What's Covered in a PA State Inspection?
If you live in Pennsylvania and drive a car, you are familiar with those two stickers on the bottom left corner of the windshield. Of course, they’re an eye sore, but these stickers ensure your car is safe to drive for you, your passengers, other drivers, and the environment.
The State Department of Transportation (PennDOT) requires you to renew these stickers yearly. One sticker certifies the car is safe to drive on PA roads. The other sticker certifies the vehicle is not emitting toxic emissions to the environment. Vehicle emissions and safety inspections are performed at official PennDOT Inspection Stations (usually a repair garage or a service station with a repair shop). Inspection fees are posted at official inspection stations; however, these fees do not include repairs to correct vehicle defects. In my auto airhead days, I would cross my fingers at every inspection, just praying the mechanic or service advisor told me I was all good and only needed to pay $65 for the job. But it never seemed to happen that way for me. Every darn year, doesn’t it seem like you need something for $300 or more?
Many drivers do not know what happens during the PA State Safety and Emission Inspection. It’s A LOT! Plus, the repair order shock from what is needed to pass inspection and get your car back on the road can break your soul. Let’s discuss the issues that cause you to fail a PA State Inspection with the emission inspection.
PA Emission Inspection
We start with the emission inspection because PennDOT requires service stations to perform this test first. If your vehicle fails the emission inspection, you cannot get a safety sticker renewed. Dem the rules! >:-\
Pennsylvania’s vehicle emissions inspection program is part of Pennsylvania’s plan to clean the air and keep it clean in the future. The emission inspection tests your vehicle's engine and emissions efficiency or how much pollutants your car puts into the environment. Cars have many sophisticated parts, computers, and sensors that manage and control how much gas your engine uses and how much “junk” comes out of your tailpipe! When something is wrong with these parts, computers, or sensors, the check engine light will come on, and sometimes your car will run and sound different.
For the emission test, we hook up your vehicle to a machine that reads the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) or the main computer to your car. The PCM is connected to the check engine light on the dashboard. When the PCM gets the signal something is wrong with the engine and emissions efficiency, it sets off the check engine light.
What causes your vehicle to fail an emission inspection:
Not having proper vehicle registration
Illuminated check engine light. A diagnostic and repair must be performed, and the light must be reset before your car will pass the emission inspection. Resetting the checking engine light after a repair takes some time and requires the vehicle to be driven for at least 25 miles.
The check engine lightbulb inside the dashboard does not illuminate when turned on manually. A repair will need to be performed on the dashboard to pass the emission inspection.
The vehicle’s gas cap is leaking fuel into the atmosphere. You will need to replace the gas cap, which costs less than $30 (aftermarket price).
You DO NOT have to get an emission inspection if:
You have driven your car 5,000 miles or less in 365 days since your last emission inspection
You have a new vehicle that has operated for less than 5000 miles.
Your car is registered in the following counties in PA: Adams, Armstrong, Bedford, Bradford, Butler, Cameron, Carbon, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, McKean, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Wayne, and Wyoming. If your car is registered in one of these counties, you will only need a safety inspection, and you will get one inspection sticker.
Waivers help you get your car back on the road repairs to pass the emissions test are too expensive. If your vehicle has failed two emissions tests and you’ve made a minimum of $150.00 worth of emissions-related repairs that address the problem, you are eligible for a waiver. Girls Auto Clinic is not certified to perform waivers at this time.
Learn more about Pennsylvania’s Emission Inspection Program and Waivers Here.
PA Safety Inspection
Pennsylvania requires vehicle safety inspections to ensure that vehicles are maintained for safe operation. Safety Inspections prevent vehicle failure on the highways and crashes that may result in injuries or death. A safety inspection can be daunting because the state requires auto technicians to look over all systems on a vehicle that may need some part replaced for safety reasons. Some parts you’ve never heard of before. Let’s break down all the systems and vehicle parts we inspect for a vehicle safety inspection.
Vehicle registration and insurance must be current, and VIN on the registration matches VIN on the car.
The parking brake must hold on an incline.
Pass a test drive to confirm the vehicle is safe to drive with no excessive noise or malfunction of the powertrain or braking systems.
All seatbelts must work.
The front and rear windshields cannot have glazing. No materials on windshields that will prevent the driver from viewing the road. No cracks or other defects in the direct line of sight of the driver. Cracks on the passenger side of the windshield are ok.
Front wipers and washer fluid spray must work properly. Front wipers cannot be torn, ripped, or skipping. Wipers must clear water on the windshield after three passes.
The Horn Must Work
All doors on the vehicle must operate correctly, including the tailgate.
Must have two of the following three mirrors in proper place which cannot be cracked – Rearview, Passenger side view, Driver side view.
The driver's side window must go up and down.
No excessive rust of frame or floorbeds.
Headlights, taillights, turn signals, and all other exterior lights must operate properly.
Headlight or taillight assemblies (plastic housing the light is encased) cannot have damage or cracks larger than a quarter or water inside the housing. The entire assembly must be replaced. Placing red duct tape over the plastic is clever but will not pass inspection!
The license plate must be securely attached
The hood must operate properly.
Engine Mounts must be in good shape and not torn through the rubber mount, causing excessive engine play.
The brake system must operate properly with no brake fluid leaks or excessive corrosion of brake lines.
Brake Pads and Rotors must meet minimum thickness requirements and conditions.
Tire treads must meet minimum thickness requirements and conditions.
Exhaust leaks (make a loud noise) will need to be repaired. Oil leaks that leak oil onto the exhaust (because they are flammable) will need to be repaired.
Steering and Suspension parts: No excessive looseness of wheel or hub bearings, inner or outer tie rod ends, ball joints, steering links, and steering rods. Rubber/plastic suspension bushings cracked, crazed, falling off, or missing are unsafe. Blown, worn, or leaking shocks and struts are unsafe.
Steering axles or CV Axles are operating correctly and not making excessive noise or leaking.
No excessive body damage – safety issue and will need to be taken to an auto body shop. I hope you have insurance!
Whew, that was a lot to read, right? Service Centers need at least 1 hour to perform the inspection and write up the stickers. If you fail the inspection you have 30 days to get repairs before you must have another full inspection repeated. Good luck, Pennsylvanians!
To schedule your PA Safety and Emission Inspection at Girls Auto Clinic, call or text 484-461-4693.