Technical Lemme get this straight...(U.S. Vehicle inspections)

When I lived in New York state, there was a yearly inspection which involved a plug-in to the car's computer connecting it to the states DMV computer. The computer checked that all the emissions controls were working as designed and it also connected the car to the criminal div which was alerted if the car was being sought. When I went for one of the inspections, the mechanic told me about hooking up a car and a cop showed up within 10-minutes to arrest the owner because of being on a wanted list. The safety inspection also covered lights, brakes, tires, etc.

Pre-'86 cars got the same safety check as the newer cars, minus the computer link, obviously.

I moved recently to Kentucky and the only inspection involved the DMV clerk coming to the parking lot and verifying the cars VIN number and that there were no cracks in the windshield. That's all as long as I own the car.

 

I grew up in New Jersey where yearly inspection was performed at State Gov. stations and they were pretty comprehensive.
I moved to Pennsylvania where inspections were done at liscensed private gas stations and repair shops. Comprehensive, down to the removal of 1 front and 1 rear wheel to measure and record the brake lining, headlight aiming, no rust holes in the body and no tears in seat uphostery.
The laws on record stated that only factory equiped parts could be on the vehicle, which could be used by a ball busting cop for your engine mods, exhaust, lights,, etc..

I now live in North Carolina, where around 2010 they changed their laws making vehicles over 35 years old exempt from any inspectiion. I take full advantage of that!

 

......................Imagine that !!

 

Arkansas used to have vehicle inspections. However when Mike Huckabee became Govener He got the legislature to abolish the inspection.

 

Good for Mike.

 

California smog laws suck. after my last smog check ended up costing $500.00 I registered my car elsewhere in the state. no more smogs for me. had my old DD registered out of the area as well. got 275,000 miles out of that car and drove it for 12 years. I doubt it would have passed smog inspection much after the time I bought it. I started out with 160,000.
in the future there will be no personal transportation at all and all our old cars will be in museums.

 

Ask anyone else down here how anal the state and federal authorities are with cars and inspections. Many of your cars, not all, wouldn't get past first base down here. It's so hard even getting a car into the country now it's ridiculous despite the fact that they need to be modified and brought up to local standards in most cases to be legal for registration. Safety here isn't optional, it's mandatory.

 

Michigan did away with vehicle inspections years ago because the biggest offenders were older, poorly maintained vehicles. Of course, those vehicles are primarily owned by poorer residents, in poorer communities (you can read that as Detroit). So it got framed as a class/race thing, a political hot potato, and dropped.

 

In Norway, a new car (under 3500kg) can drive along for four years before the first inspection. After that it has to be checked at a garage that is allowed by the government to do the control.
Every second year (4,6,8,10 etc)

The things that Are checked are:

Vin number/title/registration/plates
Lights
Vipers/washers
Axles/drivetrain
Anti theft devices (lock on steering column)
Brakes (visual and measured on rollers)
Brake hoses/pipes
Wheels and rims
Suspension
Exhaust (4-gas on gasoline or smoke density on diesels) (on newer diesels they check only via OBD port)
Rust in chassis/frame/suspension
Springs
Mirrors (you have to be able to fold the outside mirrors with a force less than 25kg...)
Horn
Sharp edges on bodywork (rust or collision damage)
All seat belts
Etc.etc.etc.

The cost is about 150$.

What makes this system work?
The shop has to send the control via computer BEFORE the vehicle leave the shop, and they Will get a message from the DMV IF the DMV Will double check the car.
If the car is altered without approval from the DMV, the shop can loose their licence to perform the tests.
Or if the shop has missed something dangerous like a rusted brake pipe or defective brakes.

So no shop will take a chance if you have mounted a turbo to your car, lowered it, or dine any modification that is not allowed.

Luckily cars from before 1960 are exepted from this whole system, so only the DMV can stop you along the road and five you a "fix it" note.

Even the police cannot fine you, because they Are not educated in car checking.

The only thing police can fine you for is if lights, wipers or horn does not work, or if summer tires have less than 1,6mm grooves or if winter tires has less than 3 mm grooves.
If the police THINKS you have modified your vehicle, they will send a message to the DMV, and the DMV Will send you a letter that says that you have to come to them so they can check your vehicle.

Rune Waltoft from Norway

 

In Mass. all original "safety equipment" must be operational for any vehicle regardless of age. My antique 67 corvette was flunked at inspection because the windshield washer didn't work. Another time the inspector gave me a hard time as the back up lights didn't work.

 

In Texas all the nasty inspections can be side stepped by registering the vehicle as an antique. The laws on vehicles with this type of registration say limited use for shows and club activities, but I drive mine quite frequently and don’t get hassled.

 

That is the way it is in all the states now. The Feds push commercial vehicle inspections. We have a two inch thick book of regulations that our trucks, trailers, and drivers have to abide by. Some of it is fix it tickets, some are fix it now before it moves tickets, and some are “ you in a heapa trouble boy!” Sometimes they will chase one of us down on the highway just to look at our paperwork, other times they check lights and brakes and tires. It helps keep junk off the roads, but a lot of the time it could be done in a safer way.

 

In some states of Australia cars over 5 years old must be inspected yearly for rego. Other states there are no inspections at all. The states have different requirements for regoing hotrods and customs. It's supposed to be in the interests of safety but the cynic in me says it's driven by insurance companies.

 

-Thanks for all info, guys!

Very interesting stuff.