Inspection Time!
Now comes the fun part. You're nervous, but you’re going to do it anyway. This is actually be the easiest part of the process. You can scroll down for a video in Japanese that should give you a general idea of what you'll be doing.
The testing course will vary from center to center. You should always consult your nearest testing facility first to find out what course you’ll have to do. There is a viewing land called the kengaku tsuuro (見学通路) where you can go to watch other cars undergoing the inspection so you can see exactly what you'll be doing and in what order. Since this varies from test center to test center, the following is going to be a write up of how I went through the process at the Ehime Prefecture District Land Transportation Bureau in May 2012 and August 2013. 1. I arrived at the the rikuunkyoku (陸運局) and went to the shaken window, keizoku madoguchi (継続窓口) also know as the uketsuke (受付.) 2. Picked up the forms necessary and filled them out. 3. Paid for the test fee in the form of stamps, and stamped them onto the Vehicle Inspection Test Form, jidousha kensa hyou (自動車検査票.) 4. I did NOT pay the compulsory insurance or weight tax fee yet. (I wanted to pass the test first before I paid these!) 5. They gave me a card that said yuudou (誘導) which essentially means first-time shakener (indoctrination) and I placed it on my window so that the guys in the testing line would help me out more that other people. During the whole testing process, you have the Test Form with you. You'll give to the people that are helping you, or put into the blue machine that stamps the results on it. 6. Drove my car to the testing line 7. A guy told me to pull in the testing center. 1. Turn on your normal lights and your brights 2. Turn signal right. Turn signal left. Hazards. 3. Put your car in reverse (keep your foot on the brake and don’t move. They are looking at your reverse lights.) 4. Spray your windshield washer fluid and wipers 5. Briefly honk your horn, kurakushon (クラクション.) 6. Get out and open the hood (bonnet) they will check things. 7. Close your hood when instructed 8. Give them your Test form, they will stamp it, get back in your car and when they say ok and drive up to the “multi tester” 8. Drive onto the Multi Tester. (This is a machine that has big rollers that you drive your front and rear wheels onto.) There is a digital signboard that instructs you what to do in Japanese. There are old and new versions out there, I got the new one. I’m not sure what you do on the old one! On the signboard, after each individual test, you’ll get a O for pass or a X for fail for that particular section.) 1. Speedometer Accuracy Test - Put your car into drive and accelerate to 40 km/h. When your speedometer reaches this speed flash your bright lights, the sign says (40キロでパッシングを点灯.) You’ll get a O or a X 2. Foot Brake Test - Put your car into neutral, leave your foot off the brake. The signboard will say release brake (フットブレーキをはなす) then will say “Push the Brake Pedal” (フットブレーキを踏む) and do so. You’ll get a O or a X. 3. Parking Brake (a.k.a. side brake or e-brake) Test - Leave your car in neutral, foot off the brake. The sign board will s so hay release your parking brake (サイドブレーキをもどす) then it will say pull the parking brake (サイドブレーキを引く) and do so. You will get a O or X. Put your Test Form in the machine that stamps your results on it and you’re done with the multi-tester. 9. Drive to the Exhaust Gas (emissions) Tester. This one is pretty easy. You'll just park your car with the engine running and stick the provided probe into your muffler and it will test your exhaust fumes for appropriate levels (排気ガス検査中.) You’ll get a O or X. Put your test form into the machine that records results and your done with the emissions test. 10. Last, there is a pit (a hole in the ground with a worker inside) that you’ll drive up to, and s/he will tap your car with a hammer to verify that everything is bolted on securely and that nothing is loose. Turn your engine OFF for this. They didn’t say anything about applying the brakes but I did just in case. After they check for loose stuff your car will shake from left to right and front to back. After they give the "all clear," pull up to the booth and the worker will take ALL your forms, not just your Test Form, but everything you have prepared up to now. If you passed they will tell you to go back to the main building to finish up. If you failed they will tell you why you failed and what needs to be repaired in order to pass. I passed first go!! So I went back into the main building, paid for my weight tax and insurance, took all my paperwork to the User Shaken window, sat down for a few minutes and got my new Shaken Certificate and Sticker. YOU’RE DONE!!! Pat yourself on the back and go eat some natto sushi in excitement and celebration and thank anyone who helped you along the way. But, if you didn’t pass..? They will usually tell you of a nearby mechanic shop that can fix anything that failed. If it’s something that can be repaired easily, you can re-test as many times in one day until you pass. If it will take more than a day to repair you’ll have to come back another day and pay the inspection fee again. Since there was the possibility of failing, I didn’t pay the weight tax or compulsory insurance until after I passed which is what I recommend to avoid the hassle of a refund in case you decide to get rid of your car if repair bills will be too much. In summary, doing User Shaken can be very rewarding as it has been for me. I will be re-inspecting my Silvia in October 2015 in again, this time in Chiba Prefecture. Hopefully I will have more insight to share after that. Please see the video below that the National Transportation Agency has put together. Here for maintenance tips! |