Light vehicle WoF with multiple safety defects
An independent inspecting organisation in Hamilton receives a 2009 Mazda Axela 1.8 petrol for a WoF inspection. The vehicle is privately owned and has travelled 162,400 km. The current WoF expired three weeks ago. The inspector records: left front tyre tread depth 1.4 mm at two points in the centre of the tread; right rear tyre 2.1 mm; a 25 mm stone chip in the driver's swept windscreen area; front brake pads 2 mm remaining; a 30 mm corrosion hole in the left rear sill, 180 mm from the rear seatbelt anchor; the horn does not sound; the left headlamp aim is visibly high. The owner says the car is booked for tyres next week and asks for a pass so it can be used for school transport. The inspector has a busy queue and the owner is a regular customer.
1. Which recorded defects must prevent a WoF pass, and which, if any, might be recorded as a minor defect? Explain your reasoning.
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The inspector must apply the VIRM pass/fail criteria, not the owner's repair promise. The left front tyre at 1.4 mm is below the 1.5 mm minimum and is a fail. The corrosion hole is close to a seatbelt anchor and is likely structural; any corrosion affecting a load-bearing or seatbelt-anchorage area is a fail unless repaired and proven. The inoperative horn and high headlamp aim are safety-equipment failures. The windscreen chip must be assessed against the VIRM location and size criteria; if it is in the driver's primary vision area and above the permitted size, it fails. The 2 mm front pads must be measured against the VIRM/manufacturer minimum; if below specification, they fail. A minor defect outcome is not available for safety-critical items such as these. The right rear tyre at 2.1 mm is above the tread minimum but still needs a full condition check.
2. What outcome should the inspector record, and what advice should the owner receive?
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The inspector should record a fail and list each defect that breaches the VIRM, with measurements and locations. The owner must be told the vehicle is not to be used on the road except as permitted for repair or re-inspection. The inspector should not issue a WoF on the basis that repairs are booked; a re-inspection is required after the tyres, corrosion, horn, lamp aim, brakes and windscreen have been rectified. If the inspecting organisation uses the WoF online system, the fail and defect details must be entered accurately. The owner should also be reminded that driving an unsafe vehicle can breach road-use obligations and may affect insurance. No pass should be given merely because the customer is regular or the queue is long.