1. Regular Maintenance - The most important thing you can do to help your vehicle pass smog and save fuel is to perform regular maintenance. This includes tune-ups, air cleaners, pcv valves,oil changes, fuel filters, oxygen sensors, etc. Check your vehicle owner's manual for proper maintenance intervals.
2. Warm up your car - Drive your vehicle for at least 5 minutes prior to arriving at the smog station. This will help ensure your vehicle is running at its proper operating temperature.
3. Change Dirty Oil - If your oil change is past due, go ahead and do it before the smog check. The PCV (positive crank case ventilation) system of your vehicle is designed to allow your engine to breath fumes located in oil compartments. Dirty oil may raise your vehicle's emissions.
4. Inflate Low Tires to Proper Pressure - During most smog inspections, we will need to drive your vehicle on a dynamometer as a part of the smog test. Properly inflated tires may improve the overall emissions by reducing engine load. We always check for tires that appear to have low pressure. Properly inflated tires also will save you alot of money in fuel costs. Check your tires often.
STAR CERTIFIED SMOG CHECK STATION
IMPORTANT TIPS TO HELP YOU PASS YOUR SMOG TEST
Testimonials
Riverside, CA
We have trusted Scotty’s Auto Repair with our vehicles for years, and watching Samantha step up to run the family business has been wonderful. She truly knows this industry inside and out, from the garage floor to the front desk. Because Sam feels like family, the logistics are a breeze. On a recent trip, we dropped our van off in the morning for a routine oil change, and when we picked it up, we seamlessly swapped it out and left our second car for its maintenance. We ran errands nearby, knowing she’d call us the second the van was ready so we could swing by before heading home. She is fantastic about giving realistic timelines—taking into consideration parts ordering and scheduling—and I love that she errs on the side of caution because it’s always a great feeling when the work is completed even earlier than promised! What completely sets Sam apart is how much she genuinely cares. Before I got my new hearing aids, she went out of her way to text me all my repair information—a thoughtful accommodation I know she provides for others, too. She is working so hard to modernize the shop with detailed receipts and incredible technician notes, all while maintaining that classic, non-judgmental family integrity. We bring all three of our vehicles here for routine maintenance because we trust them implicitly. If you want a shop with top-tier tech expertise and real heart, go see Sam at Scotty's.~ Elaine Spiliotis, 09/08/2026
Riverside, CA
The Customer Service and workmanship were both excellent! They gave me a thorough analysis of what my car needed and quoted fair prices. This is a very reputable business and they are known by the community to be very honest. The communication during the process was also top-notch!~ N Tar, 08/10/2026
