Many people have complained of Failing Emissions. One issue is that they keep lowering the Standards (look at your Test results for that past few years).

The other issue is the way the inspector drives the car. Here's my story.

Not the Volvo but my '85 Chevy Pickup Standard Trani.

I drive it about 15 miles to get it nice and hot. Drive to the inspection station (New York) They put it up on the Dyno and start the test. The guy can't get through the test without it failing midway because o he couldn't keep the speed correct. They have like an 1/8th of a second to correct the speed as it has them climbing hills. With the Long Throw of my trucks Shifter, he keeps getting dumped out of the program. Another guy hops in there and he's a bit sharper. He runs the test but keeps rolling his eyes because of the long shifting. The truck Fails. OK he gives it another shot, gets thru the test and it passes. Not only does it pass but when I look at the Test results, My truck is well within the limits. WHAT GIVES?? The engine was plenty warmed up from the first guy trying to run the test.

WHAT I NOTICED. This might help others. When the smarter guy ran the test the second time (the one that past) he rev'd the engine up higher before shifting. The first test he was so anxious to get the shifting over with that I think he Lugged the engine causing it to run Rich and fail the test. When these emmission stations type in the info on the car, there is a box "MANUAL or AUTOMATIC' I think they need to adjust the time the inspector has to stay within the speed to allow for shifting the gears. I feel that made would help to tell whether the car is really good or bad.
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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me