Safety inspections

93redzj

93redzj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Location
Albemarle
Went to get my 93 Cherokee inspected last week and they failed it on the “steering”. The explanation was there was play in the steering shaft. I’ve never ran into this issue before, the “mechanic” could barely elaborate on anything, he mentioned “trailing arms” and the “front end wore out” and “rear end wore out” but he also mentioned the horn not working (which it works perfectly fine). I don’t typically go to this place for inspections mainly because they take forever and a day to complete the simplest of task, but my brother was coming into town and we were gonna grab lunch so I figured I would use their lack of speed as an opportunity for me and him to go grab food, come back and it be done.
The guy I normally take my stuff to for inspections (and will from now on no matter the case) literally does a visual inspection of the Jeep and passes it. He did fail it last year due to an exhaust leak, so he does still check stuff......I say all that to ask, what’s the deal with failing it due to “slop in the steering”??
 
You're supposed to jack up the vehicle and shake all the steering components, looking for slop or play in any tie rods, balljoints, wheel bearings, etc. Also the power steering belt must be in good shape and no leaks in the system. While driving the vehicle into the bay, you check for excessive freeplay in the steering and brakes and listen for metal on metal brake grind (but not squealing or squeaky) and check the parking brake for holding in forward and reverse gears.

All that along with the usual lights and visual emissions checks.

A picky inspector may fail for non stock steering such as rod ends instead of ball and socket tie rods, just on general principal or if they feel any slop in the rod end (that most tend to develop). That's on the inspector. Although you can get in trouble for being too strict, you're less likely to loose your inspection license than if your not strict enough. We've had dmv call customers in for a second inspection at the dmv just to see if we are on our toes, so it does happen.

Edit: but they are required to tell you exactly what failed so it can be fixed, if he was vague that was wrong. Especially since if you go somewhere else and get it inspected it'll flag the computer at the dmv and they'll audit both places probably. That's happened to us too. Customer failed for tint across town because we told him we wouldn't do it dur to illegal tint years ago, pulled it off and came to us for a second inspection ( we usually do their work anyway). Didn't tell us about the other place and we passed it. They got called to dmv, it passed so we all were good, but would have audited us if we passed illegally.
 
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Each inspection place is unique.... another failure of the all too helpful government. I got failed a few weeks ago because one for my headlights had some water in it, even though the light still worked.

The past three years had been OK with the same water and same light.

The regulations they had posted in the office stated that the light had to work, no mention of water. All my lights worked. I argued but obviously it did no good. They fail you and then you have no choice.
Literally everything about the government is maddening.....even more so because we allowed it to happen right before our eyes.

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Tim C said:
You're supposed to jack up the vehicle and shake all the steering components, looking for slop or play in any tie rods, balljoints, wheel bearings, etc. Also the power steering belt must be in good shape and no leaks in the system. While driving the vehicle into the bay, you check for excessive freeplay in the steering and brakes and listen for metal on metal brake grind (but not squealing or squeaky) and check the parking brake for holding in forward and reverse gears.

All that along with the usual lights and visual emissions checks.

A picky inspector may fail for non stock steering such as rod ends instead of ball and socket tie rods, just on general principal or if they feel any slop in the rod end (that most tend to develop). That's on the inspector. Although you can get in trouble for being too strict, you're less likely to loose your inspection license than if your not strict enough. We've had dmv call customers in for a second inspection at the dmv just to see if we are on our toes, so it does happen.

Edit: but they are required to tell you exactly what failed so it can be fixed, if he was vague that was wrong. Especially since if you go somewhere else and get it inspected it'll flag the computer at the dmv and they'll audit both places probably. That's happened to us too. Customer failed for tint across town because we told him we wouldn't do it dur to illegal tint years ago, pulled it off and came to us for a second inspection ( we usually do their work anyway). Didn't tell us about the other place and we passed it. They got called to dmv, it passed so we all were good, but would have audited us if we passed illegally.
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That all makes sense, the “mechanic” couldn’t really pinpoint my issues other than saying there was play in the steering arm. I just told them I’d fix it, without them really even saying what needs to be fixed. But I figured I would give it a week or so then take to the other guy. I was kinda hoping in that case it wouldn’t cause any issues, since there would be time to fix any issues within a week of a failed inspection.
 
Did, he enter you Vin # in the computer??? That's the Big issue! If he Didn't, you can go to your regular guy & get it passed[hopefully]. Don't tell him you went somewhere else, & Scare him off. IF you Were entered into Raleigh's DMV inspection, your screwed. You'll have to fix to Please that shop. It will be like TimC said, if you try to go around the system. I've had places I've known, to do the inspection First, just in case something is wrong. If's all's good, they put my Vin # in & run it through.
 
rodney eppes said:
Did, he enter you Vin # in the computer??? That's the Big issue! If he Didn't, you can go to your regular guy & get it passed[hopefully]. Don't tell him you went somewhere else, & Scare him off. IF you Were entered into Raleigh's DMV inspection, your screwed. You'll have to fix to Please that shop. It will be like TimC said, if you try to go around the system. I've had places I've known, to do the inspection First, just in case something is wrong. If's all's good, they put my Vin # in & run it through.
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You don't HAVE to go back to the same shop, but that's the only sure fire way to say no one gets a dmv visit, either shop or you. If you wait a week it looks better too, but going to multiple shops does look suspicious to the dmv. If you fail an inspection they give you a printed inspection receipt that will list pass/fail checklist, the same one you get when you pass. It'll show every system failed.

If you fail the shop is supposed to charge for the labor but not the sticker. That means 12 ish dollars for a 13.xx safety inspection and 23 ish dollars for the $30 emissions test. When you go back to retest after repairs they only charge the remainder for the "sticker" cost even though there's no sticker anymore. They can't charge labor on a retest and they don't retest the whole car, only check what failed before. But that's only at the same station, if you go somewhere else you pay in full again.
 
rodney eppes said:
Did, he enter you Vin # in the computer??? That's the Big issue! If he Didn't, you can go to your regular guy & get it passed[hopefully]. Don't tell him you went somewhere else, & Scare him off. IF you Were entered into Raleigh's DMV inspection, your screwed. You'll have to fix to Please that shop. It will be like TimC said, if you try to go around the system. I've had places I've known, to do the inspection First, just in case something is wrong. If's all's good, they put my Vin # in & run it through.
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I’m not sure if they did or not, I have a feeling they did though. He probably entered all the info into the system beforehand and then failed it after. I would feel a little bad not informing the other guy of the previous failed inspection, he usually takes care of me when I go to him so I wouldn’t want to do him wrong. I usually throw him a $20 for the safety inspection and call it a day since I’m in and out so quick.
 
If you don't see anything wrong yourself take it to your regular guy. Personally I'd let them know it was done somewhere else see if he can find anything. If he doesn't get it inspected. He can decide bthen if he wants to get involved.

The shop where I work is on a dead end small side road behind a jiffy lube which is on the main road corner lot. Several times a year we get people who jiffy lube failed but they don't do that kind of work (front end, tires, etc). They come to us to fix the fail so they can go back to jl and sometimes we can't find anything wrong, just an overzealous inspector over there. My boss (who is the only one that does inspections here) will usually offer to inspect it for them after showing them there's nothing wrong, knowing that if there's an audit the dmv will side with him. We've picked up a few customers that way over the years.
 
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