Mechanic Mark Harman says a lot of people don't know what to look for with regard to their cars. Photo / Alex Cairns
Mechanic Mark Harman says a lot of people don't know what to look for with regard to their cars. Photo / Alex Cairns
More than half of vehicles inspected over the past five years failed New Zealand’s Warrant of Fitness tests, with new data showing lights, tyres and steering and suspension are the most common fault areas.
Mechanics say busy people skipping servicing and having less interest in working on vehicles at homeare contributing to the failure rate - but there are easy checks people can do at home.
Motor Vehicle Register data supplied by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency in response to an NZME Official Information Act request showed more than 10 million vehicles were inspected between 2018 and 2022, with just over six million failing at least once.
Rounding out the top five most common Warrant of Fitness (WoF) fault categories were brakes and glazing or wipers.
Harman Automotive Papamoa owner and mechanic Mark Harman, who lives in Rotorua, said many drivers were not aware of what to look for with regard to their vehicles.
“Some people just don’t have a clue. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s just that times have changed. Gone are the days when people worked on their cars themselves.”
Harman recommended owners have their cars checked between each WoF to monitor the little things before they cause bigger problems.
“Maintaining tyre pressure is probably the easiest thing you can do to keep your tyres going.”
Harman also recommended changing the windshield wiper blades.
“People drive around with less-than-average wipers and don’t notice.”
Out of over 10 million vehicles inspected in New Zealand since 2018, more than half have failed their Warrant of Fitness inspection at least once. Photo / 123RF
Harman said it was best practice to ask for advice from a mechanic.
“YouTube can be a wonderful tool, but you’ve got to know the good from the bad that’s on there.”
Tauranga mechanic Marc Belch of Auto Super Shoppe Judea said the data was consistent with his experience.
“It’s important to get your car serviced regularly and to keep an eye on things,” Belch said.
“With the 12-monthly warrant checks, vehicle components do wear out and people aren’t getting their vehicles seen by a mechanic in between WoFs. Life’s just busy and people don’t have the time anymore.”
Belch said drivers should keep an ear out for “anything that doesn’t sound right”.
“Anything that sounds off needs to get checked. If you get any shaking in your steering wheel or brakes or you feel any vibrations through the car, it would pay to get that checked by a professional.”
In Rotorua, Douglas Automotive and Engineering service manager Andy Donoghue said wearing out some vehicle components, such as brake pads and suspension, was unavoidable, but driving styles could have an influence.
But Donoghue said he could not stress enough the importance of regular wheel alignments to reduce tyre wear.
“You should be getting at least one wheel alignment every 10,000 kilometres. If you keep on top of your servicing, you should be rotating your tyres as well.”
Donoghue said a rule of thumb was the steering wheel should be straight.
“If you’re driving down a straight road and your steering wheel isn’t straight or you’ve hit a few big potholes, it would pay to get things checked.”
Rotoma Auto Repairs owner and operator Bryce Allan said tyres were the biggest issue in rural areas, where cars regularly travelled long distances.
“People just don’t pump their tyres up, and that’s incredibly important for tyre life as well as fuel economy and the way the car handles in the wet.”
Allan said drivers should check tyres by turning their front wheels as far as they could go and looking at the inner tread.
“Tyres wear out on the inside edge first.”
Allan, a mechanic for 43 years, also recommended consulting a professional.
“Most tyre shops will check your tyres for free. You’ve just got to find a trusted mechanic who will stop what he’s doing and pump your tyres for you.”
Allan said strange noises and warning lights were other red flags.
“A squealing noise means your brake pads are due for a change.”
The regions with the highest vehicle fail rates were the Waikato, the Bay of Plenty, Otago, Chatham Islands and Gisborne. Forty-one per cent of vehicles in those regions had failed a WoF inspection since 2018.
Waka Kotahi says each new vehicle has to get an initial warrant, another one at three years old and then one a year for its lifetime. Vehicles registered after January 1, 2000 need annual warrant inspections and older vehicles have to get one every six months.
The advertised cost of a WoF inspection varied from about $50 to $78 across various provider websites.
AA general manager Kyle Lincoln said the Waka Kotahi data matched the experiences of AA’s WoF inspectors.
“Lights are a common issue. They can be operating one moment and not working the next.”
Lincoln said people often forget forgot to check the lights above their number plates.
“It’s not as important from the safety side of things, but your number plate legally needs to be clear and visible.”
Lincoln said drivers’ most common mistake was not checking “the basics” before going in for their WoF inspection.
“They use the WoF as their check. They’re putting the onus on the inspection, but owners need to be doing their own checks because it is their responsibility. It’s as easy as getting someone to walk around your vehicle and check that things are working.”
If anyone was unsure what to look for, Lincoln said asking for advice on what parts of the vehicle to check regularly would be a good idea.
“Particularly at the moment, when we’re going into a rainy winter, tyres would be number one. Tyres are the shoes for your car, and they are the contact point between your car and the road.
“Take ownership - ensure you’re looking at your vehicle.”
Maryana Garcia is a regional reporter writing for the Rotorua Daily Post and the Bay of Plenty Times. She covers local issues, health and crime.
What to check before your next WoF
Tyre condition (including tread depth);
Brake operation;
Structural condition (rust is not allowed in certain areas);
Lights;
Glazing (is your windscreen safe?);
Windscreen washers and wipers;
Doors (do they open and close safely?);
Safety belts (must not be damaged or overly faded; buckles must work properly);
Airbags (if fitted);
Speedometer (must be working);
Steering and suspension (must be safe and secure);
Exhaust (there must be no leaks and the exhaust must not be smoky or louder than the original exhaust system);
