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Before the vehicle inspection: what to check and fix in time
The vehicle inspection (katsastus) covers, among other things, the brakes, lights, tyres, chassis and steering, as well as the windscreen and wipers. You can check some of these yourself a few weeks before the inspection, which leaves time for repairs. If something needs fixing before the inspection or after a failed one, we carry out pre-inspection repairs based on a quote.
What you can check yourself
- Lights. Switch the lights on and walk round the car: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, reversing light and number plate light. The brake lights are easiest to see with a helper or reflected off a wall.
- Tyres. The main grooves must be at least 1.6 mm deep on summer tyres and at least 3 mm on winter tyres. Check the sidewalls for bulges or cuts at the same time.
- Windscreen and wipers. A crack in the driver's field of view can lead to a repair notice or a fail. Also check that the wiper blades wipe cleanly and that the washer fluid reaches the glass.
- Leaks. Look at your parking space to see whether the car leaves drops of oil or other fluid. Leaks are also checked at the inspection.
- Warning lights. If a fault light is on in the instrument cluster, find out why before the inspection.
What is checked at the inspection and how faults are classified is set out in Traficom's regulation on the assessment criteria for periodic vehicle inspections (PDF, in Finnish). You can check when your own car is due for inspection with Traficom's service Check when your vehicle is due for periodic inspection.
What you cannot see, but may notice while driving
The brakes, shock absorbers, suspension joints and play in the steering are checked at the inspection, but their condition is hard to judge at home. While driving, though, you may notice signs that are worth mentioning to the mechanic before the inspection:
- knocking or creaking over bumps and in turns
- the car keeps bouncing for longer than usual after a bump
- the car pulls to one side when braking, or the brakes make noise or judder
- there is play in the steering, or the steering wheel is off-centre on a straight road
Brake symptoms are covered in more detail in our article on brake noise and judder.
A stone chip or a crack in the windscreen
A small stone chip can usually be repaired. It is worth doing soon, because a chip can spread into a crack as the temperature changes. Windscreen repair costs €69 and can be booked online.
A crack usually means replacing the glass. Windscreen replacement is available for all makes, including through insurance and leasing companies. We use Saint-Gobain glass, and the work comes with a one-year warranty. The price of a replacement is agreed by quote.
Pre-inspection repairs with us
If your own check or the inspection turns up something to fix, ask us for a quote. Tell us the car's registration number, make and model and what needs repairing. If the car has already been inspected, the inspection certificate lists the faults found, and that is the best starting point for a quote.
Pre-inspection repairs: price on request. It cannot be booked online. We do the repairs on our own premises. We can also replace wiper blades and blown bulbs, so mention those too when you ask for a quote.
Something to fix before the inspection?
Call or send a message and we will give you a quote. A stone chip repair (€69) can be booked online.