Don't get reported - here's how
- Regularly maintain your vehicle and ensure your vehicle is serviced according the manufacturer's instructions.
- Regularly road test your vehicle to ensure that there are no smoke emissions. Be sure to have someone follow your vehicle during the test.
- If your diesel vehicle has been serviced and is tuned to manufacturer's specifications and still blows smoke when road tested, you may need to ask your mechanic to reduce the fuel delivery from the fuel injection pump. This is known as de-rating the fuel injection pump. If this does not fix the smoke problem, your mechanic will need to carry out more detailed checks to locate the problem.
Maintenance is best carried out in a fully equipped garage or service centre by qualified service personnel. Service manuals supplied by the vehicle manufacturer provide information on the control of smoke through good maintenance practices and should be studied when planning preventive maintenance schedules.
Know your rights
If you have received a warning letter from EPA, check with your mechanic to determine if your vehicle needs a tune or requires mechanical repairs. Get your mechanic to road test the vehicle or road test the vehicle yourself using a simple test method. Regular tuning and maintenance can help reduce the problem of smoky vehicles emitting pollutants into the air.
Know your responsibilities
Section 21 of the Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation in force under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 makes it an offence for any vehicle to emit visible exhaust smoke for a continuous period of more than 10 seconds.