I am a licensed state inspector. The point of this thread is for the discussion on inspection/ticket related questions in the state of VA. This thread will not be used to get illegal stickers, and please be aware, that unless i paste a statute up, what i say is my interpretation of the law, and what i would do, however, your case is between you, your inspector, and your local state trooper governing that region. I'll do my best to post up the statues and clarify them in to simplified terms.
I am here on the .org quite often, and i have no intention of leaving here. It may, however, take me a few days to get back to you depending on my work load. If i do end up leaving for whatever reason, and another inspector hasn't taken over this thread, i will have it unstuck/unfeatured.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Friday, February 26, 2010 6:05 PM
This is pretty win. I'll be the first to ask a question I guess...
When you get a VA state inspection, will it only fail with codes that show up red on the dash or will orange ones fail it as well? I heard there are different kinds like hard and soft codes or something and only hard ones will fail. Not sure if that's true, I know nothing about it lol.
And what are the rules regarding airbag lights? Is that an automatic fail? Also, do you have to have airbags or could you just say get the code cleared and it would pass? I'm guessing they don't physically check for the bag so it would probably be ok maybe? (not trying to get anything illegal to pass, I'm just asking)
I have an airbag light on (problem with passenger side I believe but I hardly ever have a passenger so I'm not super worried) and I'm debating what to do about it, need inspection by June. As soon as I have the money I'll be getting it fixed but I'm just not sure when that'll be. Sorry for the noobish nature of this question, thanks for your help!
You will not fail for any check engine lights. luckally we do not have emissions testing beyond the catalytic converter... however if they do scan it and find the rear 02 throwing a code and find your cat has been gutted (as an example), you'll fail for not having a cat.
As for the SRS light, the light must come on when the motor is started and then shut off, otherwise it fails. (this is to prevent someone from pulling the bulb out). You do have to have airbags if the vehicle was originally equipped with them, unless you have a medical permit that has allowed you to remove them. However if you can clear the code and it doesn't immediately come back on, you can do that and get it inspected before the code comes back on, and you're inspector will never know the wiser.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Sunday, February 28, 2010 2:15 PM
Rahjee [rkm1989 wrote:] This is pretty win. I'll be the first to ask a question I guess...
When you get a VA state inspection, will it only fail with codes that show up red on the dash or will orange ones fail it as well? I heard there are different kinds like hard and soft codes or something and only hard ones will fail. Not sure if that's true, I know nothing about it lol.
And what are the rules regarding airbag lights? Is that an automatic fail? Also, do you have to have airbags or could you just say get the code cleared and it would pass? I'm guessing they don't physically check for the bag so it would probably be ok maybe? (not trying to get anything illegal to pass, I'm just asking)
I have an airbag light on (problem with passenger side I believe but I hardly ever have a passenger so I'm not super worried) and I'm debating what to do about it, need inspection by June. As soon as I have the money I'll be getting it fixed but I'm just not sure when that'll be. Sorry for the noobish nature of this question, thanks for your help!
Anytime the air bag light is on, neither air bag will work in an accident. You can clear the code but everytime the key it turned on the airbag system goes thru a selfcheck an will reilluminate the light if a problem is found.
^ That is not true.
If you change to an aftermarket steering wheel without an airbag, the light will be on. In an accident, the passenger side bag will still work. Have seen it happen before.
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
^ You are incorrect sir, unless they had installed a resisitor in place of the drivers air bag, the system would of not worked.
Kyle,
Would I have a problem passing with my back convertible window falling out? The other windows are fine and the top opens and closes properly?
Sig'less since '02!
the law only specifies that the windows are of approved safety glass, and that if they are there, they must be inspected. there is no where in the inspection manual that specifies convertible rear windows
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+19VAC30-70-210
the only thing that might hold you up is
3. Any glass at any location where glass is used is cracked or broken so that it is likely to cut or injure a person in the vehicle. but i doubt it since the glass itself is intact...
what is the law for haveing a chevy cavalier and doing a rhd toyota cavalier conversion and driving the car on the street???
there aren't any laws against right hand drive cars in Virginia
Kyle, how about no door handles? Can I pass if I shave my handles?
Sig'less since '02!
The questions I have don't apply to a cavalier but here it goes anyways. Whats the law on coil spacers and also body lifts? From what I hear, you can do a 3 inch body lift and still pass but any higher will fail. I haven't heard anything about coil spacers though. Also, would I be able to turbo a vehicle and it pass inspection provided it don't throw a bad O2 code? (I assume you also do emissions in VA?)
redbeansandrice wrote:Kyle, how about no door handles? Can I pass if I shave my handles?
shaved door handles are ok as long as you can enter the vehicle by other means
the law wrote:19VAC30-70-250. Doors.
Inspect for and reject if:
1. If each door located at the left and right side of the driver's seat is not equipped with an opening device similar to that installed by vehicle manufacturers that will permit the opening of the door from the outside and inside of the vehicle.
NOTE: A door opening device on customized vehicles may be converted to either a remote, push button or other similar opening switch.
2. If each door located to the left and right side of the driver's seat is not equipped with a latching system similar to that installed by vehicle manufacturers which will hold the door in its proper closed position.
Statutory Authority
§ 46.2-1165 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR545-01-07 § 25, eff. May 1, 1990; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 8, eff. February 9, 1994; Volume 12, Issue 21, eff. August 7, 1996; Volume 21, Issue 4, eff. September 22, 2004.
basically you can shave the rear doors (if applicable) with no consequence, but if you do the front doors, you must have something like a popper, or a pull string, or any other method of opening the door from the outside of the vehicle. Both left and right doors must have this.
01cavZ24 wrote:The questions I have don't apply to a cavalier but here it goes anyways. Whats the law on coil spacers and also body lifts? From what I hear, you can do a 3 inch body lift and still pass but any higher will fail. I haven't heard anything about coil spacers though. Also, would I be able to turbo a vehicle and it pass inspection provided it don't throw a bad O2 code? (I assume you also do emissions in VA?)
Emission testing is based on local cities/counties and is not a state wide requirement. In Hampton Roads, we DO NOT do emissions testing outside of requiring the vehicle owner to have a cat, and that their exhaust clears the passenger compartment of the vehicle with no holes.
As for body lifts: i direct you to this link:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+reg+19VAC30-70-110
in summery, you are correct with the 3 inch body lift, i don't see anything that really specifies coil spacers and i would have to call the trooper for clarification if i ever got a vehicle in with them. You might want to ask a suspension shop in the state, as they would know the answer better than me...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Tuesday, December 28, 2010 10:56 AM
Hi,
I drive a 98 saab convertible and was wondering if it would pass VA inspection with the following issues:
1) Convertible top will not close all the way. It is safe to drive and will not pop up while I am driving but it is conspicously not latched down and my fronboard board information clearly states that.
2) There is a loose wire that makes the frontboard say "break light failure" when in fact all the break lights actually work fine.
Are either or both of these grounds for a failed inspection?
Thanks
i'll have to research number 1... i'll get back to you on that (i work for a dealership that doesn't have a convertible line... so the issue hasn't come up... i'll look it up in the inspection handbook tomorrow)
as for number 2... if the light "brake light failure" just refers to the brake lights and not the brake system (e.g. a brake warning light}), then you are fine... we look to see that the brake lights work. Any "indicator" that just tells you whether a bulb works or not is not inspectable as long as the bulbs physically work
I have a 1984 Pontiac J2000 Convertible, and I have a few problems with it that might negatively impact whether it passes inspection or not.
The first is that the rear plastic curtain window has a large crack/hole in it, and is covered up (or "repaired") with vinyl waterbed repair tape.
The second issue is that, while my rearview mirror and passenger-side mirror are in good working order, my drivers side mirror has a broken spring and always points down regardless of adjustments.
Will either of these cause me to fail?
the first one should not... the inspection process only covers the windshield as long as you have both side mirrors and the rear view. on non verts, people put decals on their rear windows with no consequence, i would see the tape as a decal (in terms to something on the window)..
the second issue on the other hand is going to be hit or miss... Most inspectors will fail it due to it not projecting the correct footage behind the vehicle (since its pointing down), other inspectors won't notice it, and pass it... i'd recommend getting it fixed.
My question is simple: I've read the law and can not quite figure it out... How low can I actually go?
I'll eventually take the time to put something here. I swear.
for state inspection, as low as you want, provided you do not: cut the springs, allow the tire to contact any part of the vehicle. You must also have some sort of a spring (coil, leaf, torsion bar, etc) which rules out a bit of the air ride options.
we do not measure ride height for state inspectiion
Well that is unfortunate. How do all of those low rider s-10s get around this? Are they going back to stock to pass?
Sig'less since '02!
some do... some probably have illegal hook ups on stickers (and no i do not know of anyone who does this)... most try to title their vehicles in North Carolina to avoid virginia's inspection entirely (earning NC more money, and netting VA less money)
Good info as always, thanks Kyle.
Sig'less since '02!
Will I be able to pass an inspection with no doors/hood? ive read that u need handles and latches on your doors but if i just remove my doors all together will this cause grounds for failure?
it depends on the inspector... we had a Jeep come in during the summer time. He took his doors and top off... after a lengthy discussion with the other inspectors, we passed it, since there was no place in the handbook that said that doors must be present. So it falls under the pretense, If it is there, it has to work.
My question pertains to the tail lights. I have been told different things as to whether I can pass inspection. My tail light works however the red lense was broken, it still had the clear lense and I was told that since it still worked if I had red lense tape on it I could still pass inspection. However I was speaking to someone else and they said it would fail me.
