Can Caliper Painting Pass Annual Inspection?
2 Answers
Caliper painting can pass annual inspection as it does not affect safety. The caliper is a component of the braking system. The reasons for squeaking sounds when braking include: 1. Rust on the brake disc or brake pads; 2. New brake pads; 3. Excessive wear on the brake disc or brake pads; 4. Incorrect installation or mismatched model of brake pads; 5. Use of low-quality or overly hard brake pads; 6. Abnormal brake caliper or lack of brake fluid; 7. Presence of foreign objects between the brake drum or disc and the pads. Solutions for squeaking sounds when braking: 1. Apply butter or specialized lubricant at the connection between the brake pads and caliper; 2. Regularly inspect and replace brake pads; 3. Periodically adjust the brakes; 4. Avoid frequent use of brakes.
Caliper painting generally does not affect annual vehicle inspections. During inspections, the focus is on checking the performance of the braking system, such as stopping distance and brake pad wear, rather than the change in appearance color. I have handled many similar cases where, after using high-temperature-resistant paint, the braking performance remained intact, and the vehicles passed the inspection without issues. However, painting requires careful preparation—remove rust and use specialized brake paint to avoid melting, odor, or toxic fumes from regular paint when heated. Some people opt for cheap regular paint, resulting in calipers discoloring due to overheating, which looks alarming but still performs adequately in braking tests. Overall, painting is for aesthetic and rust prevention purposes. As long as it doesn’t compromise safety functions, there’s no need to worry about failing the inspection. Before the inspection, it’s advisable to test the brakes yourself to ensure they are responsive.
