What does it mean when the second axle fails the annual inspection?
2 Answers
The second axle failing generally means the braking force value is substandard, indicating certain safety hazards in the vehicle, which may cause braking deviation during emergency stops. The second axle refers to the second axle of the vehicle. Typically, passenger cars are two-axle vehicles, while trucks may have three, four, or even five or more axles. During the inspection, the vehicle is tested for lighting, braking, steering systems, etc. Inspection time standards: Operational passenger vehicles must be inspected once a year within the first 5 years; after 5 years, every 6 months. Trucks and large or medium-sized non-operational passenger vehicles must be inspected once a year within the first 10 years; after 10 years, every 6 months. Small and micro non-operational passenger vehicles must be inspected once every 2 years within the first 6 years; after 6 years, once a year; after 15 years, every 6 months. Exemption policy: 6-seater and smaller household vehicles enjoy a 6-year exemption from inspection. The prerequisite for this 6-year exemption is that no major traffic accidents occur during this period. If an accident occurs, an on-site inspection is mandatory. 7-seater and larger vehicles do not qualify for the 6-year exemption and must still be inspected every 2 years during the first 6 years.
Last time my car failed the annual inspection on the second axle, which caused me a lot of trouble for several days. The second axle refers to the rear wheel axle of the car, and failure is usually due to braking or tire side-slip issues. During the inspection, they test whether the rear wheel braking force is sufficient, whether the braking force is evenly distributed on both sides, and whether the tires slip sideways on the testing platform. My old car had a slight oil leak in the brake wheel cylinder, which resulted in insufficient braking force. Uneven tire wear can also cause the side-slip data to exceed the standard, in which case you need to do a wheel alignment or replace the tires. Nowadays, annual inspections are becoming stricter, so it's recommended to have your chassis and braking system checked by a professional shop in advance, especially for cars over five years old. Otherwise, making repeated trips to the inspection station is too time-consuming and may even affect road safety.
