I always worry that my car will FAIL the periodic inspection at the Motor Vehicle Periodic Inspection (MVPI) center. It’s an old car, and it sometimes does. When it fails, I have to run around looking for expensive spare parts and get a reliable mechanic to do the repairs in time for the imminent retest.
So, I know it is better to prepare my car for the inspection (Fahas) before I go for the inspection. However, out of laziness, I feel reluctant.
This article explains how to perform a periodic test (Fahas) for your car in Saudi Arabia. It tells you what the test procedure is about and what the inspectors look for during the test.
It also outlines the steps if your car fails the inspection.
Contents
Click to view the section and then click the arrow to return
- The 9 Steps
- Booking an Appointment Online
- PASS or FAIL
- What to do after a PASS
- What to do after a FAIL
- The Fail Item Report For Repairs
- The Re-Inspection Of Your Car Of The Failed Items
- How Inspectors Test Your Car
- 1. Visual Inspection
- 2. Wheel Alignment-Front And Back
- 3. The Brake Test
- 4. The Headlight (s) Test
- 5. The Emissions Gas Test
- 6. The Undercarriage Inspection
- Related Questions
- References and Useful Links
So, How Do You Get A Car Inspection (Fahas) In Saudi Arabia?
Only the registered owners of the cars/vehicles can present them for the Fahas inspection. They will ask you as you drive into the MVPI test center.
You can use your company car or your wife’s car, but you should not be getting paid for doing the service.
Here are the steps:
- Book an appointment ONLINE at your nearest MVPI center.
- Drive your car to your local MVPI center for an inspection.
- At the Registration Booth, submit your car registration (Istimarah) and SR 115 payment.
- You can show them the Tawakalna electronic documents. They will accept.
- Drive your car into one of the inspection lanes.
- Hand your vehicle over to the inspector and walk to the outside pedestrian lane.
- Wait 5 – 10 minutes for your car to be tested.
- Your Final Inspection Report (تقرير فحص) showing a Pass or Fail will be sent to you immediately after the test ends at the end of the test lane.
- Go to the Engineer’s Office, have him /her explain any repairs you might need (use the Fail Item Report).
Booking an Appointment at the MVPI Center
One can no longer arrive at an MVPI Test Center without a prior appointment, as was previously the case. In the present day, it is imperative to first schedule a designated time and place for the specific vehicle you intend to have assessed in the App itself.
If you miss an appointment, you must wait 48 hours to rebook.
On the mobile phone or a PC, click through to the Saudi Vehicle Safety website. Here you can:
- Make a Vehicle Inquiry
- Book a Car Test Inspection appointment
- View and download previous Inspection Reports (digital only), not the old paper reports.
To Book – 1. Vehicle Query, then 2. Book Test Centre, then 3. Inspection Date & Time
A: Vehicle Inquiry
- Click Book Appointment
- Enter Saudi ID / Iqama number
- Enter the vehicle Sequence number (9-digit Arabic number immediately above the bar code on your Istimarah)
- Check the numbers you enter are correct (You only get 5 Vehicle Inquiry attempts)
- Finally, click the green Vehicle Inquiry button
Now Book Your Actual Appointment:
B: Test Center – Time and Place
- Enter mobile phone number
- Enter email address
- Enter Vehicle Class
- Enter Service Type – i.e. Periodic Inspection
- Choose Region
- Choose Inspection Site – Location City
- Click the green Book An Appointment button
- Now Choose Day, Date & Time
If you wish to have someone conduct the car inspection in your place, you can nominate an individual or a third-party company. However, today, at the MVPI payment booth, the officials do not always ask for identity.
Pass or Fail
On the final Inspection Report, check for the Overall Evaluation section at the top of the report with a green tick or red X.
If it reads PASS (اجتياز) (green tick), then it means your car has successfully passed most, if not all, the Inspection Stages (خطوات فحص). The pass and fail items are itemised in the one-page report.
If, however, it reads FAIL (فشل), (red x), it means that your car has failed at least one or more of the Inspection Stages.
What Should I Do After I Get A PASS (Green Tick)
As soon as you receive the Inspection Report via SMS in Arabic, you can log in to the Saudi Vehicle Safety website to download the same report in English as shown above.
Then, you should first celebrate with a sandwich and a nice hot/cold drink at the public cafeteria located next to the inspection lanes.
Here, a sandwich and tea/coffee costs 6 SAR. You can also buy juices (2 SAR) and cold water (1 SAR). You will need refreshment since you have been waiting in line for a long time under the hot sun.
Second, you peel the backing off the new periodic inspection disc and stick it onto the car window screen on the top right-hand side. However, after my test, the test worker stuck it for me.
At the roadside checkpoints, the Saudi police can check the top right-hand side of your window screen for the sticker to ascertain if you have an updated inspection (Fahas).
Finally, you can leave the Motor Vehicle Periodical Inspection Center (MVPI).
Note: This online Inspection Report is valid for ONE year ONLY. You can use this to update your vehicle registration (Istimarah) and/or sell your car.
Should you decide to sell the car, you will need to complete any repairs and then follow up with another inspection (Fahas) at the MVPI test center.
What Should I Do After I Get A FAIL
Upon getting a FAIL (فشل) (red x) in the Overall Evaluation section of the Car Inspection Report, you should first go to the engineer’s office to get advice about how to repair your car.
Then, show him the attached Fail Item Report. This is an additional small report that the Test Inspectors have detailed, along with a list of failed items, to help you understand what needs to be fixed on your car.
The engineer will use the detailed Fail Item Report in Arabic attached and advise you on how to repair the car so that you can prepare i. for a reinspection.
Then, you should have a sandwich and a hot or cold drink. (SR 6) from a small cafeteria next to the inspection lanes. The weather is hot, and you will wait more than 30 minutes in line to get your car inspected.
Later, if the repairs are simple, you will sometimes find mechanics’ workshops close to the MVPI. To get customers, Yemeni or Arab mechanics stand on the streets and stop near the test center.
Actually, at one of my last visits in November, a Yemeni mechanic quickly inspected my car and diagnosed the fixes. Surprisingly, he quoted me a fair price to repair them.
The Fail Item Report For Repairs
The Fail Item Report contains a list of items identified in the Inspection Report detailing what needs fixing on your car. They also provide brief instructions in Arabic and English detailing the failed issues.
To get a better understanding of the required fixes, please visit the engineer’s office, and he will explain them to you.
The report also informs you that you have two weeks from the date of the original inspection (Fahas) to reinspect your car.
The Re-Inspection Of Your Car Of The Failed Items
After completing repairs, return your car to the MVPI to retest the items mentioned in your Fail Item Report.
For the retest, present your car registration (Istimarah), driving license (Ruksa), residency permit (Iqama), and SR37 at the payment registration booth.
The inspectors will retest the FAIL items ONLY if you have returned within two weeks of the original inspection date.
Keep the original Inspection Report on your phone with you. This time, the MVPI will issue you a fresh Inspection Report via SMS indicating the Overall Evaluation of PASS or FAIL.
How Do the MVPI Inspectors Test Your Car?
The vehicle test (Fahas) in the Saudi MVPI. begins as soon as you hand your vehicle over to the Test Inspector who is working on the inspection lane.
The vehicle test (Fahas) procedure has six main steps.
- Visual Inspection
- Wheel Alignment
- Brake Test
- Headlight Test
- Emissions Gas Test
- Undercarriage
What Do MVPI Test Inspectors Look For?
1. Visual Inspection
The following is a comprehensive list of items that Test Inspectors look at during the check (Fahas)
A: The Car Body
| Color | Fading or not matching color stated on the car registration (Istimarah) |
| Damaged Body | Fading or not matching the color stated on the car registration (Istimarah) |
| Corrosion | Rust spots and environmental corrosion |
| Fuel Tank | Not leaking and capped |
| License plate (Front and back) | Black letters and numbers are not faded and are clearly visible |
B: The Lights
| Head Lamps | Secure, well-positioned, aim and illumination |
| Tail Lamps | Secure, well-positioned, and illuminated |
| Directional Lamps (Front and Back) | Functions and illuminates the plate number |
| Brake Lamps | Functions and illuminates the plate number |
| Hazard Lamps | Function and synchronized |
| License Plate Lamp | Functions and Illuminates the plate number |
| Auxillary Lamps | Secure, well-positioned, and illuminated |
C: The Cables And Belts
| Main Cable Connections | Secure and not worn |
| Engine Belts | Secure and not worn |
| Seat Belts | Fasten Securely and function |
D: The Chassis
| VIN or Chassis Number | Still visible on the driver’s side door |
| Body Mountings | 6-12 bushing mounts not worn, dried out, fracturing or malfunctioning |
E: The Windows and Doors
| Windscreens | Front, Back, and Side Not Broken |
| Front Wipers | Not malfunctioning and worn |
| Front Windscreen Washers | Spray jet function |
| Doors, hinges, hood, and trunk | Not malfunctioning oiled and open with ease |
F: The Vehicle Interior
| Brake Master Cylinder Assembly | Emergency lights or horns function |
| Horn | Beeps Audible and Loudly |
| Rear View Mirror | Functions and fixed well |
| Signal Equipment | Emergency lights or horn function |
| Steering Wheel & Column | No clunking, banging free play (How To Diagnose Issues With Steering Joints) |
| Parking Brake | Doesn’t hold the car, the brake is stuck, jammed or doesn’t work |
| Brakes & Pedals | Air in lines, fluid leak, pad wear, master cylinder failure |
G: Wheels, The Engine And Exhaust
| Smoky Engine | Overheating, faulty wire casings, overheated oils, fluids, or cooling system (How To Stop An Engine Blowing Smoke ) |
| Tires | Tread is not worn or possible misalignment issues |
| Wheel Nuts/Rims | Secured and tightly fastened |
2. Wheel Alignment-Front And Back Wheels
The Side Slip Test
Next, the test inspector drives your car onto automated rollers. They test the vehicle for wheel alignment. This precision machine measures how much your wheels ‘slip‘ on the road surface, therefore, creating increased friction.
So, if your tires are set to point in the same direction as they are set to roll, there is no side-slip or angle of slip on the road surface.
This can be achieved by having your wheel computer aligned and adjusted before taking the inspection test.
One section of the rolling machine displays the actual side-slip on the wheels and indicates if they are aligned and/or within the acceptable limits.
The slip angle of the front and rear wheels should be the same to achieve a steady, neutral road handling of your car.
Aligned front and rear wheels allow you to navigate corners smoothly and without noticeable under- or over-steering of your vehicle.
Click below to see my favorite YouTube video explaining side-slip or steering angles related to tire friction coefficients.
3. The Brake Test
Before undergoing an MVPI inspection, test drive your car and check for vibrations or pulsations as you press the brake pedal at both low and high speeds.
To find faults, you can hear any strange sounds well by driving close to walls or buildings. This will enhance any sound better and may help you diagnose any brake issues you may be experiencing.
At the test, the inspector will open the hood/bonnet and first check the Master Cylinder. A low brake fluid level in the reservoir may indicate worn brake pads or shoes, as well as a leak in the brake fluid in the system.
They check for leaks in the Master cylinder, the booster, the ABS control module, and in areas along the brake fluid lines to the front and back brakes.
Leaks can also occur in the seals on the brakes themselves.
The test inspector uses a chassis dynamometer to calculate the braking efficiency of both the front and rear brakes. The following items are typically checked in an automated MVPI machine test.
| Brake Drag | The extent to which calipers release the brake rotor when the brake pedal is depressed. Slight drag is normal. However, too much drag on the brakes can be caused by corroded or broken springs on the brake drums. | Measured in acceptable drag percentages % |
| Differentials | The extent to which the callipers release the brake rotor when the brake pedal is depressed. Slight drag is normal. However, too much drag on the brakes can be caused by corroded or broken springs on the brake drums. | Measures any difference in the differential as you apply the brake in % |
| Axle Weight | Brake effort- the force required to stop the car. | Measured in kilograms for front and back axle weights. |
| Right Tire | Brake efficiency, or how well the brakes perform, is expressed as a percentage (%). | Measured in kilograms |
| Left Tire | Braking effort- the force required to stop the car. | Measured in kilograms |
| Parking Brake | Braking efforts- the force required to hold the car. | Measured in kilograms |
| Summary | The automated device calculates the brake efficiency of your vehicle by dividing the total weight of the car by the brake effort to stop the vehicle. Multiplying by 100 gives you the brake efficiency. | The automated device calculates the brake efficiency of your vehicle by dividing the total weight of the car by the brake effort to stop it. Multiplying by 100 gives you the brake efficiency. |
4. The Headlight (s) Test
First, your headlights should illuminate. They should also be aimed, so the beams shine at the right position and height. The low beam should shine on objects slightly below the height of the light lenses.
The light pattern on the passenger side (right) should be such that it illuminates road signs, and it should be set lower on the driver’s side (left) to avoid producing glare and blinding oncoming drivers.
Inspectors will check for cracked, broken, or loose lenses, dull bulbs, and faded, obscured covers. They also test for light intensity or the brightness of the headlights.
| Left and Rights Headlights | Intensity cd/m2 (Candela per meter squared) Specifies brightness | Headlight beams are visually tested at high and low beams The vehicle will likely have a height of 60 cm, and at low beam, a range of 60 meters (at 1% forward tilt, corresponding to a 10 cm inclination to 10 m range). |
5. The Emissions Gas Test
The MVPI inspectors also connect a test device to your car exhaust to test the emissions. They do this to measure the level of air pollutants.
There are two types of exhaust tests:
- OBD
- Gas Exhaust Analysis
OBD
The OBD test, or On-Board Diagnostics OBD measures the efficiency of your car’s control system. It is the system that regulates your transmission, engine, and fuel system.
The OBD also checks that your car model is operating efficiently to recommended standards and includes both evaporative and exhaust emissions.
It can detect poorly performing engines, fuel wastage, and high emissions.
Gas Exhaust Analysis
A gas line analyzer attached to your exhaust tests for excessive levels of 5 gases.
- 1. carbon monoxide
- 2. hydrocarbon
- 3. carbon dioxide
- 4. oxygen
- 5. nitrogen/nitrous oxide
Excessive levels of emissions gases may be caused by:
- faulty ignition system
- bad timing
- blocked air filter
- worn spark plugs
- old fuel injectors
- worn-out engine
- broken sensors
- bad cooling system
- vacuum leaks
6. The Undercarriage Inspection
An MVPI inspector will also perform a visual inspection of the underside of your car.
They are looking for:
- steering problems
- brake problems
- worn ball joints
- rusty fuel tank
- power transmission
- oil leakages
- worn-out springs
- poor suspension
- worn-out engine mountings
- worn-out bushings
- worn-out shock absorbers.
They will report oil leakages and indicate which parts should be replaced by listing FAILED items by numbers that match the inspection items shown on the back of the Inspection Report.
Related Questions
Can I Pay a Mechanic to Prepare the Vehicle For The Inspection (Fahas)? Yes! Some garages and workshops will inspect your car for a fee of about 200-300 SAR. They can perform repairs to the vehicle to address any issues that might cause it to fail, and if you choose.
Can I Pay Someone To Drive My Car To The MVPI For The Inspection on (Fahas)? Yes, today, you can. You can register this person’s details at the Saudi Vehicle Safety website.
How Long Do I Have to do Repairs before The Inspection Retest? Two weeks! If you fail an inspection, you have two weeks to do the repairs. Then, return the vehicle to the MVPI test center to retest your car. They will retest only the items for which they have a FAIL. There is no need to do a complete retest of the vehicle.
What Must I Do If I Have To Replace My Car Number Plates? MVPI test inspectors will FAIL the two-car number plates where the letters and numbers have faded or have been erased. You are usually not allowed to write over them in a black pen or paint. First, pay 100 SAR SADAD online at the bank to replace your plates. Then, apply for an appointment at the Abshir portal and receive the plates via courier mail.
The new number plates will arrive via courier in one to two weeks. If you wish to attend the MVPI, show that you have ordered new plates, and they will PASS your old number plate. You have 15 days to get and replace the old plates.
For more details, check out the insidesaudi article and YouTube video showing you step by step how to replace your car number plates.
Can I Do A Car Inspection Test At The MVPI Without Having Car Insurance? No! Car insurance is obligatory if you wish to do an MVPI car inspection. They will have a computer record of your insurance details. Booths are selling NCCI insurance at the test centers where you can purchase insurance just before testing the car. However, it is always more cost-effective to buy your car insurance online in advance.
Can I Drive My Car On The Road Without Insurance? It is illegal, but many drivers take the risk. However, in the event of an accident, you will be responsible for the costs of accident, injury, or death, which can be substantial. At police checkpoints, they may ask to see your insurance policy. These days, many uninsured drivers get caught by roadside cameras and automatically fined SR150.
References And Useful Links
- How to Perform a Complete Brake Inspection-How to Automotive
2. How To Diagnose Issues With Steering Joints-1A Auto: Repair Tips & Secrets
3. How to Make a Motor Stop Blowing Smoke– eHow
4. How To Check Your Handbrake-DVSA
5. Headlight Testing– Consumer Reports
6. Headlight Adjustment-hella
7. What Do They Test For In An Emission Inspection Test-motobiscuit
8. Undercarriage & Engine Inspection-monkeyseeB: