NC Inspection at NCDMV

[2000F150SAS]

Anyone know whats up with the inspection stations having to lift up cars and trucks to check tires? We took both our trucks for inspection and Jiffy Lube and they would not lift them because they were to hi for the garage. Then we went to another NC Inspection location and they didn't even try to lift the trucks.

What is going on?

Thanks

 

[GCncsuHD]

Never had one put on a lift to "check tires".

Your tires do have to have more than 2/32" tread to pass inspection but they don't have to lift for that.

They are supposed to do a visual emissions inspection under the truck.. i.e. look to make sure catalytic converters are there, and haven't been tampered with, no wacky devices to trick o2 sensors , etc.

 

[2000F150SAS]

Never had one put on a lift to "check tires".

Your tires do have to have more than 2/32" tread to pass inspection but they don't have to lift for that.

They are supposed to do a visual emissions inspection under the truck.. i.e. look to make sure catalytic converters are there, and haven't been tampered with, no wacky devices to trick o2 sensors , etc.

That's what i figured, I think Jiffy Lube lied to us because they don't want to do lifted truck.

 

[drkelly]

I had one put on a lift before and failed due to a worn ball joint.

 

[GCncsuHD]

I had one put on a lift before and failed due to a worn ball joint.

I mean, technically the steering/brakes are part of the "safety" part of the inspection, but every shop I've ever taken one too "inspected" that part while driving it into the shop, along with honking the horn, setting the parking brake, flashing high beams etc.

 

[shawn]

Pretty sure the inspection involves picking up the vehicle from both ends... no idea why. But they've always picked up both axles w/a floor jack. Lift the front a couple inches, drop it, go around and do the same in the back.

 

[UTfball68]

Dang...I've never had a vehicle that thoroughly looked over. My inspections I pull up to the bay, tell them I need an inspection, they roll the vehicle forward, check the horn, brake lights and turn signals...and make sure at least one license plate light works...then they hop out and ask for $13 (or whatever the price is). I've never had one lifted, and never had an inspection last more than 2 minutes, literally.

 

[2000F150SAS]

Pretty sure the inspection involves picking up the vehicle from both ends... no idea why. But they've always picked up both axles w/a floor jack. Lift the front a couple inches, drop it, go around and do the same in the back.

Seams to be in the Raleigh area!!

Dang...I've never had a vehicle that thoroughly looked over. My inspections I pull up to the bay, tell them I need an inspection, they roll the vehicle forward, check the horn, brake lights and turn signals...and make sure at least one license plate light works...then they hop out and ask for $13 (or whatever the price is). I've never had one lifted, and never had an inspection last more than 2 minutes, literally.

When to the NC Inspection station on 401 in Garner last week with my 88 XJ and only took 2 minutes and no lifting of truck.

 

[shawn]

From the rules:

19A NCAC 03D .0535 STEERING MECHANISM
1. The inspection mechanic/technician must raise vehicle to get beneath to
check steering mechanism.

19A NCAC 03D .0538 TIRES G.S. 20-122.1
1. A vehicle shall be disapproved if:
(a) Any tire has cuts or snags that expose the cords.
(b) Any tire has a visible bump, bulge, or knot apparently related to
tread or sidewall separation or partial failure of the tire structure
including bead area.
2. A tread depth gauge shall measure tire depth, which shall be of a type
calibrated in thirty-seconds of an inch. Readings shall be taken in two
adjacent tread grooves of the tire around the circumference of the tire.
Readings for a tire with a tread design that does not have two major
adjacent grooves shall be taken at the center of the tire around the
circumference of the tire. Each tire must be completely lifted from the
ground for an inspection to be performed.

If they're not picking it up, they could get in trouble.

 

[lewistire]

From the rules:





If they're not picking it up, they could get in trouble.

x2 just had to pay a fine for "not following correct inspection procedure" $166 fine for a 13.60 inspection sucks.

 

[2000F150SAS]

So I guess it’s always been this way just not enforced until now.

Thanks

 

[Wwildman]

I have seen the inspector get fined by the DMV if they do not do it .It is a 100 dollar fine if you are caught and it is out of the mechanic's / inspectors pocket

 

[2000F150SAS]

I have seen the inspector get fined by the DMV if they do not do it .It is a 100 dollar fine if you are caught and it is out of the mechanic's / inspectors pocket

I have been living in NC for seven years now and this is the first time this had happen. So i went to a different location and they inspected the trucks with out lifting them.

 

[Wwildman]

That shop may have been busted before . I know some will and some won't

 

[bh1075]

Never seen it done either, but ive delt with plenty of other inspection bs. Just happy that the last 2 vehicles dont have to have an inspection.

 

[Msperlazza]

Having good friends that can do inspections is clutch. Just pressing the enter button.

 

[MILLION-MILES]

Ok the x-inspector here. Yes they are supposed to lift to get under it to check exhaust leaks emission stuf and steering blah blah blah. And yes its supposed to be lifted when we took the class we lifted the pratice cars.

 

[Back2Hilux]

Ok the x-inspector here. Yes they are supposed to lift to get under it to check exhaust leaks emission stuf and steering blah blah blah. And yes its supposed to be lifted when we took the class we lifted the pratice cars.

x2 and now the vehicle is suppose to sit in the bay for 30 minutes as the computer wont let the inspection go thru. Have a timer on them cuz ncdot thinks it should take 30 to do a proper inspection.

 

[GCncsuHD]

x2 and now the vehicle is suppose to sit in the bay for 30 minutes as the computer wont let the inspection go thru. Have a timer on them cuz ncdot thinks it should take 30 to do a proper inspection.

Since when? I've never had an inspection last more than a few minutes, then again, I don't own anything that gets plugged up. All 3/4 or 1 ton trucks or pre 95 stuff here. But even my wifes car only took about 15 minutes including being hooked up to the computer.

 

[RiverRat88]

They are supposed to be lifted but atleast our computers here have no timers, it usually takes about 15 minutes for the computer to check it then a few to type in the safety inspection stuff and forever to print.

 

[ScottR]

Jeep just failed inspection- He said because I "removed the springs."
I have ORIs.
Says it is in violation of the Steering Mechanism part,
"Either front or rear springs are noticeably sagging or broken, cut, heated or removed/missing."

He didn't care what I had to say when I said the springs were replaced with something comparable. So pissed....

 

[jeepinmatt]

Jeep just failed inspection- He said because I "removed the springs."
I have ORIs.
Says it is in violation of the Steering Mechanism part,
"Either front or rear springs are noticeably sagging or broken, cut, heated or removed/missing."

He didn't care what I had to say when I said the springs were replaced with something comparable. So pissed....

What? Its an internal shock/strut combo. The spring is inside. Inspector is an idiot. What about the vehicles with factory air suspension?

 

[CasterTroy]

Inspector is an idiot.

Regardless....if my understanding is correct, if that inspector fails you, you have to return to them in order to pass...you can't go somewhere else. So you've got to educate that inspector, or wait till his day off and catch the stand-in on duty

 

[Tim C]

Since when? I've never had an inspection last more than a few minutes, then again, I don't own anything that gets plugged up. All 3/4 or 1 ton trucks or pre 95 stuff here. But even my wifes car only took about 15 minutes including being hooked up to the computer.

About three years ago DMV agent came in to work for the yearly audit. He told the boss (only inspector at the shop) that he was doing the inspections too fast. He said they flagged us in Raleigh because he was only logged into the system for 3-4 minutes per inspection.

Boss would pull a car in, check everything, then log in, plug up to obd2, then quickly hit the pass/fail for each item, then log out.

They said he was only doing 2-3 inspections per hour which was acceptable, but he was doing them too fast. Dmv wants you to log in, check tires, walk to machine hit pass/fail, check steering, walk to machine hit p or f, check turn signal, walk to machine, etc, etc...

So now he checks everything like before, but he logs in first, then waits for the screensaver to kick in before he finishes. Basically another case of someone at a gov agency with no hands on writing rules about something they've probably never even seen.

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[Tim C]

Regardless....if my understanding is correct, if that inspector fails you, you have to return to them in order to pass...you can't go somewhere else. So you've got to educate that inspector, or wait till his day off and catch the stand-in on duty

You could take it somewhere else, but most people won't mess with it because if they pass it when someone else failed it it'll flag the system and possibly result in an audit for the station, and possibly a DMV agent at your house wanting to inspect it themselves. We've had a few customers fail elsewhere for tint, then they pull the tint and got is to pass it. Dmv came to our shop once and visited two of our customers at home.

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