Pink Slip eSafety Spotlight
Last month we covered the reason why pink slips are necessary, what the process is and what we check for. This month we’re going to take a deep dive into the main reasons we see vehicles fail inspections and why these particular issues are scrutinised.
New South Wales has one of the stricter vehicle inspection schemes in the country. This ensures the fleet of vehicles on NSW roads is well maintained, safe and reliable.
Reasons why we fail cars on pink slips.
By far, the biggest reason we see vehicles fail pink slip inspections is the tyres. Given that your tyres are the only thing keeping your vehicle on the road, it’s a concern to find that a lot of people are driving around on bald tyres, even damaged sidewalls or foreign objects stuck in them. Tyres perform at their best when they are maintained and looked after. Most new tyres come with 7-9mm of tread while minimum legal tread is 1.5mm. Tests have shown that in wet weather, the likelihood of aquaplaning starts to dramatically increase once the tread wears past the 3-4mm level. Studies have shown that worn tyres fare significantly worse in wet braking tests than even cheap, new tyres. There is a braking advantage to be had with premium replacement tyres over a cheaper tyre. The team here at Kogarah Tyrepower is happy to make recommendations on tyres to suit you and your vehicle.
Lights are another reason that we have to unfortunately pull vehicles up on an eSafety check for. Although usually a quick and easy fix, Australian Design Regulations state that vehicles must have park lights, indicators, reverse, brake and headlights all functional or the vehicle does not comply with regulations. Lights can usually be tested quickly at home by yourself, although items like reverse lights and brake lights usually require an assistant to help you out.
During a pink slip check, we also test wiper blades and find that for a lot of vehicles, these are in poor condition. Quite often, we find that wiper blades are either worn and split or cracked and dry-rotted. Wipers are an absolutely essential safety item and having good vision in poor conditions will give you and your family the best chance of making it home safely. Even vehicles that don’t get driven in the rain and stored in the shed aren’t immune to deteriorating wiper blades, as the rubber wipers can perish over time and from exposure to air.
While we have your vehicle up on the lift for a pink slip check, we will also inspect your suspension components and drivetrain. The suspension on your car has to put up with a lot on Sydney's roads. Occasionally we will find leaking shock absorbers or worn out suspension bushings. Engine and gearbox oil leaks sometimes show up during inspections too. If your vehicle requires major mechanical work we will recommend you visit a specialty mechanical service center.
What happens after a pink slip check?
If your vehicle passes all of our checks - that’s great! We will send the documentation electronically to the Roads and Maritime Service ready for you to renew your registration. If your vehicle doesn’t pass, don’t worry as maintenance is simply a part of vehicle ownership. We can help you to get organised and back on the road as efficiently as possible. In the event your vehicle needs serious mechanical work we’ll aim to get you in touch with a specialist workshop to get your vehicle sorted.
We are pleased to be an Authorised Inspection Scheme Station servicing the Kogarah, Tempe, Turrella, Bardwell Valley, Banksia, Hurstville, Sans Souci, Rockdale, Arncliffe and the St George areas. We provide extremely quick turnaround on inspections and tyre fitting. If you’re interested in booking your vehicle into us to talk about an eSafety inspection, new tyres, wheel alignments or puncture repairs.
Give us a call on (02) 9587 3366