What Needs to Be Checked During a New Car Inspection?
3 Answers
The inspection process for a new car at the inspection site is as follows: 1. First, visually inspect the car's paint surface to check for scratches, spots, dents, and wear. Observe the paint under sufficient sunlight to see if there is any color difference. Open the car door and push it from several angles to allow light to shine from different directions, checking if the sheet metal is smooth and if there are any signs of repair. 2. Check the vehicle's nameplate, which is located on the side of the driver's door or in the engine compartment. Pay attention to whether the manufacturing date is too far in the past. If it exceeds six months, the car is likely a stock vehicle or a test drive car. Also, ensure that the information on the nameplate matches the vehicle's certificate of conformity. 3. Inspect the windshield. The numbers represent the most recent production year, and the dots represent the production month. If the dots are on the left side of the number, it indicates production in the first half of the year; subtract the number of black dots from 7 to get the specific year. If the dots are on the right side, it indicates production in the second half of the year; subtract the number of black dots from 13 to get the specific year. If the windshield glass is far from the new car's production date (a year or more), it is likely that the windshield has been replaced. 4. Open the engine hood and check if the engine compartment is clean. If the car has been stored for a long time or used, some areas may show obvious dust or stains. Also, check if the engine oil is sufficient and if the levels of other fluids are within the acceptable range. 5. Open the car door and note whether the door opens and closes smoothly and flexibly, whether the door hinges make any noise, whether the gaps between the door and the front and rear bumpers are consistent, and whether the door can be closed in one step. 6. Check the tire production date. Since tires are purchased separately, their production date will naturally differ from the car's production date, which is not a major concern. However, if the tire production date is significantly older than the car's pickup date, it is worth noting. 7. Check the car's basic functions, such as whether the windows roll up and down normally, whether the air conditioning cools, whether the air vents emit any odors, whether the dashboard functions operate normally, whether the wipers work properly, whether the lights turn on correctly, and whether the sunroof opens and closes smoothly. 8. Test-drive the car. If allowed to start the engine, observe whether the engine idles smoothly, whether the steering wheel vibrates noticeably, whether the front and rear seats vibrate significantly, and whether there is any noticeable noise inside the car.
Just had my car inspected, and the process for new vehicles is more thorough than you'd think. Workers use instruments to check if exhaust emissions meet standards, crawl under the car to inspect brake disc and pad wear, and even use professional equipment to check suspension system clearances. Headlight brightness must comply with national standards, and tire pressure and tread depth are measured on the spot. The most easily overlooked part is verifying the chassis number—the inspector uses a mirror to repeatedly confirm that the stamped number matches the documents. I watched the whole process and recommend that new car owners clear out their trunk beforehand to avoid slowing down the inspection.
Recently, while accompanying a friend for a vehicle inspection, I discovered many intricacies. The mandatory inspection items are divided into three categories: safety-related checks include braking performance, light intensity, and horn volume; environmental checks focus on the catalytic converter and exhaust emission values; structural checks emphasize illegal modifications, such as whether the tire size matches the original factory specifications. The staff explained that if a new car's engine has fault codes, they will be directly detected by the OBD scanner. Owners with dark window tinting should remember to bring the light transmittance compliance certificate. It's advisable to settle all traffic violations in advance, as the system may get stuck during the violation review process.
