What is a state inspection?

Need an NC State Inspection for Your Car? Here’s what to Expect

How do you prepare?

It’s important to get your annual vehicle inspection to make sure that your car is safe to drive. Unlike a school test, you don’t need to study or do anything in advance. Just bring your car into a trusted shop when you can…before it’s time to renew your registration, of course! But what happens during an annual car inspection? Here are a few factors your mechanic will consider when inspecting your car.

The Inspection Process

During the inspection, your exhaust system will be checked. The mechanic will ensure that all of your exhaust system parts and emissions control devices are in working order and haven’t been tampered with. As long as you haven’t tampered with these pieces and your exhaust system is not failing, you should be able to pass this part of the test with flying colors.

During the inspection, the mechanic will also check that your headlights, brake lights, and other accessory lighting are in working order. Everything in your car lights up for a reason: safety. Visibility is of utmost importance on the road, and your car needs to be visible from every angle to prevent accidents. Especially when you’re driving at night, you need all of the lights in your car to be in perfect working order, which is why we check them during inspections. As long as all your lights turn on when they’re tested, you should be good to go.

Speaking of lights, your car’s turn signals must also be functional to pass the inspection. These lights, also known as indicators or directional signals, must be functional in the front and the back. As long as your turn signals’ light bulbs aren’t burnt out, your car should be able to pass this part of the inspection easily.

Your brakes will also be checked during the car inspection. The foot brake and the parking brake will be checked during the inspection because they’re both essential to your car’s function and safety. If your car fails this part of the inspection, chances are that worn brake pads are the culprit.

The mechanic will also check on your tires during the inspection. If your tires are worn down or don’t have enough tread, or if you have any structural issues in the tires, your car will fail the inspection. That is because it is unsafe to drive on old or damaged tires.

Come To Us

To learn more or to make an appointment for your inspection, give DK Hardee Auto a call! Our friendly professionals will handle all your needs for an annual vehicle inspection in Fayetteville, NC.