State vehicle inspections are required in many states across the country. If your inspection is almost due, there are several things that you can check on your own before you take it to the shop for the inspection service. Here, you'll find a short list of easy things to check to make sure that your vehicle passes inspection without issue.
1. Lights
Take a minute to check that all of the lightbulbs are working. Check the headlights, both highs and lows, the fog lights, turn signals, parking lights, back-up lights, and brakes. If any of these bulbs are burned out, now is the time to replace them. Burned out bulbs will prevent your vehicle from passing state inspection.
If you find some that bulbs need to be replaced, make a trip to your local auto supply store and look for replacements. Don't choose the cheapest bulbs on the shelf; upgrade to LED lights and they'll last much longer than the old bulbs that you had.
2. Tires
How is the tread on your tires? In many states, there has to be a certain amount of tread on the tires for the vehicle to pass inspection. Get a penny and stick it between the treads of the tire with the head facing downwards. If the tread comes to the top of the president's head, the tread should pass. If that's not the case, get some new tires before wasting your time with an inspection.
3. Windshield Wipers
Do your windshield wipers and fluid dispensers work properly? Some shops will only check to see if the wipers work, while others will check to be sure that the blades are in good enough condition to maintain optimum visibility during bad weather. Top off the washer fluid and test the dispensers. If they work—great. If not, you will have to get it repaired before some shops will pass the vehicle's inspection.
4. Exhaust
You know how your car should sound when the exhaust is in good condition. If the sound has gotten louder recently, there's probably a hole in the exhaust or a connection came loose. If you know a little about cars, you can slide under the vehicle and check things out. If not, just take it to the shop and have it looked at.
Taking these steps before you take your car to the inspection station will help ease the stress that you feel as you sit and wait for the inspection to be completed—and it'll move things along more quickly. For more information, contact local vehicle inspection services.
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