WOF failed for minor exterior rust

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Greendrake

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#175081 16-Jun-2015 18:02

Just failed WOF at VTNZ for my 1997 Prado just because of this minor rust on the gutter above the left front door:

The actual failure reason reads: "Exterior, Structure, A Pillar, Corrosion, Left Front". The inspector said I needed to repair it and only then they'll put a new WOF label on.

Although I am glad they noticed that rust and let me know so that I am repairing it now, I am wondering if that was a valid reason to fail a WOF. Because VTNZ is not a garage that would aim to sell me their repair services I did not expect them to fail a vehicle without a safety-related reason.

According to NZTA, for the purpose of WOF, rust is only a concern when it might affect safety (e.g. rust on load bearing elements, safety belt fittings etc.). So, it that gutter above the left front door related to structure or safety in any way?

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#1325976 16-Jun-2015 18:05

Thats the A pillar, so yes technically the Pillar does provide structural support to the car.

Jase2985

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#1325978 16-Jun-2015 18:11

https://vehicleinspection.nzta.govt.nz/virms/in-service-wof-and-cof/general/vehicle-structure/structure-incl2.-frontal-impact

Point 1, e) corrosion damage within 150mm of the top of an A-pillar (Figure 3-1-2), or f) any corrosion that the inspector considers has caused weakening of a load-bearing structure (Note 6), or

then look at the tables and images

its a fail and you need it fixed

Jase2985

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#1325981 16-Jun-2015 18:14

Greendrake: According to NZTA, for the purpose of WOF, rust is only a concern when it might affect safety (e.g. rust on load bearing elements, safety belt fittings etc.). So, it that gutter above the left front door related to structure or safety in any way?

thats a general definition but they also release a document called the VIRM (In-service certification (WoF and CoF)) which are the guides for WOF inspectors and they go into a lot more depth than the small paragraph you quoted. see my above response.

Greendrake

86 posts

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#1325990 16-Jun-2015 18:21

itxtme: Thats the A pillar, so yes technically the Pillar does provide structural support to the car.

Jase2985:
then look at the tables and images

Thank you guys. Didn't know that thing does anything more than directing rain water!

Batman

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#1325996 16-Jun-2015 18:37

If your car overturns that will save your neck. Or not.

I've been told rust is cancer for cars. Maybe fix it and get rid of it coz you know it's going to come back. Again and again.

johnr

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#1325999 16-Jun-2015 18:58

A lot of the strength is in that part of the vehicle

Jase2985

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#1326002 16-Jun-2015 19:12

if you remove the roof of you car your car will be so flimsy it will probably fold in 2.

that part with the rust is just the rain gutter but its pressed into the A pillar structure of the car and the VIRM says anything in the shaded area needs fixing before it gets a WOF, and the text says within 150mm of the A pillar, which is where the rust is so again it needs fixed

Just get it fixed.

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Greendrake

86 posts

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#1326066 16-Jun-2015 20:44

Jase2985:
Just get it fixed.

Already on it!
I could just leave the car with a panel beater for repairs, but decided to get it done myself instead. Now not sure though if I have not ruined it all

.

So, I removed the top layer of filler/enamel hiding the rust just to find it spreading a bit further under the roof tin leaning on the pillar (btw, it looked like the area had been previously treated already). I decided to bend the roof tin up a little bit to access the rusty pillar surface for further treatment. To do this I used a range of flat-head screwdrivers and a small chisel. Two little chunks of the roof tin (approx. 8x30 mm each) had to be chiselled out

— otherwise I could not open the pillar surface enough without detaching the roof. The pillar itself got bent a little bit and, accidentally, I even made a tiny slit in it — hardly noticeable but allowing water through it. I hope the slit won't affect the strength of the pillar so that cosmetic mending it with filler/topcoat will suffice.

Maybe it all wasn't particularly wise but this is how it looked then anyway, just before actual rust treatment started:

Then I:

removed rust
cleaned and dried the surface
treated the area with rust converter aerosol
bent the roof tin edge back to the pillar
straightened the pillar back to its original shape

Now while the rust converter layer is solidifying, I'm wondering if I should fix the roof tin to the pillar with something more robust than a car filler, e.g. cold welding perhaps?
Or would it be sufficient to just proceed applying car filler to shape/cover all the roughness and finish it with primer and epoxy gloss enamel top coat?

Jase2985

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#1326081 16-Jun-2015 20:54

pretty sure you need a receipt from a reputable shop before it can get a WOF, well at least thats what it used to be a few years back

wally22

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#1326085 16-Jun-2015 21:00

If you are selling the car then perhaps contiue your DIY repair, but don't sell it to me.
From what I saw of your pictures I would suggest you have opened a small can of worms and you need to get a professional onto it. To keep costs down you can ask that they only prime the finished job but WAF=0 for that option.

scuwp

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#1326101 16-Jun-2015 21:25

Dodgy home job! Get a pro to do it properly, end of story.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Sidestep

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#1326115 16-Jun-2015 21:34

"Bodgy" home job! That needs to be cut out, repair panel correctly welded in to maintain integrity.

I've just completed a very similar repair, my WOF guy required me to leave it in primer until he was satisfied it was repaired (welded) properly.

I cut the repair panel out of a wrecked but rust free car of the same model.

mattwnz

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#1326118 16-Jun-2015 21:42

Sidestep: "Bodgy" home job! That needs to be cut out, repair panel correctly welded in to maintain integrity.

I've just completed a very similar repair, my WOF guy required me to leave it in primer until he was satisfied it was repaired (welded) properly.

I cut the repair panel out of a wrecked but rust free car of the same model.

Sounds pricey to get it done properly. The OPs car must be getting near the end of it's life, must be 18 years old, so I wonder if it is getting this sort of rust, whether it is worth doing, and whether it would be better to put the money towards a newer safer more fuel efficient car. That is also the rust they inspectors can see, but there maybe other hidden rust. NZs car stock is old and getting older.

Greendrake

86 posts

Master Geek

#1326139 16-Jun-2015 22:03

Jase2985: pretty sure you need a receipt from a reputable shop before it can get a WOF, well at least thats what it used to be a few years back

I had a couple of other WOF failures with VTNZ before (2013 and 2014) and was never asked to produce a proof or repair on recheck comeback. Why would they ask indeed? It's the state of the vehicle that they look at anyway, not the evidence of what has been done to it.

wally22: If you are selling the car then perhaps contiue your DIY repair, but don't sell it to me.

Nope not selling her. I'm loving her (which is why I'm chiselling her LOL).
If I happen to be selling her, not only I will not disguise the issue but will in fact give the link to this forum thread to potential buyers. Just because I wish every car seller was this transparent, and the car will have a price anyway.

Sidestep: That needs to be cut out, repair panel correctly welded in to maintain integrity.

You almost convinced me to give up and go to pro tomorrow.
I like perfectionism too. But that panel does not seem to have been welded in for many years (well, at least in the area I've uncovered). It seems to have been just put on the pillar and covered with filler/primer/topcoat. Would one spend money on making a car structurally more reinforced than she was when they bought her? Especially if she has worked several years just fine until one very quick-sighted inspector noticed rust?

Batman

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#1326158 16-Jun-2015 22:24

Structural failure is not a gradual event, but sudden. One day the car will fold in two, very suddenly. So yes needs some good reinforcing, as per the book.

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