Renewing your car’s registration? Make sure these items work well

Updated Jan 20, 2021

Same topic: Latest Consumer Reports

It’s quite a list that you’ll need to check on your motor vehicle.  

Having your car’s registration renewed every year also involves making sure that your ride is roadworthy, and we don’t mean just in terms of emissions. A vehicle with all its parts and components in good working order protects not just its occupants, but other road users as well.

Private motor vehicle inspection centers (PMVICs) will evaluate your car's critical components as part of registration renewal

In line with this, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is phasing out the traditional private emission testing centers in favor of private motor vehicle inspection centers or PMVICs. These facilities are expected to be better equipped and more thorough in ensuring that all vehicles up for registration renewal deserve to continue running on our roads.

Pay special attention to the sound of your car's exhaust, as it should not exceed 99 dB

Take note that PMVICs are not service centers that are supposed to help you find out what’s wrong with your vehicle. Don’t expect them to make recommendations when they come across a faulty component, as their findings will merely be used to grade your car as a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ depending on the outcome of their ocular inspection and testing.

You have the responsibility to make sure that your car is functioning properly prior to your PMVIC appointment, and the LTO has released a list of the items to consider according to its implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

>>> Related: 

Above carriage:

  • Body appearance
  • Chassis
  • Engine 
  • Handlebars (for motorbikes)
  • Wiper/washer
  • Windshield/window glass (for cracks and leaks)
  • Headlights (illumination, proper beam level)
  • Signal lights (front)
  • Signal light (rear)
  • Parking lights (front)
  • Parking lights (rear)
  • Brake lights
  • Reverse lights
  • Clearance lights
  • Number plate/lights
  • Hazard lights
  • Reflector lights
  • Interior lights
  • Top light (for taxi units)
  • Seatbelts
  • Horn
  • Door/hinges
  • Floorboard
  • Side/rearview mirrors
  • Clutch system
  • Brake system
  • Driver/passenger seats
  • Steering
  • Tires/wheels (including camber and alignment)
  • Wheel bolts/nuts
  • Fuel tank/cap
  • Panel gauges

Undercarriage:

  • Radiator
  • Engine bracket/mounting
  • Engine oil leakage
  • Transmission oil leakage
  • Steering ball joints
  • Steering fluid leakages/gearbox mounting
  • Steering idler /sector shaft
  • Front shackle eyes/pins/bushes
  • Rear shackle eyes/pins/bushes
  • Stabilizers/bushes
  • Kingpins and bearings
  • Front suspension joints/bushes
  • Rear suspension joints/bushes
  • Rear linkages
  • Brake hoses/pipes/cylinders
  • Fuel hoses/pipes
  • Spring U-bolts/nuts
  • Spring clips
  • Shock absorbers
  • Driveshaft bolts/nuts
  • Differential oil leakage
  • Propeller-shaft coupling
  • Exhaust pipes and silencer (noise level and leakages)
  • Chassis frame
  • Chassis cross-member
  • Body floorboard
  • Power steering
  • Parking brake wire
  • Mobile air conditioner

Other items:

To be sure, it’s an extensive list, but it leaves very little room for ambiguity. You will know exactly which items to address if necessary before you set foot at the nearest PMVIC as part of your registration renewal.

Our news and updates are just as extensive, and they’re waiting for you at Philkotse.com.

Joseph Paolo Estabillo

Author

Joseph holds a degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines Diliman and has been writing professionally since 1999. He has written episodes for CNN Philippines' motoring show Drive, and has worked on corporate projects for MG Philippines and Pilipinas Shell. Aside from being Philkotse.com’s Content Lead, he also writes content for numerous car dealerships in the U.S., spanning multiple brands such as Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Maserati, among others.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kapatilya

View more