Reasons for rejection

1. A safety-related component, part or system has not been inspected and replaced as described in Table 9–1–1.

2. A body panel has not had all water contamination and residue removed from its cavities and the vehicle’s corrosion protection restored.

3. During the inspection of a vehicle there is evidence found that the vehicle has been water damaged and it has not been recorded as water damaged in the NOTES screen (Note 5).

4. The vehicle has not been treated as though it has been fully immersed in water contaminated with silt and/or corrosive salts.

5. A body panel or structure has water contamination or residue.

6. Corrosion protection has not been restored as near as is practicable to the OE specifications.

7. The manufacturer’s repair procedures have not been followed for all replacement parts, components or systems.

8. An item in the far right-hand column of Table 9–1–1 that has been retained has not been certified as within safe tolerance by the manufacturer or an approved agent.

Table 9-1-1 . Water damaged vehicle safety related components

¹ Refer to section 5–3 Airbags in this manual

Summary of legislation

Applicable legislation

• Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Repair 1998
• Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002.

Repair requirements

1. The vehicle must be treated as though it has been fully immersed in water contaminated with silt and/or corrosive salts.

2. All body panels and structure must have all water contamination and residue removed from their cavities and the vehicle’s corrosion protection restored.

Certification process

3. The repair certifier must specify what repairs must be carried out to reinstate the vehicle to requirements of the Vehicle Repair Rule (and any other relevant rules). The repair certifier should indicate at what stages he wishes to inspect the vehicle before repairs can proceed.

4. When carrying out inspections, the repair certifier must obtain documents that outline the history of the replacement components. The Vehicle Repair Rule requires that designated components must be replaced with new or with used components. For used components the full history of the donor vehicle must be known and that history must not prevent the vehicle from being restored to within safe tolerance of its state when first manufactured.

a) Intermediate inspections must occur at a time when a repair certifier can determine with confidence that the repairs have been carried out in accordance with their instructions and the rules.

b) In the final inspection a repair certifier must only certify a vehicle as being compliant, if they are fully satisfied that all necessary repairs have been completed to their instructions and the vehicle is now compliant with the Rule.

c) Once point (b) is complete the vehicle may go through the entry level inspection to allow it to be registered. The vehicle is still subject to the entry requirements.