Most states require vehicle inspections, though a few do not. If you live in one of the many states that do, you should know that if you don’t get a qualified mechanic to inspect your car and procure a sticker that you can display on the front windshield’s interior, the cops might pull you over and ticket you.
However, some drivers do not necessarily know what happens during the average yearly vehicle inspection.
We will discuss that right now. At a minimum, you should know the steps to ensure your vehicle passes inspection and what occurs when you hand your keys over to the mechanic. Vehicle inspections keep cars in good working order, making it less likely they will break down when you’re out on some deserted stretch of highway.
Where Can You Take Your Vehicle to Get a Mechanic to Inspect It?
A total of 37 of the 50 states require a vehicle inspection. Some want you to get one every year, while some use the biennial system instead. Some states also require an inspection to make sure a vehicle has road-worthy status if you’re trying to register it after moving from a different state.
If you live in a state that requires one of these inspections, you’ll need to find a garage that does them. You can usually locate one without too much trouble. You can Google something like “yearly car inspection near me” or a similar keyword phrase.
Your smartphone will come up with a list of the nearest garages that do it. You might find as many as half a dozen a short drive away if you live in a decent-sized city. If you live in a more rural area, you may have fewer options.
Who Inspects the Vehicle?
A qualified mechanic inspects the vehicle. You can usually count on an employee at any garage having the requisite skill set to do this inspection. They don’t need more than a basic knowledge of vehicles and their various systems to inspect your car as your state requires.
When you approach the garage, look for a number that indicates the facility duly registered with the state as a place where car owners can go to get one of these inspections. That number, issued by the state, identifies this garage’s legitimacy.
If you don’t see that number, you might have found an unauthorized garage. Such a facility can’t inspect your car, so ensure you’ve found a legitimate one before handing over any money for the inspection.
How Much Does One of These Inspections Cost?
The cost of one of these inspections varies by state. Also, some garages will charge a little more than others. In general, though, this service should not cost much. For instance, in New York State, you might pay anywhere from $6-$15 if you ask a mechanic to inspect the family sedan or a similar light vehicle.
A motorcycle inspection may cost as little as $6. If you have a heavy vehicle, that could cost as much as $20. A semi-trailer costs $12 for an inspection.
What Does the Mechanic Check During an Inspection?
As for what the mechanic checks during the inspection process, that also varies a bit according to the state in which they’re doing it. They should check your vehicle’s various safety systems and devices. That will include your seatbelts, wipers, horn, mirrors, windshield, lights, suspension, steering, and brakes. They will make a note of anything that’s not working or damaged.
They will check your mechanical components as well. Those include things like your vehicle’s frame, axles, and engine. The mechanic will check your car’s emissions. That includes your exhaust, thermostatic air cleaner, and fuel inlet restrictor. It also includes your crankcase ventilation system, gas recirculation valve, air injection system, and catalytic converter.
They will next check your vehicle’s tires. At this point, they’re looking at the tread depth, their overall condition, and their pressure.
That usually comprises most of what the mechanic looks at during the inspection of the vehicle’s working parts. In addition, some states will want the mechanic to look at your vehicle’s registration and identification number (VIN) before returning it to you.
What Happens if Your Vehicle Does Not Pass Inspection?
Ideally, when the mechanic looks at all of these components, they will say everything looks fine. At this moment, you might breathe a sigh of relief if you have an older car. It’s like getting a clean bill of health from your doctor if you had some condition that worried you.
If you have a car that you bought brand-new within the past few months, you shouldn’t think that the mechanic will find anything wrong. If you have an older car, though, or one that gave you trouble in the past, you might feel a little anxious while waiting to hear from the mechanic.
If the mechanic says your vehicle failed the inspection, then they will give you a failed inspection sticker. They will also tell you what’s wrong with it and what you must do to fix the problem. You can drive your vehicle home with a failed inspection sticker, or you can take it to a facility with the staff and resources to repair it.
If you continue driving it with a failed inspection sticker, though, the police can ticket you if they catch you. They can even impound your vehicle.
Usually, you have a certain timeframe from the moment the mechanic says you failed to make the repairs and get a garage to test it again. If you don’t do this during the specified time the state grants you after the inspection, the police can again ticket you if they catch you driving with the telltale sticker on the car.
Car inspections help keep vehicles on the road in a safe condition. You might not feel thrilled about the practice, but it’s for your good and that of the drivers and pedestrians around you.
