The Technical Inspection of Vehicles (ITV) is a procedure that absolutely all vehicles in the Spanish car park must carry out on a mandatory basis after they have been four years old and that, normally, generates some concern among drivers, especially if they have a vehicle with a lot of years. Next, we will tell you what are the parts of the car that you must review and prepare to pass the ITV with a good note.
After being several weeks out of service due to the corona virus pandemic, all ITV stations in Spain have reopened their doors and are operational, although with certain security measures such as the obligation to make an appointment or wear a mask during the revision. Also, remember that if the ITV expired during the state of alarm due to the Covid-19 virus, you have certain deadlines to pass it, which you can consult in the article “The ITV extend their deadlines: these are the dates set by the Government”.
Buy a used car from Auto For Trade and perform ITV to check the correct functioning of the mechanical elements of the vehicle and as the cars have been idle for so long due to confinement, these are the most important parts that you should check before going to perform the test.
TIRES
Tires are one of the most important elements in terms of safety, since they are the only point of contact between the vehicle and the road. Therefore, it is essential that you check the pressure of the wheels and the wear of the tires. Since most vehicles have been idle for a long period of time, it is important that you check for cracks or deformities.
Also, keep in mind that you will not exceed the ITV if the tires have a tread depth of less than 1.6 millimeters ; It is recommended that the tread of summer and four-season tires have a minimum of 3 millimeters , and that of winter tires have a minimum of 4 millimeters . To check if the tread of your tires is correct, you can use the coin trick that we explained back in the day.
Finally, it is essential that the tires are the same on each axle, in terms of size, model, speed index and load index.
LIGHTS
Driving with one of the regulatory bulbs burned out is one of the most common ITV failures, so you should review them carefully. Check the correct operation of the low beams, high beams, position lights, brake lights, reversing lights, rear fog lights, all indicator lights and small bulbs that illuminate the license plate.
HORN
The horn is a basic safety element, so it should always work correctly, even if you don’t use it. If your vehicle does not work well, it is important that you go to a workshop to have it fixed, because if the technical inspection detects that it does not work or that its power is low, you will not approve the ITV.
BODY AND WINDOWS
To pass the ITV it is very important that your vehicle does not have any serious defect in the bodywork, such as sharp edges that could injure pedestrians or excessively large dents. If the bodywork has a small scratch or dent, nothing happens, since it is considered a minor defect.
On the other hand, check the condition of the mirrors and windows so that the day of the service they look perfect. If the windows have any cracks, breaks or marks, it is important that you repair them or replace them with new ones before going to the ITV.
SEAT BELTS AND DOORS
The interior of the vehicle is just as important as the exterior, so check the correct operation of all seat belts, since the ITV technician will verify their retention. You should also make sure that the car doors open and close smoothly from both the inside and the outside.
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BRAKE SYSTEM
To successfully pass the ITV it is important that you previously check the front and rear brakes of the vehicle, since the ITV technician will check that there is no imbalance in braking or a braking force lower than that established by the usual standards. Don’t forget to thoroughly check the brake discs and pads, as well as the handbrake tension.
SUSPENSION
The suspension of a vehicle is essential to ensure its stability, so its maintenance is especially important. Before passing the ITV you should check the state of the suspension of the shock absorbers, the springs and the ball joints of your car. Keep in mind that if the shock absorbers have oil leaks or are worn, your vehicle will not pass the ITV, so make sure they are in perfect condition.
OIL
The ITV technician will check that your vehicle does not present any oil leaks, so it is important that you check and control the car’s oil level to make sure that there are no leaks.
ODOMETER
Since the new ITV regulations came into force in 2018, the odometers of all category M and N vehicles must work correctly and mark the kilometers traveled without there being any sign of tampering on it. If the ITV technician detects some type of manipulation in the odometer or cannot directly check the kilometers traveled because it does not work well, the ITV will be unfavorable. Therefore, if you have a faulty odometer, you must repair it before going to your inspection.
WIPER WASHER
During the ITV the technician will ask you to activate the windshield wipers to check that the blades sweep correctly and that the liquid in the tank comes out correctly through the diff users. Therefore, you should check the proper functioning of the windshield wipers before going to the ITV. In case of detecting a problem, remedy it before going to the inspection. Remember that you can see how to change the wiper blades in the article we made back in the day.
EMISSIONS
Emissions inspection has become one of the most feared tests by drivers. You should know that this test is different if your car is diesel or gasoline. In case you have a diesel vehicle, the ITV technician will measure that the gas opacity is at adequate levels. If not, you will not pass the inspection. Normally, if the vehicle’s gas opacity is very high, it may be that the EGR is clogged, an injector has problems, or there is a large amount of carbon inside the engine.
On the other hand, if you have a gasoline vehicle, you will face a simpler test that consists of inserting a measurement probe into the exhaust pipe and practicing a test at idle or idle and accelerated. Through this inspection, the ITV technician will be able to see the carbon monoxide values and verify that they are in the correct parameters. If the values are very high, you will go home with the unfavorable ITV.
There are some tricks that can help you pass the emissions test, such as running at higher revolutions per minute, before going to the inspection, to clean the soot that accumulates in the exhaust pipe. However, to make sure that your vehicle passes the opacity or gas test without problems, the best thing you can do is go to a mechanic workshop specialized in these tests so they can inform you about the levels that your car emits and you solve the problem.
DOCUMENTATION
To pass the ITV it is no longer enough to present a vehicle that meets all the established requirements. Since last year, all drivers who want to obtain a favorable MOT must bring certain mandatory documents to the inspection: the vehicle’s registration certificate, the vehicle’s technical file, the accreditation of the mandatory vehicle insurance and, in some provinces, the ID of the driver of the vehicle (not the owner). You can read the complete news about the mandatory documentation that must be brought to the ITV in the article we did at the time.
