Will Replacing Low-Configuration Wheels with High-Configuration Ones Affect Annual Inspection?
2 Answers
Replacing low-configuration wheels with high-configuration ones generally will not pass the annual inspection. In practice, it depends on the strictness of the local vehicle management offices, so it is recommended to consult the local vehicle management office in advance. Typically, the wheels of low-configuration models are smaller than those of high-configuration models. Therefore, replacing low-configuration wheels with high-configuration ones is considered a vehicle modification. If the modified wheels are the same size as the original ones, they can pass the annual inspection. However, if the sizes are different, you will need to register the modification with the vehicle management office. Vehicle annual inspection refers to a mandatory test for all vehicles that have obtained official license plates and registration certificates, equivalent to an annual 'health check' for the vehicle based on the safety technical requirements for motor vehicle operation.
Speaking of wheel modification and annual inspection, I have plenty of experience. There are two key points: first, whether the overall tire diameter change exceeds 3%, as this parameter directly affects speedometer accuracy; second, whether the wheel specifications fall within the registered range on the vehicle license. I've seen many cases where high-end wheels were installed, but as long as the size parameters matched the original factory data, they passed inspection. For example, if your base model originally had 16-inch wheels and you upgraded to forged wheels of the same size from a higher trim of the same brand, the better appearance wouldn't affect performance. However, if you arbitrarily increase the wheel size or use exaggerated protruding wheels, inspectors will find discrepancies when measuring with calipers. To be safe, it's best to keep the original wheels and spend half an hour swapping them back before the inspection—it's the most hassle-free approach.
