How to Check Your Vehicle Before a Virginia State Inspection in Burke, VA
A Virginia state inspection is an important part of registering a vehicle in Burke, VA. By understanding what all is involved in a routine Virginia state inspection, you will be able to repair your Burke, VA vehicle in advance to make sure that you are certain to pass. To help you prepare for your upcoming Virginia state inspection, we have created a list of the main points involved in a Burke, VA state inspection. Remember that the full state-mandated Virginia car inspection is a 24 point test. However, this list will help you cover the main aspects of the Virginia state inspection and give you a much higher chance of passing than normal. As a certified state inspection site in Burke, VA, we do everything we can to make sure that you are ready to pass the Virginia state inspection test with flying colors. Take your time reviewing the following list; we hope that you find it helpful.
- Interior Areas: The interior areas of your vehicle are briefly checked during the Burke, VA state inspection. This includes driver’s seat and related items such as air bags, seatbelts and doors. Simply take a minute to check that all of your seatbelts are in working order and that the doors open and close. Without the proper tools, you will be unable to check the air bag so simply leave that one for the Burke, VA shop to test.
- Brake Related Issues: During the Virginia state inspection, your brakes and parking brakes will be tested to make sure that they are in full working order. If you are familiar with the brake systems on your vehicle, it is not difficult to check and make sure that your brake pads are in working order. In fact, you can easily discover the shape that your brakes are in by driving around the block in Burke, VA and listen for out of the ordinary noises while breaking.
- All Vehicle Lights: A Burke, VA state inspection also involves checking to make sure that each of your external lights is in working order. This includes headlights, turn signals, and the license plate light. If each of these lights function as intended, you should be able to pass this section of the test without any further difficulties. If any of these lights are out, you might want to consider purchasing and installing a new bulb if you are familiar with that process. If not this is also something that our shop can easily take care of for you after the Virginia state inspection.
- Tires and Related Parts: Each of your four tires will be checked in Burke, VA, which includes every section of the wheel and rim. Damage to a tire can easily go unnoticed, but it is extremely important that each tire is in good shape. Tires are the only part of your vehicle that actually touch the road during a normal operating cycle, so it is essential that each of your tires are in tip-top shape.
- Horn and Mirrors: Another point that will be covered during your Virginia state inspection is your vehicles’ horn and mirrors. You can take a minute ahead of time to check and see if your horn is functioning as well as whether or not your vehicle's mirrors are in working order. During your Virginia state inspection test in Burke, VA we will be doing the exact same thing for the official test.
- Window Functions: The windshield, wipers, and front and rear defrosters are an essential part of your Burke, VA vehicle. If your wipers or defrosters are not working, driving can quickly become extremely unsafe when weather situations arise. New wipers or broken defrosters are also fairly easy to fix and can be taken care of without great difficulty.
- Vehicle Hood and Engine: During your Virginia state inspection, we will inspect the hood to make sure that it opens and closes properly as well as the shape of your engine belts and your vehicles’ fluids. Take a moment ahead of time to check the level of fluids in your Burke, VA vehicle and make sure that everything is topped off.
- Steering and Suspension: Steering and suspension are an important part of your Burke, VA vehicle that we will review during the Virginia state inspection as well. This simply involves checking to see if your steering is in good shape and whether or not your suspension needs to be replaced. New vehicles will almost never have a problem with passing this section of the test. You may only have difficulty with this if you have purchased a used vehicle that has received a great amount of wear and tear already.
- Fuel and Exhaust Systems: Virginia requires that your vehicle passes an exhaust test in order to keep it at a safe level of emissions. Part of our Virginia state inspection will involve testing your fuel and exhaust systems to make sure that air pollution is kept to a minimum. Vehicle pollution is one of the highest pollution problems in the state of Virginia, so it is not something that the state takes lightly. This can be difficult to test on your own, so it is best to simply leave it for our Burke, VA team to look into during the Virginia state inspection. Again this will often not be a problem with your vehicle, so you need not worry.
We hope that this list will help you to prepare for a Virginia state inspection and understand how the process works in Burke, VA. If you have any more questions about the Virginia state inspection, feel free to give us a call, and we will help to explain it as best as possible. Wiygul Automotive Clinic is a state-licensed inspection location so we can help you with all of your Virginia state inspection needs.