Home › Work activities › Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems
O*NET detailed work activityInspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems
Stays humanWatch & inspect
12 jobs23 tasks
Inspecting and monitoring in person means noticing what's off with your own eyes, ears and hands, and being accountable for calling it.
Part of Inspect vehicles, under the O*NET work activity group Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials. Individual tasks below can carry a different label when their own wording calls for it (0 AI-ready, 0 AI-assist, 23 stays human).
Tasks built on this activity
- Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.
- Test and inspect engines to determine malfunctions, to locate missing and broken parts, and to verify repairs, using diagnostic instruments.
- Follow checklists to ensure all important parts are examined, including belts, hoses, steering systems, spark plugs, brake and fuel systems, wheel bearings, and other potentially troublesome areas.
- Locate punctures in tubeless tires by visual inspection or by immersing inflated tires in water baths and observing air bubbles.
- Dismantle engines, using hand tools, and examine parts for defects.
- Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed.
- Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
- Conduct routine and special inspections as required by regulations.
- Inspect tire casings for defects, such as holes or tears.
- Examine and inspect aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
- Inspect, repair, or replace brake systems.
- Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
- Perform routine maintenance, such as inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions.
- Inspect and repair or adjust propellers or propeller shafts.
- Measure parts for wear, using precision instruments.
- Disassemble and inspect motors to locate defective parts, using mechanic's hand tools and gauges.
- Inspect aircraft components to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
- Inspect, repair, and maintain automotive and mechanical equipment and machinery, such as pumps and compressors.
- Inflate inner tubes and immerse them in water to locate leaks.
- Inspect and verify dimensions and clearances of parts to ensure conformance to factory specifications.
- Remove, inspect, repair, and install in-flight refueling stores and external fuel tanks.
Tasks where it is part of the work
- Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, or pressure gauges.
- Examine engines through specially designed openings while working from ladders or scaffolds, or use hoists or lifts to remove the entire engine from an aircraft.