What to Expect from a Vehicle Safety Inspection

Whether you are going to drop off your vehicle at our auto repair shop, or the state has told you that you are to have a vehicle safety inspection performed on your vehicle, chances are you want to know what you are in for. After all; it’s your car. You are the person who has to drive it to and from many places each week. So you will want to know what it is in store for and, ultimately, what you are in store for. So here are the things that you should expect from your vehicle safety inspection. 

What is the Vehicle Safety Inspection All About?

First off, understand that a vehicle safety inspection is much different from a general maintenance performance, or a routine isolated inspection. These types of inspections are just as common, but they are not required, nor are they as thorough. A vehicle safety inspection is a very thorough process that is designed to check how safe your vehicle is not just for you to drive, but for you to drive on public streets with other driver’s on the road. Thus the vehicle safety inspection is just as much about other drivers’ safety as it is about yours. These inspections are performed to ensure that your vehicle meets federal standards for safety of operation. 

What Can I Expect to Have Checked During a Vehicle Safety Inspection?

You can expect to have literally every aspect of your vehicle checked to determine if it meets the proper safety requirements that you expect it to have.  We’ll pay special attention to your brakes, steering and suspension systems, cooling systems, battery and electrical systems, wheel alignment, and fluid levels, including leaks.  If any of these systems are compromised, don’t hesitate on fixing them.  The winter season is brutal on cars and if any of these systems fail or aren’t working properly, it could be a major problem when you’re on the road.  On top of looking at these systems, your windshield wiper blades, headlights and brake lights, and tires will be looked at as well.  Every part of your vehicle we look over, is for your safety and should be taken very seriously if a repair is needed.

What Happens if I Fail My Vehicle Safety Inspection?

If the vehicle safety inspection is a product of your own want, meaning you scheduled it and you are paying for it with out state involvement, then nothing will happen. Your vehicle will obviously not pass the inspection, but you will receive no penalties for this. However if you are state ordered to have a vehicle safety inspection and you fail it, you can expect to be told you can no longer drive your specific vehicle on the road until the problems are attended to by one of our mechanics. In some cases, the repairs will not be very costly—they can be a simple brake pad change or some other trivial, daily mechanic woe. However, in other cases the repairs can be costly, and thus you should be prepared that you may have to spend quite a bit.