Vehicle Inspection: How Long Does it Take To Inspect any Car

This guide explains the various steps involved in performing vehicle inspections. It also provides a variety of tools and resources to help you prepare for the inspection.

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Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Service formally known as the Vehicle Inspection Unit was established on 2nd August 2012, by the former Governor of Lagos State Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola.

The Vehicle Inspection Service is one of the enforcement agencies of the State Government responsible for implementing the compliance on Road Traffic Law 2021; it is saddled with the duties of ensuring compliance with all stipulated/required vehicle policies such as Road Worthiness, Vehicle License, Hackney Permit, Testing and Training of applicants for driver’s license/ rider card and sometimes compliment the duties of other Transport Agencies

What is a Vehicle Inspection?

A vehicle inspection is a process that involves examining the overall condition of a car. It’s performed to evaluate the various operational needs of a vehicle, such as repairs and maintenance. It can help prevent costly repairs and safety issues.

Benefits of a Vehicle Inspection

Vehicle inspection is paramount in fleet businesses. It is a mandatory requirement by Federal law to limit the occurrence of vehicle-related incidents. A regular vehicle inspection helps the business to:

• identify mechanical issues or defects that may cause accidents and operational downtime;
• eliminate colossal vehicle damages and unexpected vehicular costs; and
• prolong the vehicle life span.

How to Prepare for a Vehicle Inspection?

Avoid the hassle of wasting time and the risk of failing the test. Prepare the vehicle by conducting regular car parts inspections to ensure roadworthiness. This can help expedite the vehicle inspection process and ensure no common issues can be detected including defective brake systems, worn-out tires, or battery-related problems. Addressing found issues immediately can prevent the worsening of the damage, costly repairs, and failing vehicle inspections.

Vehicle Inspection Checklist

A vehicle inspection checklist aims to identify the mechanical issues of any vehicle. It is used to prevent car issues by assessing all vehicle parts to determine if the vehicle is good to go, needs repair service, or parts replacement.

The following essential car parts need to be inspected:

• Ignition – It is a switch or a key mechanism that is used to start the engine of the vehicle.
• Engine – It is the main power of the vehicle. It converts heat from burning gas that converts power into motion.
• Starter motor – It is used to start the vehicle’s engine by drawing a heavy electrical current from the battery.
• Distributor – It is a device in the engine which passes a high-voltage electrical current from the ignition coil to each spark plug in the correct order and for the right amount of time.
• Spark plug – it ignites the vehicle’s fuel and fits into the engine’s cylinder head. It is connected to the ignition coil that generates a high voltage that is needed to spark the fuel and create combustion in the engine.
• Alternator – It is an electrical generator that works by charging up the battery to power the starter motor, ignition, and all other electrical components.
• Battery – It delivers the electricity needed to start the vehicle’s electrical components including lights, wipers, air conditioners, and more.
• Oil pressure – It is the resistance oil faces when flowing through the oil passages of the engine.
• Radiator – It helps the engine to maintain coolness by removing heat from the coolant before it is pumped back through the engine.
• Fan and compressor belt – It is a flexible rubber belt that puts on certain engine components together. It connects the crankshaft pulley and the alternator to the engine cooling fan.
• The brake – is one of the most important safety systems of a vehicle. It can be found on all four wheels of the vehicle. A disc brake is a shiny metal disc that is located behind the hub cap of a car’s front wheels.
• Shock absorbers – are devices that help control the movement of suspension and springs while keeping the tires in contact with the road at all times.
• Steering mechanism – It converts the rotation of the steering wheel into a swivelling movement of road wheels.
• Windshield – the window glass in front of the vehicle that blocks the air pressure and protects passengers from debris, dust, flying pebbles, and weather elements.
• Side mirrors – placed on the exterior of the vehicle to help the driver see other elements outside the vehicle.
• Fuel tank – It holds the gasoline that provides power to the vehicle.
• Exhaust systems – It begins at the engine combustion chambers and runs along the undercarriage of the vehicle, ending with the visible tailpipe. It includes the following: exhaust manifolds; oxygen sensors; catalytic converters; resonators; exhaust pipes; mufflers; and tailpipe.
• Lights – It is placed on the different areas of the vehicle such as the headlight, fog light, signal (left, right, and flasher) light, reverse light, brake light, tail light, rear reflector, and registration plate light.
• Tires – are rubber covering placed around a wheel.

Besides light vehicles, commercial vehicles, such as buses and trucks, are also required to undergo an inspection to ensure that their components are in good working condition. This process is carried out by the Department of Transportation.

Vehicle Parts Inspection

Vehicle parts inspection is an essential requirement to maintain the operational condition of a vehicle. It spots car issues before it gets critical and ensures its roadworthiness. A vehicle inspection checklist is used by an authorised inspector to identify defects and mechanical issues for most vehicles.