Using a car with an LPG system is convenient and environmentally friendly, but it also requires dedicated attention, in the form of real technical and bureaucratic precautions, to be followed to ensure its safety and be in compliance: what are these procedures required by law? Let’s find out together.
What is the testing of the car LPG cylinder?
The constant increase in the prices of various fuels has led many motorists to choose cars with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) systems to reduce operating costs: but does this also apply to operating costs?
Italian law provides for specific rules to ensure maximum safety: for this reason, the LPG tank must be replaced periodically with a new cylinder, followed by the motorization test and finally the updating of the registration certificate.
This procedure must be performed by specialized personnel and is mandatory to guarantee safety and reliability: the cylinders are guaranteed for 10 years, then the replacement obligation is triggered.
In Italy, cylinder testing is the responsibility of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (Department of Land Transport): when the LPG cylinder has expired you must start the bureaucratic procedures to complete the procedure, or you will run into penalties and even the confiscation of the vehicle.
Car inspection with expired LPG system
The overhaul of the LPG car must be done 4 years after the first registration and then every two years and should not be confused with the overhaul of the cylinders, which has no specific deadlines. The obligation comes into effect after 10 years , and the rules are the same both for cars that left the factory with LPG and for those subsequently converted to gas.
Although it is a mandatory precaution, the timing of the Civil Motorization could be long (even a year): for these reasons, in some cases the body sends a specialized mechanic to the workshop in charge of maintenance and replacement of the system.
The community legislation governing the replacement of LPG cylinders is ECE / ONU 67/01: it requires a duration of 10 years, starting from the first registration of the car or from the subsequent installation of the system.
In practice, the tasks are:
- motorized testing– replacement of LPG cylinders
- hydraulic test– to be carried out only in cases where in addition to the replacement of the LPG cylinders, other elements of the system such as the reducer and the vaporizer are changed
In the meantime, the registration certificate is withdrawn and a provisional permit is issued: the timing for updating the car registration document (after the new LPG tank passes the test) takes about a month.
Car overhaul with LPG system: the bureaucratic procedure
For the LPG cylinder replacement procedure you must present:
- the question about the model TT 2119 (Motorization offices)
- the declaration of installation in accordance with the law issued by the authorized installer
- the technical document of the new LPG tank
- certificates of payments made
At this point you can proceed to book the test.
Costs? It is difficult to determine the exact figure a priori, which depends on the vehicle model and labor rates. In general, there is talk of a figure of around 500 euros, amortized by daily savings and the failure to submit to traffic blocks.
Car with expired LPG system: penalties
If you do not replace the tank after 10 years you will not even be able to submit the vehicle to the mandatory car inspection (timing and checks are the same as those of the other power supplies).
In practice, you will no longer be able to circulate without running into the real risk of sanctions, and this happens because the law does not allow you to drive a car with an old tank; according to the same principle, it is not allowed to circulate with new but not tested cylinders.
In fact, while waiting for the replacement, the right to circulate the vehicle is suspended until the cylinder is changed, as the permit is reserved for those who have an active reservation: those who do not respect the provisions incur a heavy penalty (about 600 euros) , to which the administrative stop of the car can be added.
All these checks on LPG car cylinders are essential to circulate with a compliant tank: the opposite situation would be dangerous, especially in the event of road accidents.
