All Pennsylvania vehicles are required to be inspected each year at an Official PA Inspection Station. This is to keep the roads safe for Pennsylvanians.
Since Tommy’s is an Official PA Inspection station, we’re familiar with the process of having a vehicle inspected. This is usually the process we follow when we complete inspections.
Exterior Check
We’ll look at your license plate and make sure it’s fastened onto your vehicle securely and is easily visible. To prevent visibility issues and risk of further damage, we’ll take a close look at your windows and windshield to ensure there aren’t any cracks or chips. We’ll do a test of your doors, windows, and wiper blades to make sure they’re functioning safely. We’ll also make sure your turn signals, headlights, taillights, and any other exterior lights don’t need to be replaced. Lastly, we’ll check your bumpers for stability.
Interior Check
An important part of the inspection is checking your steering wheel. We want to make sure your wheels will turn and that your steering wheel and column are in good condition–we call this part checking the alignment. We’ll check your seatbelts, press your horn to make sure it’s working, and then do a thorough inspection of your brakes. Your brake pads, brake pedal, and parking brake all need to be in working order for your car to pass inspection. You can learn more about our brake repair services here.
Engine Check
During this phase of the inspection, we’ll pop your hood to see what’s going on underneath. We’ll look over your exhaust, transmission, fuel, battery, and coolant systems to ensure that there is no leaking or signs of damage. This is also when we check your emissions system.
Chassis Check
Now, we head underneath your vehicle to check the chassis. We’ll take a look at your shocks, coil springs, axels, and frame to ensure they’re free of wear and damage. We’ll do a final check of your brakes and exhaust system.
The last part of the process is the tires. We’ll check the tread and the depth and look for signs of wear. We’ll ensure there aren’t punctures or other damage. And if your tires need to be fixed, we will be able to take care of that in our shop.
Before your car officially passes inspection, we’ll take it for a test drive.
You can click here to learn more about PennDot’s regulations.
Contact us today to schedule your vehicle inspection!