§ 86.1835-01 Confirmatory certification testing.

(a) Testing by the Administrator. (1) The Administrator may require that any one or more of the test vehicles be submitted to the Agency, at such place or places as the Agency may designate, for the purposes of conducting emissions tests. The Administrator may specify that such testing be conducted at the manufacturer's facility, in which case instrumentation and equipment specified by the Administrator shall be made available by the manufacturer for test operations. Any testing conducted at a manufacturer's facility pursuant to this paragraph shall be scheduled by the manufacturer as promptly as possible.

(i) The Administrator may adjust or cause to be adjusted any adjustable parameter of an emission-data vehicle which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment for certification testing in accordance with § 86.1833-01(a)(1), to any setting within the physically adjustable range of that parameter, as determined by the Administrator in accordance with § 86.1833-01(a)(3), prior to the performance of any tests to determine whether such vehicle or engine conforms to applicable emission standards, including tests performed by the manufacturer. However, if the idle speed parameter is one which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment, the Administrator shall not adjust it to a setting which causes a higher engine idle speed than would have been possible within the physically adjustable range of the idle speed parameter on the engine before it accumulated any dynamometer service, all other parameters being identically adjusted for the purpose of the comparison. The Administrator, in making or specifying such adjustments, will consider the effect of the deviation from the manufacturer's recommended setting on emissions performance characteristics as well as the likelihood that similar settings will occur on in-use light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks, or complete heavy-duty vehicles. In determining likelihood, the Administrator will consider factors such as, but not limited to, the effect of the adjustment on vehicle performance characteristics and surveillance information from similar in-use vehicles.

(ii) For those vehicles parameters which the Administrator has not determined to be subject to adjustment during testing in accordance with § 86.1833-01(a)(1), the vehicle presented to the Administrator for testing shall be calibrated within the production tolerances applicable to the manufacturer's specifications to be shown on the vehicle label (see § 86.1807-01) as specified in the application for certification. If the Administrator determines that a vehicle is not within such tolerances, the vehicle will be adjusted, at the facility designated by the Administrator, prior to the test and an engineering report shall be submitted to the Administrator describing the corrective action taken. Based on the engineering report, the Administrator will determine if the vehicle will be used as an emission data vehicle.