Imagine you’ve decided to sell your old car. You’ve done your research and know what forms to fill out and how much you can get for it. A few prospective buyers have even gotten in touch with you with their offers. You’ve even gone so far as to pick out your next car. While you’re excitedly getting ready to lock it all in and maybe score some extra cash, you hit a huge roadblock: your buyer declined after seeing the reports from your pre-purchase car inspection.
Every year, thousands of vehicles fail roadworthy inspections in Victoria, and often for simple issues that could have been avoided. It can happen to you, too—but you can save yourself from a whole lot of headaches by learning how your car can fail inspection and knowing what to do about it.
From pending mechanical repairs to failure to provide a valid roadworthy certificate, our mechanics at S.S.C. are here to share the most common reasons they’ve observed for cars failing to pass their vehicle inspections.
Here are some of the most common reasons cars in Victoria fail their safety inspections:
Your tyres play a part in your car’s weight distribution. Beyond air pressure and punctures, a whole slew of factors work together to ensure your tyres keep you and your vehicle on the road reliably when moving fast. Tyre tread depth is one crucial element, integral for safe driving, particularly in wet or slippery conditions.
Adequate tread helps tyres grip the road, reducing stopping distances and risks of skidding or hydroplaning. Insufficient tread depth can also increase the chance of punctures and affect vehicle handling. Inspect your tyres and check your air pressure often when stopping at a petrol station to make a habit of ensuring your tyres stay in good health.
There are obvious issues with tyres that can pop up, like punctures, low pressure, or sidewall damage. But even having the wrong tyres can be enough to thwart your vehicle inspection.
Mismatched tyres can lead to unpredictable handling, braking, or cornering. Worn tires reduce grip on the road, especially in wet conditions, increasing the risk of skidding. Alongside being a vital component of getting your car ready for winter, ensuring your tyres are in good health can also help make your vehicle more appealing to prospective buyers.
Check with your mechanic that you have the right tyres for your make and model. Pro tip: Rotate and inspect tyres for alignment issues every 10,000km, too!
Another subtle problem for your tyres could be their tread depth. Make sure your vehicle’s tyres maintain a minimum tread depth of 1.5mm in Australia. Most tyres come with a tread indicator on them, so check this every so often to make sure they aren’t getting too close to the limit. They should be replaced before reaching this threshold, though.
It’s hard to ignore a developing brake issue for a car: you can literally hear it coming from a mile away, or your passengers may even feel it. Many common brake issues make themselves obvious, like a common case of worn brake pads or vibrations.
Other issues will lie under the surface, however, like leaking brake fluid or spongy brake pedals. If left unchecked, these brake issues can snowball into more costly repairs, so it’s imperative you get your vehicle brakes serviced regularly.
Here are some of the tell-tale signs your brakes need servicing before your safety inspection:
Some brake issues are very noticeable, like spongy brake pedals, squealing sounds, and low fluid levels. These can all be indicators of potential issues with your car’s braking system. The best way to address any of these issues early on is through regular inspections and maintenance.
Brake issues can also be linked to other issues in your car. Squeaking or shaking in the brakes can be attributed to a problem with your alignment or suspension components. Over time, the components that make up your suspension can wear down, affecting your brakes, too.
If you suspect that your suspension is experiencing issues, we strongly advise that you enlist the services of a certified mechanic to perform suspension repairs before advertising your vehicle.
If your car is veering to one side more than the other, especially when braking, then you may likely have worn-down brake pads or brake callipers. The relationship between tyres and their appropriate brake pads is a delicate one, and if either one of these components is starting to go, then your car will feel harder to handle.
In order for a car to pass a vehicle safety inspection, its headlights, brake lights, and indicators must be fully operational at a minimum. Vehicle safety inspections are also designed to look for any imperfections in your windscreen and wiper blades.
If these aren’t up to snuff, you won’t pass inspection either. Ensure your car passes its inspection the first time and you keep yourself and other drivers safe by making sure your lights and indicators are working correctly.
Frustratingly, you usually never notice you have a blown headlight until you drive out at night. Or, perhaps a friendly driver (and hopefully not a police officer) has told you that one of your indicators has stopped working.
Others might notice these things before we do because these lights are what they’re looking out for! Save yourself some time down the road at your next vehicle inspection by getting your lights and indicators checked regularly.
Windscreens and wipers are components an inspector will not overlook. Even a small crack in the driver’s line of sight can lead to a failure. Similarly, if your wipers leave streaks, skip across the glass, or fail to clear rain effectively, they’ll need to be replaced. Wipers must clear rain effectively, especially during Victoria’s wet seasons.
Our team at S.S.C. Mechanics can assess your windscreen for chips or cracks and replace worn-out blades to ensure you qualify for a roadworthy certificate, rain or shine.
Seatbelts must be completely undamaged and able to be pulled and retracted with ease to meet vehicle safety standards in Australia. Any frayed seatbelts will need replacing, as well as any faulty buckles, too. Your vehicle airbags will need to be fully operational as well, and these will be tested during a roadworthy inspection.
You may not have given that dark spot under your car on the garage floor a second’s thought, but a safety inspector sure will. Any visible leaks can result in a failure of your vehicle’s safety or pre-purchase inspections. Whether it’s from leaking coolant, oil, brake fluid, or a faulty radiator—you name it. S.C.C. Mechanics can help identify what is leaking and perform the necessary repairs to keep you from failing your safety inspection.
If your car fails a safety inspection in Victoria, you will be unable to register, re-register, or sell it. When given the certificate of failure, you will have seven days to repair the identified issues, depending on the year and model of the car.
If the repairs are met within that time frame, then you’re all set for the next 30 days! This means you can move forward with selling your car, changing its ownership, or re-registering it in your name. You can find more information about safety inspections in Victoria here.
But if the repairs take longer than seven days, a full inspection will be required again. This probably means even more appointments will be needed at the mechanic with multiple specialists. You could potentially be paying for two safety inspections on top of all the repairs. The earlier you act, the less chance you will face added expenses or registration delays. The best way to do this is to book regular, repeat logbook servicing and inspections with specialist mechanics.
Are you hoping to get your car certified as roadworthy for the first time? Whether you’re prepping to sell your current car or you’ve just bought a pre-owned vehicle, a roadworthy inspection is required to drive it in Victoria. It can definitely feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Here are three tips to boost your chances of passing the inspection on your first go!
Those little warning icons on your dashboard aren’t just suggestions. We’ve all been guilty of ignoring them from time to time, and they tend to show up at the most inconvenient times, too. But dashboard lights are our car’s way of saying something needs looking at soon, like the engine warning, brake system alert, and oil pressure lights.
Ignoring them can lead to bigger, more expensive problems down the line, like a failed roadworthy inspection. If you’re unsure what a flashing light means, book a diagnostic check before it becomes an issue.
Think of a pre-inspection service as a practice run. At S.S.C. Mechanics, we offer thorough pre-roadworthy checks to help you identify and fix any small issues before your official inspection, saving you some time and ease of mind.
Catching worn-down brake pads and thinning tyre treads is not only cheaper, but it gives you the best chance of passing your safety inspection the first time around. And if you’re in the market for buying or selling a car, we offer pre-purchase car inspections, too, for even more guarantees.
Regular logbook servicing keeps your car in tip-top shape and helps prevent surprises. Gaps in your vehicle servicing history can also greatly deter prospective buyers from making an offer on your car, as vehicles with an incomplete servicing history are more likely to be considered a higher risk investment.
The team at S.S.C. Mechanics services all makes and models, including European cars. Staying on top of your car servicing ensures your car will be safer, more reliable, and easier to sell when that time comes.
Passing your roadworthy inspection doesn’t have to be a game of chance if you stay on top of car maintenance. Many common causes of failure, like faulty lights, worn brakes, or steering issues, can be prevented with early detection and regular servicing.
Whether you’re looking to get a roadworthy certificate or just seeking peace of mind, the qualified technicians at S.S.C. Mechanics are here to help. From suspension repair to log book servicing to car battery replacement, S.C.C. Mechanics can provide the fast, honest, and affordable servicing and maintenance you’re looking for. And with flexible payment options like Afterpay, you can save more to put towards running your car ads!
We offer flexible appointment times to work around your busy schedule, and you may even be eligible for a free vehicle inspection or consultation when you book. For reliable car service in the Tullamarine, Dandenong, and South East Melbourne areas, book your inspection or service with S.C.C. Mechanics today!
See also: Everything You Need to Know About Vehicle Safety Checks
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