What do state inspectors fail cars for?

Among 8,738,476 initial safety inspections in North Carolina in 2017, steering mechanism caused 3.2 failed items per 1,000 inspections, the third most of the four components the state reports.

Tires8.5

Lights5.2

Steering mechanism3.2

Brake components1.9

What it shows: Tires is the largest at 8.5, followed by Lights at 5.2; the smallest shown is Brake components at 1.9.

Source: North Carolina Division of Air Quality, Vehicle Safety and Emissions Inspection Frequency Study · data from 2017