Vehicle interior

7-1 Seats and seat anchorages

Reasons for rejection

Mandatory equipment

1. The vehicle is not fitted with a driver’s seat.

2. A seat is not attached to the vehicle structure by seat anchorages.

Condition and performance

3. A seat frame or seat structure has been weakened, eg due to damage, corrosion or excessive wear.

4. The adjustment mechanism of a driver’s seat:

a) does not operate, or

b) is worn, causing excessive movement of the seat.

5. The attachment of the seat to the seat anchorage is loose or weakened by damage.

6. The attachment of the seat anchorage to the vehicle structure is loose or weakened by damage.

7. There is corrosion damage within 150mm of a seat anchorage (Note 4).

8. There is corrosion damage within 300mm of the anchorage of a seat with integrated seatbelt anchorages (Note 4).

9. A driver’s seat is in such a condition that it does not allow the driver to have proper control of the vehicle.

Modification

10. A modification (Note 3) carried out after 1 March 1999 affects a seat or seat anchorage, and:

a) is not excluded from the requirements for LVV specialist certification (Table 7-1-1), and

b) is missing proof of LVV specialist or accepted overseas certification, ie:

i. the vehicle is not fitted with a valid LVV certification plate, or

ii. the operator is not able to produce a valid modification declaration or authority card , or

iii. the vehicle has not been certified to an accepted overseas system as described in Technical bulletin 13 .

Note 1

A seat may be able to be rotated or placed to face in different directions.

Note 2

Corrosion damage is where the metal has been eaten away, which is evident by pitting. The outward sign of such corrosion damage is typically displayed by the lifting or bubbling of paint. In extreme cases, the area affected by the corrosion damage will fall out and leave a hole.

Note 3 Definitions

Modify means to change a vehicle from its original state by altering, substituting, adding or removing a structure, system, component or equipment, but does not include repair.

Repair means to restore a damaged or worn vehicle, its structure, systems, components or equipment to within safe tolerance of its condition when manufactured, including replacement with undamaged or new structures, systems, components or equipment.

Seat means an assembly, or part of an assembly, intended to seat at least one person, which may or may not be integral to the structure of the vehicle, and includes components, such as rails and runners, that attach to the seat anchorages.

Seat anchorages means the parts of the vehicle structure to which a seat is attached.

Note 4

Where the inspector is presented with a Nissan Terrano or Nissan Mistral vehicle of the type that is fitted with a two-layer (double skin) floor panel, the inspection procedure in Technical bulletin 2 must be followed.

Note 5

Where a seat with an integrated airbag is fitted with a seat cover that is not airbag compatible, this modification is allowed (a pass), but the inspector should advise the operator, for example by putting a note on the checksheet , that the seat airbag may not work properly in a crash. Airbag compatible seat covers are now readily available.

Note 6
  • Where a manufacturer fitted or LVV certified seat has been removed, a seatbelt is not required for that position, so any remaining seatbelt or seatbelt anchorage components are not required to be inspected.
  • Where an LVV certified seat has been temporarily removed, meaning that the information on the LVV plate differs from the vehicle, this is not on its own a reason for rejection.
  • Where seatbelt or seatbelt anchorage components remain fitted, and the vehicle is such that the removed seats can be readily re-fitted and used with the seatbelts, the vehicle inspector must:
    • identify which seats were missing when the vehicle was presented for inspection, and
    • advise the vehicle operator that the remaining seatbelt components have not been checked, and that if the missing seats are re-fitted at a later stage, it is the vehicle operators' responsibility to ensure that these seats and seatbelts are compliant prior to using them.

If the inspector chooses to inspect any remaining seatbelt components, then they should identify that to the vehicle operator. Any defects should be noted on the checksheet, but must not be failed. The same information as noted above must be recorded on the checksheet to make it clear that the responsibility lies with the vehicle operator if seats are re-fitted.

Table 7-1-1. Modifications that do not require LVV certification

Fitting of or modification to:

LVV certification is not required provided that:

Aftermarket ‘Retro’ brand child seats designed for children 5–12 years old (up to 38kg)

  • the seat is identified as complying with the Australian Federal Code of Practice VSB-5A (category 2 and 3) and installed by Auckland Auto Trimmers or their agents before 1 June 2012.

Seats – modification or replacement or installation of a seat anchorage after 1 March 1999

  • the seat of unstressed type (see note 1) and is either an unmodified OE seat from another vehicle or of a known and reputable aftermarket brand, and
    • no airbag has been removed or disabled, and
    • the seat is fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, and
    • the seatbelt anchorage or operation is not affected or moved, and
    • the seat components (including brackets, runners and rails) are compatible with each other, i.e. they are either OE components from a production vehicle or of a known and reputable aftermarket brand, and are not fitted together by welding, and
    • the relationship between seat, seat occupant, front airbag and location of the seatbelt anchorages is not affected.

Note LVV certification is not required where the only modification is the removal of seats and/or seatbelts. However, a class change, and a new load rating may be required in some cases.

 Campervan conversions
  • The conversion was completed before 1/3/1999, or
  • The conversion was completed on or after 1/3/1999, and
    • no modifications were carried out to the vehicle rear wall, and
    • modifications to the roof meet the following requirements:
      • Only a single layer of sheet metal may be cut per roof opening, and
      • any bracing or structural elements have not been modified, and
      • no modifications are within 150mm of a seatbelt anchorage. and
    • no seats or seatbelt anchorages were retrofitted, or
  • There is evidence of certification of the modification from the company that carried out the modification, i.e. a secondary certification plate or label in the case of a motorhome conversion (see Technical bulletin 13).

See also Table 3-1-1 and Table 7-5-1

Fitting of or modification to:

LVV certification is never required:

Seat pads or covers (see (Note 5) for seats with integrated airbags)

  • in-service requirements for condition and performance must be met.

Any modification for the purpose of law enforcement or the provision of emergency services

Note 7

A stressed type seat is a seat to which a seatbelt is directly mounted to any of the components that make up the seat and seat frame. An unstressed seat has no seatbelt attachment point on either the seat or the seat frame (i.e. the seat belt is attached to a different part of the vehicle structure).

Summary of legislation

Applicable legislation
Mandatory equipment

1. A motor vehicle must be fitted with a driver’s seat.

2. A seat in a motor vehicle must be fitted to the vehicle structure by means of seat anchorages.

Condition and performance

3. Seats and seat anchorages must be safe, strong, in sound condition and compatible in strength with each other and with the vehicle structure.

4. The driver’s seat and its anchorages must be designed, constructed and maintained to enable the driver to have proper control of the vehicle.

5. Seats and seat anchorages must be securely attached to the vehicle structure.

6. When a seatbelt or any part of the seatbelt is integral to a seat, the seat and seat anchorages must be compatible in strength with the seatbelt or with that part of the seatbelt attached to the seat.

Modification

7. A modification, on or after 1 March 1999 to a seat or seat anchorage must be inspected and certified by an LVV specialist certifier, unless the vehicle:

a) is excluded from the requirement for LVV specialist certification (Table 7-1-1), and

b) has been inspected in accordance with the requirements in this manual, including those for equipment, condition and performance.

Page amended 1 April 2021 (see amendment details).

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