Chrysler & Dodge: Drive Cycle Procedures to complete OBD Readiness Monitors

Chrysler Drive Cycle Information

All Monitor Drive Trace
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off
– Cold start (Note: cold start temperature is undefined)
Driving Procedure
1) Warm engine up for five minutes (must reach closed loop)
2) Drive (with steady throttle) at a speed between 40 and 60 mph for 8 minutes.
3) Stop and idle for 3 minutes.
4) Drive (with steady throttle) at a speed above 20 mph for 2 minutes.
5) Turn key off, leave off for ten minutes (to run O2 sensor heater monitor).
Note: Due to the limited preconditions provided with this drive trace, NCVECS recommends using the monitor
specific drive traces for Chrysler vehicles.

Catalyst Monitor Drive Trace
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off.
– No DTCs present.
– Fuel level is between 15% and 85% full.
– ECT above 70º F.
– Engine must have run at least 90 seconds
– Engine between 1,350 & 1,900 rpm.
Driving Procedure
1) Idle vehicle for five minutes (to reach closed loop operation).
2) Drive with a steady vehicle speed between 30 and 45 mph for 2 minutes.

EGR System Monitor Drive Trace – Vacuum controlled
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off.
Driving Procedure
1) Idle vehicle for five minutes (to reach closed loop operation).
2) Drive with a steady vehicle speed between 40 & 60 mph for 8 minutes.

EGR System Monitor Drive Trace – Electronic
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off.
– MAP must be between 0-60 KPa.
– Engine speed between 500-850 rpm.
– ECT is above 180º F (90º C).
– No misfire temporary (pending) or matured fault present.
– A/C clutch, PS Switch and Cooling fans do not change state (turn off).
Driving Procedure
1) Idle vehicle for five (5) minutes (to reach closed loop operation).
2) Drive with a steady vehicle speed between 40 & 60 mph for 2 minutes.
3) Idle vehicle for three (3) minutes.
Note: This monitor evaluates EGR flow based on a change of engine roughness (idle stability).
Conditions causing un-stable idle will prevent this monitor from running.

Evaporative System Monitor Drive Trace
Trace 1: Standard Type
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off.
– No Evaporative DTCs present.
– Fuel level is between ½ and full.
(Note: monitor may still run with tank fill between 15% and 85%).
Driving Procedure
1) Idle vehicle for five minutes (to reach closed loop operation).
2) Drive with a steady vehicle speed between 30 and 45 mph for 2 minutes.
Trace 2: Leak Detection Pump
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off.
– No Evaporative DTCs present.
– Fuel level is between 30 & 85 % full.
Driving Procedure
1) Cold soak vehicle, start and idle vehicle for 4 minutes.
2) Drive in-town (stop and go) for 5 minutes, using smooth accelerations and decelerations.
3) Stop and idle vehicle for 4 minutes.

O2 Sensor Monitor Drive Trace
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off.
Driving Procedure
1) Idle vehicle for five minutes (to reach closed loop operation).
2) Drive with a steady vehicle speed above 25 mph for 2 minutes.
3) Stop and idle for 30 seconds.
4) Smoothly accelerate to a speed between 30 and 40 mph.
5) Repeat steps 3 & 4 five (5) times.

O2 Sensor Heater Monitor Drive Trace
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
– MIL must be off.
Driving Procedure
1) Idle vehicle for five minutes (to reach closed loop operation).
2) Shut engine off and leave vehicle off for ten minutes.

51 Replies to “Chrysler & Dodge: Drive Cycle Procedures to complete OBD Readiness Monitors”

  1. Pingback: Autozone cleared my codes and now I cannot pass emissions test - Chrysler 300C Forum: 300C & SRT8 Forums

    • dewok Post author

      Hi Scott,

      MIL is an abbreviation for Malfunction Indicator Light. Simply put, it is the “Check Engine Light”. On some vehicles the MIL may simply be a symbol of an engine. Other vehicles might have a dash light that states: “Service Vehicle Soon” or “Check Engine”. These are all considered MILs.

      Danny
      Just Smogs

      Reply
      • bob

        hi so i had a code po305 made afew repairs cleared code trying to do a drive cycle for test but every time i do i get the same code and mil comes on my question is once i trip the mil is that the end or will it continue to complete cycle ? am i to expect the mil to come on even if its fixed the 1st cycle in order for the pcm to make sure ?

        Reply
        • dewok Post author

          Hi Bob, after the fault code sets, the incomplete monitors may or may not set based on their relationship with the faulty system.

          No, the vehicle has not been repaired correctly if the same fault code returns.

          Back to the mechanic.

          Good luck,
          Danny

          Reply
        • Plationof1

          It’s a vaccume leak unhook the vaccume line on intake that has the large hose and 2 small vac lines and hook the big hose directly to the intake bypassing the 2 that run to the can valve start and see if light is still on

          Reply
      • William C Grant

        I have a 2010 challenger with a 3.5L engine and it is showing the red ⚡ symbol and barely idol’s and runs like crap,it will run good for a while then right back to running bad again

        Reply
      • Tom

        If you just fixed an evap issue, and the mil light is still on, does that mean I have to manually clear it for the prerequisites to be met before the test can be ran?

        Reply
        • dewok Post author

          Hi Tom,
          You have two options:
          1. If you’re confident in your diagnosis and repair, you can do nothing and drive the car. When the MIL turns off, it’s ready to pass smog (assuming the MIL didn’t burn out and/or there were no other monitor issues or permanent DTCs)
          2. You manually clear the MIL and drive the vehicle until the monitors are ready.

          Reply
    • Scott Greth

      2010 Dodge Challenger, 02 sensor will not clear, after repeated following the 02 pre-condirioning req! 5 times each. Says fuel must show 15%-85%. The smog check station says the computer shows 100% fuel, even when gauge shows 1/2 tank.. Gauges were reset to mfg,specs! Still a problem. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • dewok Post author

        Hi Scott,

        Assuming the smog check station’s scanner is accurate, I would test the fuel sensor to see if it is defective.

        Reply
  2. gary tolle

    Hello.
    i hope u can help, i have a 2001 dodge cummins 5.9 it has a F u E monitor light. I had a bad grid heater relay, fixed that than the T P S has been bad so i changed that and still the light.
    i ordered a fuel level sensor cuz its been whacky off and on so I ll change it anyway, the innova manual say the ecm is trying to adj the fuel trim but this diesel,,,,,,?vp44 injection pump.
    looking thru the parts book, could the fuel pre heater be an issue if out of range or? I have an after market pump bypassing the stock fuel filter,heater and water in fuel senors…..
    thanks
    gary

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Gary,

      Although we smog check diesels, as of right now, we don’t fix them. Hopefully someone in the community can help with your question.

      Reply
  3. James

    Did the above twice now plus over 300 miles of hwy driving but my O2 Sensor Monitor and Catalyst Monitor are still showing INC. Any suggestions? 2005 Chrysler Town and Country 3.3L

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi James,

      On Chryslers, we always start the drive cycle with a morning cold start. Allow vehicle to warm up 10-15 mins. At the end of the drive cycle, we will let the vehicle idle for another 10 minutes. Turn vehicle off and let it sit (10-20 minutes). Sometimes if you check a Chrysler’s monitors right after the drive cycles, they won’t be ready. But the next time you start it up, they will be set to ready.

      Good Luck!
      Danny

      Reply
    • Kara

      Hi thanks for all the info it is very helpful. I have a 2012 dodge avenger when i run the emissions tests I get 5 not passed- erg system, evap system, o2 sensor, O2 sensor heater, and catalyst. It was sitting with a dead battery for about 4 months but i have been driving it daily for nearly 2 months now, put about 700 miles on it. Any suggestions on what i should do. I don’t think that in 700 miles that those sequences could not have been met yet…. At a loss…. And no MIL.

      Reply
      • dewok Post author

        Hi James,

        It’s very unusual for a vehicle to have no monitors set after driving 700 miles. I would check with your mechanic. Please let us know what you find out.

        Reply
  4. Allen Whited

    I have a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel with the 5.9 I have 1900 miles on it right now and I cannot get my 02 misfire monitor to turn off any suggestions

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Allen,

      Although we smog check all diesel vehicles, we do not work on them. So we are somewhat limited with diesel experience. Assuming the vehicle is not modified (no computer tuning), I would first trying resetting the computer adaptives via a scan tool and attempt a drive cycle again. If this does not work, I would check with your local dealership to see if there is a computer update available.

      For other 2005 Dodge diesel owners: There are known issues with the OBD II system and the California smog check. As of 2019, please reference the following document.

      Reply
  5. Charles J Thompson

    I have a 2015 dodge dart aero 1.4 turbo
    Battery went dead from sitting and was replaced but not ready 5 times now is it normal for these cars also it’s a stick shift is there different test for sticks

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Charles,

      Not totally sure if your 2015 Dodge has a unique drive cycle. We generally don’t deal with drive cycling vehicles newer than 2013. Based on our experience, we’ve had good luck when completing drive cycles on manual transmission vehicles when we limit RPMs. We generally try to keep shifts under 3000 RPM.

      Good Luck,

      Danny
      JUST SMOGS® + REPAIR

      Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Scott,

      Not 100% sure but I would look into a reflash of the PCM. Make sure all the software is up to date.

      Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Paul,

      I don’t have the exact drive cycle for a 2015 RAM. I recommend driving it in a similar pattern as the previous post.

      Danny

      Reply
  6. Adam

    I have a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5.9L. I’ve had no luck getting the EVAP monitor to set to complete. IF there is a leak or something wrong with the EVAP system would it throw a CEL? or will it remain incomplete?

    Thanks for any help.

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Adam,

      For most vehicles, the EVAP monitor is last to complete. Yes, it is possible that there is an issue with the EVAP or another system that is preventing that monitor from completing. Also on some vehicles, if your fuel tank is always above 3/4 tank, the EVAP monitor will not complete.
      With that said, you do need to worry about the EVAP monitor. Your vehicle will still pass a smog check with the EVAP monitor incomplete.

      Reply
  7. Ryan Davis

    I have a 2013 Chrysler 200 3.6L with 100,000 miles whose battery I just replaced because it was dead. I don’t drive the car every day, its more so my back up vehicle. It reset all my monitors and So far I’ve put almost a little over 500 miles on since then. I’ve been able to get all but the EGR monitor ready for SMOG. I’ve followed the steps to the best of my ability. I plug in my OBD2 scanner and I have no DTC’s whatsoever. Car runs great and doesn’t idle rough or do anything that would indicate my EGR valve going bad. Any suggestions?? I need to get it to pass SMOG asap

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Ryan,

      The EGR monitor is usually fairly easy to complete when the EGR system is operating correctly. If I remember correctly, your vehicle may utilize a sensor to verify the EGR is open when commanded on. At this point, I would take your Chrysler to a knowledgeable mechanic and have them professionally diagnose the issue.

      Reply
  8. Michael

    I have an 04 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 and after replacing the o2, then battery after a month of no progress, and am starting to run out of ideas. It’s been 2 months and I put hundreds of miles on both highway and city, and I am unsure what specific measures I can take to work towards readiness when new parts don’t help

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Michael,

      At this point I would bring your vehicle to a knowledgeable mechanic and have it diagnosed. A professional scan tool can aid in analyzing and diagnosing specific issues that can prevent monitors from completing.

      Reply
      • Rick

        I have a 2011 ram 1500 5.7 hemi changed O2 sensors and did drive sequence twice and O2 and catalyst still not ready. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

        Reply
        • dewok Post author

          Hi Rick,

          The basic drive cycle outlined in this post should do the job.

          I checked the most recent CA BAR OBD II Vehicle’s of Interest List and I did not see your vehicle on the list. This means that assuming your vehicle is operating properly, the monitors should complete.

          When it comes to 02 sensors, we generally only use OEM sensors to avoid potential issues. Another tip is to allow the vehicle to warm up from a cold start (sit over night) and drive the vehicle at a steady 55 mph with the A/C off. But, verify the specific drive cycle to be sure.

          Good luck,
          Danny
          JUST SMOGS

          Reply
          • Ben Vandenbos

            Catalyst not ready? Driven over 1500 miles. Help? What’s the correct drive cycle for 07 Ram 1500 4.7

  9. Simmage

    2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Van:
    New PCM, have completed approx. 300 miles of various driving since. All have cleared except “Catalyst” monitor.
    Have attempted method above without success.
    Q. Do revs need to be between 1350-1900 during the 5 minute idle? Or just for the continuous 2 mins driving between 30-40mph?
    Finding a road to stay within speed and rpm range for continuous 2 minutes is not easy around my area!
    Any clarification will be appreciated

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hello,

      For drive cycles, we allow the vehicle to warm up at a natural idle. We’ve had the most success during drive cycles by keeping RPM relatively low. This means that we are driving with a “light foot” (no heavy acceleration).

      You are not the only one that has difficulty completing drive cycles due to traffic and road conditions. At JUST SMOGS, we are lucky to be located near PCH in Orange County. We’ve had a number of customers that live in Los Angeles that are unable to complete some drive cycles due to traffic conditions.

      Reply
  10. Brian Hojnacki

    Just fixed an EVAP issue by replacing the purge valve. Should I clear the code or drive the procedures above and it clear itself?
    Thanks
    Dodge ram 2007 gas

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Brian,

      You can go either way. If you leave the MIL on, as you drive the vehicle, if the MIL turns off you know you successfully fixed the issue.

      We usually just clear the MIL post repairs and drive the vehicle to complete monitors for the smog check.

      Sorry I don’t have a clear answer. An argument can be made either way.

      Danny
      JUST SMOGS

      Reply
  11. Marshall Collins

    I got all the monitor’s up and running except the o2 senor. I have a dodge Caliber 2007. 2.0.
    Need help

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Marshall, if I remember correctly (assuming O2 sensors are working properly), drive steady 40-60mph. Or you can follow the instructions in the original post.

      Good luck,
      Danny
      JUST SMOGS

      Reply
  12. GLORIA

    Hi, i hope you can help. Have a Dodge Caliber 2010, The smog passed except 02 and cat monitors say incomplete. I’ve driven it but continues to test incomplete. Any advice would be appreciaed.

    Reply
    • John

      I have the same problem with my 96 Dodge Ram Van 2500 with the 5.9l. Runs very smooth, passed all emissions easily, just 02 and cat fail. Please help

      Reply
  13. Jacob Williams

    2015 Dode Dart SE. Had a EVAP repair. I drive on highway 100-150 miles 65- 90 mph. EVAP is ready.

    O2 sensor still not ready. Mechanic said just drive normal eventually should come on.

    I have never heard of a “Drive cycle’

    more like a cash cow

    Reply
  14. Jacob Williams

    after spending $200.00 on gas and driving 300 miles. One might stop and wonder. Would a $50.00 O2 brand new sensors be the answer? serious question. Would a brand new one automatically be ready?

    Reply
    • dewok Post author

      Hi Jacob,

      Assuming that all systems and sensors in your vehicle are working correctly, your mechanic is correct, with normal driving, the 02 sensor motor should become ready.

      Now to answer your question, will a new 02 sensor solve your problem?

      Possibly. There could be an issue with the existing sensor. There can also be an issue with the way the vehicle is being driven and/or environmental conditions. A knowledgeable technician can determine this by analysing data from the vehicle using a scan tool.

      I’ve noticed an increased demand for our drive cycle/diagnosis service recently. I’m sure the high cost of gas has played a role in motorist’s willingness to pay us to either fast track the drive cycle or determine what is causing the monitor(s) from not setting.

      With that said, I vividly remember spending countless hours trying to set an 02 Heater monitor on a BMW. All data indicated that the 02 sensor was working normally. Finally we gave up and replaced the sensor. The stubborn 02 Heater monitor set the very next cycle!

      If it’s not worth paying a technician for a drive cycle/diagnosis, you can give a new sensor a try. I just would recommend replacing the part with a high quality brand, preferably OEM.

      Good luck!

      Reply
  15. Basheer Umar

    I have a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan SE, they replaced the thermostat and told me to do I drive cycle, I’ve did over 200 miles since replacing it and the OBD readiness still failing. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  16. Miguel

    I went for my emission test and results were rejected. No DTCs, only EVAP system and O2 sensor Not ready.
    I already drove 60-100 miles, 3 days and retake the test, same result, No DTCs, EVAP system and O2 sensor Not Ready.

    What’s the problem?!!!!

    Reply

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