# I failed vehicle inspection



## Bret86844 (Mar 16, 2016)

Are these state required inspections? Here in Northeast Ohio we have to get our car emissions tested. ONLY part of Ohio that requires it. Also your car fails if your check engine light is on for any reason.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Yep, state required. The check engine light is the same here. My light isn't on, and everything works as it should.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Get to police/lawyer/state/county now! Do not do anything else to your car, even clean it, until you have photos of everything he touched (you may have to select the right angle of view to make his paw marks most obvious but DO NOT enhance them in any other way). And complain but do not get angry. Repeat, do not get angry.
If the situation is truely as described you were being extorted. I'm betting he (or they) have been doing the same to many others. It's $ in their pockets and while it may not be that much to you multiply that by other attempts and it mounts up.

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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Did he use a photometric meter to measure the window tint, or did he just look at it? There are tools to measure how much light transmits through a window, but many places (including where I am) just leave it up to the cop's judgment. Never heard of it being checked on a Safety Check up here, but I guess every place is different.

If he just looked at it, remind the owner of the shop that his shop had always passed it in the past, and it was purchased new with the car. No use talking to the guy that did the test.

If he used a meter, you have no legs to stand on, except to have the test repeated by somebody who knows what they are doing. Could be that in the past it was subjective, but recently they started using a meter.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

I contacted the local DPS office and explained to them about the window tint. 
They told me that I can bring the car to their parking lot and an officer can test it for me. If the DPS officer finds that the tint is too dark, then I will not be allowed to drive away in the car until I remove the window tint. 

The guy on the phone said something about a law that was passed in 2009 requiring vehicles with tinted windows to have a sticker at the bottom of the drivers side window certifying that the tint is legal, and what percentage. The sticker is put on by the tint installer. I do not have that sticker on my Mazda, but both of my Rangers have it, so I know what the sticker looks like. They suggested that I go to a window tinting shop and have them check my tint. That way I would have more time and a better way to correct the problem, if there is one, and wouldn't be stuck in a parking lot trying to scrape it off.

I told them that I would go to a window shop. They said that if the tint shop finds that my windows are legal, then to report back to them and they will look into the matter of the guy failing me and asking 25$ to remove the tint.






SPS-1 said:


> If he used a meter, you have no legs to stand on, except to have the test repeated by somebody who knows what they are doing. Could be that in the past it was subjective, but recently they started using a meter.


Every time I have had the car inspected, they used the meter that slides over the glass. It's passed every time except now. This was at the same inspection place each time. The only thing different is the guy doing the inspection.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Those inspectors are _supposed_ to be certified? 

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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

State certified I believe.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

You say that he left greasy prints all over the car. 

Odds are high that there are greasy prints on the meter sensor too.

ED


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

No state inspections of any kind here. You can register and drive any beaten to hell deathtrap with bald tires and one headlight here. Of course, you can and will be cited for equipment violations. Cops love the one headlight, one brake-light cars. Pull them over all the time. Some idiot here in Louisville was caught a month or so ago with underage (17), half naked prostitutes (yeah, more than one) in his SUV at 3 AM. How? Pulled over for driving with one headlight.


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## ChuckTin (Nov 17, 2014)

Well, too, with two things on his mind (?) he was too busy to notice?

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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

ChuckTin said:


> Well, too, with two things on his mind (?) he was too busy to notice?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk


But he knew it BEFORE he picked them up! What an idiot!


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

When Missouri first had an inspection law, they tested headlight aiming. Of course every car failed, it was a quick buck. They finally did away with it after all the complaints. All we have left, except in St. Louis, is strictly a safety inspection. I was an inspector years ago and they had an extensive test to be one.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

Illinois has emissions testing and will instantly fail you if a check engine light is on. Trouble is, they will also fail you if ANY dash light is on. I drive a BMW, and years ago had the oil service indicator light on showing it was time for an oil change. I do my own oil changes but have to have the dealer reset the light. I got failed for that, and no one wanted to hear my explanation or use their own judgement and common sense. :vs_mad:


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

You should check on a BMW forum if there is a way for you to reset the light. Normally there is some procedure of pressing the right buttons on the dashboard that will reset the oil light.


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## Tizzer (Jul 24, 2010)

A number of years ago I was in the waiting room for an inspection. No emissions, just safety here. The mechanic came in to tell the lady next to me that her car failed because of a worn power steering belt. Her vehicle was an older one that had numerous belts. I'm wondering as I scoot closer to listen, why is he going under the hood.
"New law" he says. If that belt were to fail, she could lose control and crash.
Could very well be true but I have yet had an inspector raise my hood.
Never went back to that shop.


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

Tizzer said:


> A number of years ago I was in the waiting room for an inspection. No emissions, just safety here. The mechanic came in to tell the lady next to me that her car failed because of a worn power steering belt. Her vehicle was an older one that had numerous belts. I'm wondering as I scoot closer to listen, why is he going under the hood.
> "New law" he says. If that belt were to fail, she could lose control and crash.
> Could very well be true but I have yet had an inspector raise my hood.
> Never went back to that shop.


They raise the hood here to check the brake fluid.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

SPS-1 said:


> You should check on a BMW forum if there is a way for you to reset the light. Normally there is some procedure of pressing the right buttons on the dashboard that will reset the oil light.


I'm a member of two BMW forums. You are correct about a procedure being available but for my model year it doesn't work. I can buy a reset tool but that's about $100. Dealer charges about $25.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

To give an update to this, my tint wasn't illegal and the guy has been reported. I haven't had a day off since I made this thread, and yesterday was my first day off since. It's been longer than 15 days, and I missed the opportunity for a free retest. I didn't want to go back to that shop anyways. 

Being yesterday was my only day off work, I didn't have time to run around having the windows checked, then go to another place to be reinspected or retinted depending on which way it went. Plus, my sticker expired at the end of September. 

So, I took it to another inspection place and immediately asked their opinion on the tint. The guy said that it didn't look too dark to him, and put a light meter on it before starting the inspection process. He said it would pass and we did the inspection. The car now has legal inspection and registration again.


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