Not meeting the minimum safety conditions or emitting into the atmosphere polluting and harmful emissions higher than what is permitted by law are the two main reasons why cars are rejected in mandatory technical inspections. The figure could be significantly reduced since the largest number of defects occurs in systems that can be checked directly by the users themselves.
Specifically, according to the data collected by AECA-ITV, the chapter in which the most serious defects were found was lighting and signaling (24.1% of the serious defects occurred in this chapter), followed by axles, wheels, tires and suspension (21.7%). If before going to the ITV, the user checked and repaired the lighting, signaling and tires, surely the number of serious defects would decrease. With regard to lighting, the main thing is to check that all the lights work and that they are well regulated. In addition to making sure that the lamp works, it is necessary to check that the optics are not broken or discolored by the sun. As far as the tires are concerned, you have to check that they are not worn. To do this, the tires incorporate wear indicators that tell us if the depth is greater than 1.6 mm or not.
With regard to emissions failures, you must pass the gas test, or opacity, which measures the level of smoke in the exhaust. To do this, the engine is brought from idle to the disconnection speed (injection cut), giving accelerations. Thus, the levels that must be within the permitted limits are measured.
But there is no maximum number of minor defects that prevent favorably passing the ITV. If the technical inspection of the vehicle only has minor faults, it will not be rejected, according to TÜV Rheinland, which, in addition, detail that, as you can see on the back of the ITV inspection report that they deliver, a minor defect implies that it is corrected as soon as possible. soon as possible, otherwise that defect could become serious. For example, you can pass the ITV with a burnt-out brake light, but if you don’t repair it quickly another one could burn out and then become a serious defect, even though the ITV has already passed. And, according to the highway code, you have the obligation to circulate with the vehicle in perfect conditions, otherwise, you could be penalized.
Although you can pass the ITV with an unlimited number of minor defects, a single serious defect is enough to reject the inspection. In that case, you have a maximum period of two months to correct the serious defects and return to the ITV station so that we can verify that the repair has been carried out satisfactorily. You should know that, with the unfavorable ITV, you can only drive the vehicle to take it to the workshop.
In the event of a serious defect, if you return to the same ITV station within 15 days, the second inspection will be free. If you exceed these 15 days, but your vehicle is within the period of two months from the unfavorable one, you will only have to pay 60% of the total price of the ITV. If you exceed the two-month period, you will have to pay the full price of the ITV again.