VTNZ Warrants of fitness can’t tell break pad state failed Warrant.

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#3165616 29-Nov-2023 11:47

https://vehicleinspection.nzta.govt.nz/virms/in-service-wof-and-cof/general/brakes/service-brake-and-parking-brake

link to LTSA Vehicle Inspection Manual listing reasons for WOF brake failure

that would be an ecumenical matter

floydbloke

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#3165697 29-Nov-2023 12:58

Batman:...

against my advice, my wife went to vtnz and failed because there was a battery icon on the Nissan leaf dash.

She tried to tell them it's an electric car and the battery icon is permanently on the dash to identify the bars of battery charge left.

After a while they decided it was fine to pass.

Then they sat in the car they failed the car for a red light.

My wife told them the red light means they didn't buckle on the seat belt.

These guys are clowns. Why do people even go there.

Plenty of VTNZ incompetence being demonstrated in this thread but I'm struggling to believe the above is entirely truthful, and I'd be curious to see how they would mark those 'failures' on the checksheets they provide.

Sometimes I use big words I don't always fully understand in an effort to make myself sound more photosynthesis.

gzt

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#3165707 29-Nov-2023 13:17

Batman: These guys are clowns. Why do people even go there.

I've never had any problems at the many VTNZ locations I've used. Generally I've had the opposite impression and they've been very helpful.

gzt

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#3165713 29-Nov-2023 13:22

xpd: I got failed once because they said the spoiler on my old car was only held on by two screws and a bit of duct tape. If they had run their hand over the tape, they would have felt the other 3 screws. But nope, they're not allowed to use common sense or touch anything on the vehicle.

Tape they don't like because they can't inspect without removing it regardless of the reason it's there. Removing tape without asking carries some risk the owner won't like it. I think that's reasonable. Ideally they would have logged retest required remove tape for inspection.

snj

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#3165719 29-Nov-2023 13:38

For what it's worth, I know some locations are better than others. Some of the issues mentioned in this thread don't even get an eyelid batted at my local place.

Example: My mum's car went for a WOF at our local VTNZ as it was expiring and our local guy couldn't book it in in time (not poor planning, she couldn't drive for a bit after an operation) with the "Service Required. Check Oil" warning pinging whenever you turn the ignition. Just a note on the "For your info" section about check oil/low. Was also weird because they didn't even seem to bother about the seatbelts (they weren't left buckled like normal w/ WOF inspections).

Also know from an old friend of my dad's who is a commercial truck driver that there are basically some VTNZ and other queue-and-wait WOF centres you 'don't go to unless you want to be messed around', he used to bring his truck out sometimes to visit on his way to get a WOF.

Must admit, it'd be a little interesting, just like how you sometimes get the Pass/Fail stats for driver licensing by test centre, I'm now kind of curious for similar WOF stats (would probably need to be done based on Age & Dealer to remove all the new/fresh imports).

Stu1

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#3165738 29-Nov-2023 14:01

Bit of an update took photo it’s passed. They said they shouldn’t have failed it and the guy was basically a f$$ idiot. Normal practice is to tell customer to get it checked but not fail the warrant

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#3165746 29-Nov-2023 14:24

Batman:

if you want to find a way to fail a WOF, take it to VTNZ, they will find a way

That's why I give them a fail to find.

Have a dead brake light bulb. Nice an easy to change. Pop it in and go for WOF - fail - drive to maccas for a feed and swap it there, drive back and get recheck.

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#3165758 29-Nov-2023 15:13

My 17 year old daughter took her car to VTNZ Pukekohe. They failed it for slightly different coloured rear indicator lights. The difference was miniscule. They said to take it next door to Graham Crispe auto to get it "fixed". They offered to fix it for $300 I kid you not. My daughter had the good sense to tell them to take a running jump. I took her to Repco and got two new yellow bulbs for $13, showed her how to install them and retested and passed. Seems like the auto shop next door was trying to rip my daughter off. I wonder how many VTNZ's have a "guy next door" that offers to fix these things for crazy prices?

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#3165762 29-Nov-2023 15:54

myopinion:

My 17 year old daughter took her car to VTNZ Pukekohe. They failed it for slightly different coloured rear indicator lights. The difference was miniscule. They said to take it next door to Graham Crispe auto to get it "fixed". They offered to fix it for $300 I kid you not. My daughter had the good sense to tell them to take a running jump. I took her to Repco and got two new yellow bulbs for $13, showed her how to install them and retested and passed. Seems like the auto shop next door was trying to rip my daughter off. I wonder how many VTNZ's have a "guy next door" that offers to fix these things for crazy prices?

Thought the whole idea of VTNZ was to be neutral and not push products

Batman

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#3165763 29-Nov-2023 15:54

floydbloke:

Batman:...

against my advice, my wife went to vtnz and failed because there was a battery icon on the Nissan leaf dash.

She tried to tell them it's an electric car and the battery icon is permanently on the dash to identify the bars of battery charge left.

After a while they decided it was fine to pass.

Then they sat in the car they failed the car for a red light.

My wife told them the red light means they didn't buckle on the seat belt.

These guys are clowns. Why do people even go there.

Plenty of VTNZ incompetence being demonstrated in this thread but I'm struggling to believe the above is entirely truthful, and I'd be curious to see how they would mark those 'failures' on the checksheets they provide.

it took my wife a long time to convince them it was an electric car, the battery icon is there to tell the state of charge.

they went in and deliberated and then said - in her words - "oh so this is an electric car?" - then passed.

then the red triangle light fail. she pointed out they didn't buckle the seat belt. and then passed.

you are saying my wife is lying?

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#3165781 29-Nov-2023 16:15

richms:

That's why I give them a fail to find.

Have a dead brake light bulb. Nice an easy to change. Pop it in and go for WOF - fail - drive to maccas for a feed and swap it there, drive back and get recheck.

i did plan to do that in my younger days believe it or not. now i just take to my mechanic who actually knows a thing or two about car safety.

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lNomNoml

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#3165785 29-Nov-2023 16:20

Taking the wheel off and inspecting the brakes is the least I would expect VTNZ do, that is part of checking road worthiness is it not?

Ge0rge

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#3165808 29-Nov-2023 16:58

lNomNoml:
Taking the wheel off and inspecting the brakes is the least I would expect VTNZ do, that is part of checking road worthiness is it not?

No, they are not allowed to remove anything. It's in the wording of "visual inspection".

floydbloke

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#3165809 29-Nov-2023 17:04

Batman:

...

it took my wife a long time to convince them it was an electric car, the battery icon is there to tell the state of charge.

they went in and deliberated and then said - in her words - "oh so this is an electric car?" - then passed.

then the red triangle light fail. she pointed out they didn't buckle the seat belt. and then passed.

you are saying my wife is lying?

Apologies, "not entirely truthful" was a poor choice of words, no inference of anyone's lying intended.

However, I'm just flabbergasted that (this branch of) VTNZ could be so bad at their job.. They must get tens of Nissan Leafs every month, if not week, and I really can't fathom that they hadn't come across one before so wondering if there's a bit more context to the story. Along the lines of "this was xx years ago and we were one of the first in NZ to own a Leaf" or "the car was initially inspected by a couple of new apprentices"

If events did indeed play out as simply as you initially described then if it'd been me I would have certainly made a formal complaint (and maybe you did?).

Sometimes I use big words I don't always fully understand in an effort to make myself sound more photosynthesis.

Bung

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#3165834 29-Nov-2023 17:40

floydbloke:

Plenty of VTNZ incompetence being demonstrated in this thread but I'm struggling to believe the above is entirely truthful, and I'd be curious to see how they would mark those 'failures' on the checksheets they provide.

The checksheet doesn't include every item to be tested. Electric vehicles fail if they display certain diagnostic lights. The VIRM Table 13-5-2 contains examples including a battery for serious electrical system fault and a triangular master warning light. If the Leaf lights were similar to either of these VTNZ were entitled to want more detail before passing.

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