Vehicle interior
7-5 Seatbelts and seatbelt anchorages
IMPORTANT: Any parts that require removal or disassembly in order to carry out the inspection of seatbelt anchorages must be removed. See Vehicle structure – 3-3 Inspection specifications.
A vehicle whose structure has been damaged beyond the limits specified in Vehicle structure – 3-4 Threshold for requiring repair certification must be certified by a specialist repair certifier before entry certification.
Reasons for rejection
Mandatory and permitted equipment
1. A vehicle does not comply with a requirement relating to mandatory or permitted equipment set out in:
- VIRM: In-service certification, section 7-5, general vehicles
- Refer to Technical bulletin 19, which explains the requirements for an SSBELTSOK exemption
- VIRM: In-service certification, section 7-5, heavy vehicles
- VIRM: In-service certification, section 7-5, heavy PSVs
- See Technical bulletin 14 for an explanation of requirements for rotating seats.
- For further information on replacement seatbelts, see Technical bulletin 16, which outlines requirements for replacement seatbelts, and/or Technical bulletin 19, which explains the requirements for an SSBELTSOK exemption
- Where a vehicle is not fitted with the type of seatbelt required in the in-service VIRM and the vehicle does not have anchorages for the required type of seatbelt, refer to Reference material 55.
2. A three-point seatbelt imported and distributed by BVL (Business Ventures Limited) and manufactured by Changzhou BWD, China or Jiang Su Jiu Jiu Traffic Facilities Co. Ltd. is installed (See Figure 7-5-2 for samples to help identify the seatbelt).
Compliance with approved standards
3. A seatbelt did not comply, or cannot be demonstrated to have complied, with at least one of the standards listed in Table 7-5-1 or, if applicable, Table 7-5-2 at the time the seatbelt was manufactured.
4. A seatbelt anchorage that is required to comply with an approved seatbelt anchorage standard did not comply, or cannot be demonstrated to have complied, with at least one of the standards listed in Table 7-5-3 at the time the vehicle was manufactured.
5. A retrofitted seatbelt anchorage that is required to comply with a requirement in List A, B or C of Table 7-5-5 did not comply, or cannot be demonstrated to have complied, with at least one of the requirements in the applicable list of Table 7-5-5 at the time the seatbelt anchorage was retrofitted.
Condition, performance and modification
6. A seatbelt or seatbelt anchorage does not comply with a requirement relating to condition, performance or modification set out in:
- Technical bulletin 15 contains further information for Toyota Hiace seatbelt requirements.
Note 1
An original equipment seatbelt anchorage is an anchorage that was installed by the vehicle manufacturer at the time the vehicle was manufactured, and was fitted with a seatbelt by the vehicle manufacturer at the time the vehicle was manufactured.
Note 2
When inspecting Nissan Terrano and Mistral model vehicles, corrosion of the rear floorpan assembly may affect seatbelt anchorages. Refer to Technical bulletin 10 for further information.
Note 3
For class MA vehicles built to FMVSS 209 that are frontal impact compliant, there is no requirement in the standard for original equipment seatbelts or for any genuine replacement seatbelts to be marked. The same also applies to the US equivalent of NA, MB and MC class vehicles built after 1983 to FMVSS 208 and to NB and NC class vehicles built to FMVSS 209.
Note 4
Technical bulletin 17 clarifies seatbelt requirements for class NB and NC vehicles.
Note 5
Technical bulletin 20 describes the inspection requirements for vehicles with OE-installed rear upper seatbelt anchorages, with retrofitted seatbelts.
Note 6
When checking the sensitivity of dual-sensitive seatbelts fitted to the rear seating positions, the inspector must check that both sensitivities are functioning correctly.
Note 7
Modifications that would be a reason for rejection include re-webbing seatbelts onto the retractor to replace a faded or damaged seatbelt.
Table 7-5-1. Approved seatbelt standards*
UN-ECE Regulation no. | EEC/EC Directive | FMVSS | ADR | Japan | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | 77/541 | 209 | 4 | TS for seatbelt assemblies | NZS 5401 |
* Seatbelts must comply with at least one of the standards listed in the table.
Table 7-5-2. Approved seatbelt standards*
UN-ECE Regulation no. | EEC/EC Directive | FMVSS | ADR | Japan | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | 77/541 | 209 | 4 | TS for seatbelt assemblies | NZS 1662 |
* Seatbelts must comply with at least one of the standards listed in the table.
Table 7-5-3. Approved OE seatbelt anchorage standards*
UN-ECE Regulation no. | EEC/EC Directive | FMVSS | ADR | Japan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | 76/115 | 210 | 5 | TS for seatbelt anchorages |
* A seatbelt anchorage that is required to comply with an approved seatbelt anchorage standard must comply with at least one of the standards listed in the table.
Table 7-5-4. Approved standards for child restraints
UN-ECE Regulation no. | FMVSS | British Standard | Japan | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
44 | 2131 | 3254 | TS for child restraints2 Article 22–5 | AS/NZS 1754 |
1 Must have been verified for compliance with that standard by an organisation specified by the NZTA in the New Zealand Gazette.
2 Must be integrated with the rear seat of a motor vehicle.
See Figure 7-5-1 for the standard markings that may assist in determining compliance of seatbelts with approved standards.
Table 7-5-5. List of requirements for retrofitted seatbelt anchorages
List A | List B | List C |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
* A seatbelt anchorage that is required to comply with a requirement in List A, B or C must comply with at least one of the requirements in the applicable list (subject to any specified conditions).
1 Seatbelts with retractors may be fitted also but only if the LTSA St 120395 anchorages are certified as appropriate for the seatbelts by an approved person or organisation.
Figure 7-5-1. Approved seatbelt standard markings
Compliant seatbelts that are not required to have standard markings
- Seatbelts that comply with the Japanese Technical Standard for Seatbelt Assemblies are not
required to have standards markings, provided the seatbelts are OE and the vehicle has Japanese type approval. - Seatbelts in a fully Australian Design Rule (ADR) compliant vehicle are not required to have standards markings.
Figure 7-5-2. Identifying seatbelts by BVL (Business Ventures Limited) and manufactured by Changzhou BWD, China or Jiang Su Jiu Jiu Traffic Facilities Co. Ltd.
Summary of legislation
Applicable legislation
- Land Transport Rule: Seatbelts and Seatbelt Anchorages 2002
- Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Equipment 2004.
Mandatory and permitted equipment
1. Vehicles must comply with the requirements relating to mandatory and permitted equipment set out in:
Compliance with approved standards
2. The following seatbelts must comply with one or more of the standards in Table 7-5-1:
a) seatbelts required to be fitted in vehicles first registered in New Zealand between 1 January 1991 and 31 March 2002 and first registered outside New Zealand between 1 January 1961 and 31 March 2002
b) seatbelts required to be fitted in vehicles first registered in New Zealand from 1 April 2002 that were manufactured between 1 November 1979 and 30 September 2003
c) seatbelts required to be fitted in vehicles manufactured from 1 October 2003
d) seatbelts fitted in vehicles or seating positions that are not required to be fitted with seatbelts.
3. All seatbelts not listed in (2) above must comply with one or more of the standards in Table 7-5-2.
4. The following original equipment seatbelt anchorages (Note 1) fitted with seatbelts must comply with one or more of the seatbelt anchorage standards in Table 7-5-3:
a) seatbelt anchorages in vehicles first registered in New Zealand between 1 January 1991 and 31 March 2002, and first registered outside New Zealand between 1 January 1991 and 31 March 2002
b) seatbelt anchorages in vehicles first registered in New Zealand from 1 April 2002 and manufactured between 1 November 1979 and 30 September 2003, and first registered outside New Zealand from 1 January 1991
c) seatbelt anchorages in vehicles manufactured from 1 October 2003.
5. Seatbelt anchorages retrofitted (Note 2) between 1 January 1991 and 31 March 2002 in the following vehicles must comply with one or more of the requirements in List A of Table 7-5-5:
- vehicles first registered in New Zealand before 1 January 1991 and first registered in any country between 1 November 1979 and 1 January 1991.
6. Seatbelt anchorages retrofitted (Note 2) before 1 April 2002 in the following vehicles must comply with one or more of the requirements in List B of Table 7-5-5:
a) vehicles first registered in New Zealand between 1 January 1991 and 31 March 2002 and first registered outside New Zealand between 1 January 1961 and 31 March 2002
b) vehicles first registered in New Zealand from 1 April 2002 and manufactured between 1 November 1979 and 30 September 2003.
7. Seatbelt anchorages retrofitted (Note 2) from 1 April 2002 must comply with one or more of the requirements in List C of Table 7-5-5.
8. Child restraints permanently fitted to the rear seat of a vehicle must comply with one or more of the requirements in Table 7-5-4.
Condition, performance and modification
9. Seatbelts and seatbelt anchorages must comply with the requirements relating to condition, performance and modification set out in:
Page amended 1 June 2019 (see amendment details).