New reason to fail the inspection

From March 1 onward, there is a new reason that may cause your car to fail the mandatory periodic inspection, and many drivers may not even be aware of it.

If your vehicle has a pending recall and has not been taken to the workshop for correction, it will automatically fail at the Vehicle Inspection Center (CITV).

The decision was made by the IMT and comes into force at the beginning of March. From that date, any vehicle with an active recall campaign that has not been addressed will fail the inspection.

The issue may be classified as a type 2 (major) or type 3 (very major) defect, depending on the risk assessment carried out by the manufacturer. In either case, the result will be a failed inspection until the situation is resolved.

According to Hélder Pedro, Secretary-General of the Portuguese Automobile Association (ACAP), there are currently around 87,000 vehicles in Portugal with pending recalls. A significant number that shows many cars may be at risk of failing their next inspection.

What is a “recall,” after all?

A recall is a notification issued by the manufacturer when a technical fault is detected in a specific model. It may be related to safety, emissions, or other essential vehicle components.

In these cases, the brand contacts owners, usually by registered letter, so they can take the car to a workshop, where the correction is carried out at no cost to the customer.

The problem is that this information does not always reach the current owner. Changes of address, sale of the vehicle, or simple oversight may mean that the driver is unaware that their car has been called in for repair.

How to find out if your car has an active recall?

To avoid surprises at the inspection, it is now possible to check free of charge whether your vehicle has any pending campaigns.

ACAP and the IMT have launched the RECALL platform, developed with the support of the Directorate-General for Consumers. The tool is available online and already includes more than 300 recall campaigns registered by car manufacturers.

Simply enter the license plate number or the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to confirm whether there is any outstanding action.

Beyond avoiding inspection failure, complying with a recall is above all a matter of safety. These campaigns exist precisely to correct faults that may compromise the proper functioning of the vehicle or put occupants at risk.

If you have an inspection scheduled in the coming months, it is worth checking this information in advance. A simple verification can save you time, inconvenience, and a second trip to the inspection center.

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Sources: SIC Notícias and Pplware