If you bought a Toyota Prius and have been trying to pass an emissions test in Georgia, you’re probably pretty stressed out right about now.

A computer glich is causing every single Prius to fail the emissions test. It turns out that the computer that downloads the car’s emissions history is incompatible with the hybrid, and the exhaust-testing system requires the car to be able to idle with the engine running— something the eco-friendly Pruis won’t do.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Scott Merritt bought his low polluting Toyota Prius to help save the planet, conserve energy and encourage others to go green. He’s also a big believer in keeping dirty polluters off the road.

So imagine his surprise and frustration when his electric hybrid failed Georgia emissions testing — not once, but three times.

“I spent a total of three full days getting this resolved,” said Merritt, 34, a public relations executive. “I went to three different places, and nobody was able to do the test.”

The state developed a 10-step procedure to work around the problem, but it just doesn’t seem to work for poor Mr. Merritt.

“The woman behind the counter looked at me like I had three heads,” Merritt said. “She had never heard of this problem.”

Earth-friendly Prius struggling to overcome Ga emissions glitch [Atlanta J-C] (Thanks, Gregg!)
(Photo:Ben Gray/AJC)

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