It is not so much a matter of how many miles to drive as it is how to drive; following the proper Drive Cycle is required in order to get your Mazda Protege to make READY its emission monitors. Smog technicians recommend driving for a few hundred miles over the course of a week, in both highway and city conditions, because usually all required drive cycle parameters are met over the course of 200-300 miles of driving. However if the driving patterns (indicated below) are not met, the drive cycle will not complete.
Take extra caution while performing drive cycles on public roadways. If you think you will be unable to follow the Mazda Protege Drive Cycle below safely, seek the assistance of a smog check repair station or Mazda dealership.
How to Complete Mazda Protege Drive Cycle for OBDII Monitors
Pre-Conditioning Requirements:
Ensure the MIL (malfunction indicator lamp) is not on.
Gas tank fuel level must be between 15% and 85% at all times.
Drive cycle must start while engine is cold. Best performed in the morning, after being parked overnight. The actual requirement is that the engine be between 68 and 86 degrees F prior to the start of the drive cycle.
Drive Trace:
A. Start your vehicle and idle for 5 minutes.
B. Rev the engine in neutral or park at 2,300 to 2,700 RPM for 15 seconds.
C. Rev the engine in neutral or park at 3,800 to 4,200 RPM for 15 seconds.
D. Idle the engine for 20 seconds, in park or neutral. Ensure the Cooling Fans are not on. If cooling fans are running you must wait until they stop and then idle for 20 seconds.
E. Begin driving. Accelerate to 52-55 mph and maintain speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Use smooth acceleration and maintain speed as constant as possible.
F. Decelerate (coast down) to 15 mph and then drive for 13 minutes at speeds between 15mph and 35mph.
G. Maintain 25mph for 50 seconds.
- End of Drive Cycle -
If all emissions systems are functioning properly, completing the drive cycle above will set the emission monitors (also known as readiness flags) required to pass the smog check. We recommend performing the drive cycle at least twice before visiting a smog check station. Explain to the smog technician that you've been attempting to complete a drive cycle prior to arriving at their shop.
