Car inspection worries? Vermont may ease up on requirements

MONTPELIER - Cracked tail lights and tinted windows could get off the list of problems that cause Vermont vehicles to fail inspection under new rules being drafted by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The work comes one year after Vermont digitized its annual inspection process, ditching the paper slips that defined state inspections since the late 1930s.

The new technology, known as the Automated Vehicle Inspection Program, brought greater state oversight but left safety standards unchanged.

Some mechanics may be following the inspection manual more strictly because of the digital system, said Scott Davidson, chief inspector for the Vermont DMV. Mechanics are being more cautious about items that might have slipped through in the past.

Under a new draft of the inspection manual, some motorists would be allowed to drive away with a sticker without fixing every piece of their vehicle. Rather than only "pass" or "fail," the update would make some repairs "advisory" if they're not critical to safety.

"I believe that it'll be more cost effective for the automobile owners," Gov. Phil Scott said at a news conference this week.

Take a vehicle with tinted windows. Window tinting is illegal under state law, but Davidson said the DMV group wants to allow tinted vehicles to pass annual inspection.

"We didn’t feel that the tinted windows was critical to the safe operation of the vehicle," Davidson said. 

Previous coverage:VT car inspections are going digital, at a cost

A vehicle with a cracked tail light would be unlikely to fail inspection under the new manual, Davidson added. Replacing the piece would become an advisory repair — recommended because cracks can let moisture in and cause the light to dim or short out.

Alex Stebbins, a service advisor and technician at Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, considers both repairs to be important for safety.

"We just failed a vehicle yesterday that had the front windows tinted," Stebbins said, explaining that tinted windows can be dangerous at night.

One other item has prompted a lot of debate — the tire pressure monitoring system, or TPMS. Federal rules require new vehicles to have TPMS, which alerts drivers to low tire pressure. Vermont's current inspection manual does not allow the TPMS light to be activated.

Stebbins said this system has "saved a lot of tires." But the TPMS dashboard light will also come on when the driver switches to wheels without the tire pressure sensor, causing headaches.

“Failing it for the tire pressure light being on, I go back and forth with it," Stebbins said. "In Vermont, we like to have a set of winter wheels and summer wheels. Well, tire pressure sensors themselves are about $100 apiece."

Nancy Johnson, of Poultney, said she knew a woman who lost her transportation because her car could not pass inspection. Johnson complained that non-essential items were causing cars to fail.

"You are penalizing Vermonters, especially poor Vermonters," Johnson said.

Davidson said the DMV advisory group has been intensely researching the tire pressure question. He's not ready to disclose what the new draft manual will say about TPMS.

The Vermont vehicle inspection manual was last updated in 2013.

Wanda Minoli, interim commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles, said the DMV hopes to release the new draft manual by April 1. The state rulemaking process will allow the public to share feedback on the changes.

Vermont's top five safety failures 

1. Brake problems identified in wheel inspection (6,131 failures)

2. Lamps, including visual check of headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, etc. (3,302 failures)

3. Exhaust system leaks, loose joins, improper repairs and corrosion (3,097 failures)

4. Brake system integrity, including brake lines and pedal travel (2,970 failures)

5. Tires checked for wear (2,924 failures)

Source: Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Data reflect inspections entered in the electronic Automated Vehicle Inspection Program from Jan. 2, 2017 to Feb. 20, 2018. Failures include components that were repaired.

Contact April McCullum at 802-660-1863 or amccullum@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @April_McCullum.