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Forum > Emissions Component > Question

2002 Ford Mustang with a 4.6 Liter Engine has a loose battery terminal.

I have a 2002 Ford Mustang with a 4.6l v8 engine. The connector on my ground battery cable has formed a crack which prevents the fitting from properly tightening to the negative battery terminal. The dealer wants over two hundred dollars to replace the cable which I can’t spare currently as I’m out of work. I‘ve currently got a small pair of vice-grips securing the connector to the post which has been working fine since we discovered the problem two weeks ago. I need to get my car smogged this week; will I have an issue with the visual portion of the test with vice-grips securing the battery cable connector to the battery post?
Answer:

This is a great question. Technically yes, a loose battery connection can cause a visual smog check failure. Though the battery is not directly an emissions component it is part of the vehicle's emissions computer system. Based on the technician he or she may note it as an emissions system defect. It's a grey area and we recommend you simply repair this fault before getting a smog inspection. Plus this problem will prompt a smog technician to be more cautious when performing the visual inspection to ensure there are no other emissions tampers or defects. Also make sure your vehicle has uninterrupted battery power for at least one week of regular driving. Power interruption to the Engine Control Computer will cause your vehicle emissions "readiness flags" to reset. This will cause a smog check failure. Only one to two weeks of regular driving will set the flags again. posted by SmogTips Support

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