific driving style or requirements. Granted this is a HCH1 which is no where near as complex as the later models. I really wish I had a few other cars to try it on.

 

You have only established that your P1449 is at the initial stages of failure. It depends completely on the condition of the battery itself, not the code. There are batteries that ALWAYS throw an immediate P1449 no matter what you do. There are some that can go a day or two... or for 15 minutes... or an hour... or a week...

MOST can't last long enough to clear all but one "NOT READY" before they throw a code - regardless of any sorcery you may possess.

Try a craigslist ad.

 

Yup. I’m agreeing w you, Steve. As an addition to what I wrote so far I continued driving to see how things would progress as I returned to the baseline. I was at 73 miles when the IMA light came back on. There was no CEL light or beeps upon restarting. I checked and there had appeared a EVAP not ready reading. I headed home and now have 138 miles without the CEL reappearing. It will sooner or later though. Still no beeps when I turn the key. I got 50.7 mpg total for the trip. I’m calling it quits for today. Another thing that minimizes my results is that it only got up to 70 degrees outdoors today. If anyone wants to volunteer their otherwise uninspectible vehicle to try this really simple task I’d do it for you.

 

Ok I have the same two codes on a 2003 Honda hybrid civic,,what do I need to do to get it though emissions. Keith nice seen you over on this site too,I agree why the big secret,,let Peaple know that we do over our site for insights,,everybody shares there tricks and knowledge,,

 

Hi hybrid442, I actually can’t stand keeping the secret even if I am **** broke and wish I could make a penny on two on something. Let me know if this works for you.

1) clear all the codes. This step is probably unnecessary but is good for validation of step 3

2) turn off the battery switch behind the seat.

3) start the engine with the code reader plugged in. Rescan. You should now get a CEL, P1600 and P1575.

4) without turning the engine off erase your data. The IMA and CEL should go off.

5) without turning your engine off drive 50 miles.

6) turn your engine off hopefully about 10 unstressful miles from an inspection station.

7) turn the battery switch back on.

8) drive 10 miles to an inspection station. Try to go easy on hills and acceleration.

9) get inspection. woo hoo.

The mile amounts can probably be tinkered with a bit but that system works every time for me. I bet it subverts many hybrid systems. Let me know, ok please.

 

Just thinking that I’d like to add that the idea of driving the 50 miles is to get very close to the “drive cycle” without the P1600 and P1575 being triggered again. P1575 is an alternator code which undoubtably is from the battery being shut off. I don’t know how many miles you can drive before this code is triggered again. It is triggered if you turn the vehicle off and then restart it without turning the battery back on first. I think that getting very close to your drive cycle or even barely over it would make it so you could turn the battery back on and drive a very short distance to the inspection station. Please let me know if and how this works. Thanks.

Jen