Cars

Yearly inspection (katsastus)

Some inspectors in Finland can be very, very strict. To avoid issues, check at least these before going to the inspection. (I’ve had to learn many of these by experience.)

• All lights must be working
  • Front lights
  • High beams (=pitkät valot)
  • Parking lights
  • Rear lights
  • Blinkers, including the small ones on the side (if your car has such)
  • Brake lights, including the small one on the top (if your car has such)
  • Fog lights
    • If the fog lights are too dim, you may have to either replace them or disable them altogether. Merely taping over the lights is not sufficient for disabling them. You will also have to remove the bulbs.
  • If your car has regular light bulbs, you must not replace them with LED bulbs, as only the original bulb type is certified to be used for that particular car. This applies also to all blinkers and parking lights.
• The fluid levels must be sufficient for all fluids
  • Windscreen washer fluid
  • Engine coolant
  • Brake fluid
• The engine compartment must be clean
  • If it’s not properly cleaned, the inspector may interpret this as oil leakage. Therefore, wash the engine compartment before the inspection if you can.
• Phone holders and dashcams must not be attached to the windscreen, and they must not cover any of the view of the driver to the windscreen.