Knowledge base · APK
The 10 most common APK failure points — and how we fix them
Year after year, cars fail the APK on the same points. The striking thing: most of them are small, predictable and easy to fix in advance. These are the ten failure points we see most often on inspection reports — and the repair that goes with each.
1. Lights
The undisputed number one: a dead brake light, a blown number plate bulb, an indicator flashing too fast. Small problem, big consequence. We replace bulbs on the spot and check the headlight aim at the same time — another frequently noted point.
2. Tyres
Tread below 1.6 mm, one-sided wear from poor alignment, or sidewall damage. We fit new tyres, but we also look at the cause: uneven wear almost always points to an alignment or suspension problem.
3. Brake discs and pads
Severely corroded or too-thin discs and worn pads. The repair is routine and usually finished the same day. If your car vibrates under braking, that is an early warning — don't save it for the inspection.
4. Brake lines and hoses
Corrosion on steel lines and cracks in rubber hoses. Invisible to the untrained eye, but the inspector checks them as standard — rightly so, because this is pure safety. We replace lines and hoses and bleed the system.
5. Play in suspension and steering
Ball joints, control arm bushes, track rod ends, anti-roll bar links and wheel bearings: wherever there is movement, play eventually develops. Diagnosis on the lift pinpoints the source; the repair per component is usually straightforward.
6. Wipers and windscreen damage
Wipers that streak, and a chip or crack in the driver's field of vision. Wiper blades are a matter of minutes; with glass damage we tell you honestly whether a repair is possible or the windscreen needs replacing.
7. Rust on load-bearing parts
Floor pan, chassis rails, seat belt and suspension mounting points. Only structural rust is a failure point — surface rust on a door is not. We repair with welding that meets the inspection requirements.
8. Engine warning light
Under the current emissions requirements, an illuminated engine warning light is a failure point in itself. The cause varies from a loose fuel cap to a faulty sensor or catalytic converter. We diagnose the vehicle and fix the cause — not just the light.
9. Exhaust and emissions
A leaking or loose exhaust, or readings outside the limits in the emissions test. Often connected to point 8. Repairs range from a new rubber mount to replacing part of the system.
10. The small stuff
Seat belts that don't retract, a silent horn, a broken mirror. All matters of minutes — if they are spotted in advance.
The common thread
Nine out of ten points above can be found and fixed in advance during an APK preparation — no re-test, no second trip to the station. What you can check yourself is in the APK checklist. Has your car already failed? Follow the step-by-step plan after a failed APK and send us the report. For clarity: we do not carry out the inspection itself — that happens at an RDW-approved test centre.
Failed on this point? See APK preparation and repair in Tilburg.