WOF recalls nears 20,000

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

Vehicle inspector Patrick Ah Wong of Super Cheap Tyres and Auto Services in St Johns has been immediately suspended by NZTA.

The number of vehicles needing warrant of fitness rechecks stands at just under 20,000 with the suspension of a ninth Auckland vehicle inspector.

The NZ Transport Agency said Patrick Ah Wong and the St Johns franchise of Super Cheap Tyres & Auto Services was suspended after a long history of failing to properly check vehicle interiors, seat belts, lighting systems and brakes.

The agency is contacting 2443 affected motorists offering them free vouchers to get their vehicles re-tested in case they had been incorrectly been given warrants of fitness (WOFs).

Nationally a dozen WOF inspectors have now been suspended and 19,915 vehicles recalled as part of a review into NZTA's enforcement of transport regulations being led by law firm Meredith Connell.

* [Number of vehicles needing WOF retests nears 15,000

*](https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/109009962/number-of-vehicles-needing-wof-retests-nears-15000?rm=a) Review after transport safety agency's WOF system failure

* 'Heads will roll': Over 3700 Auckland motorists urged to get WOF rechecks after certifier suspended**

Other Auckland WOF outlets affected by the growing list of suspensions include El's Auto Services, Westland Automotive and Tyre, Orient Motors, Jet Tyres and Wheel Alignment, and Church Street Motors and Tyres.

An internal review of NZTA's enforcement was launched in mid October after concerns it was failing to properly maintain safety standards and Transport Minister Phil Twyford also ordered his ministry to do an external review of agency operations.

Last month the agency revealed it had taken months to suspend a Dargaville garage after it warranted a car involved in a fatal crash where a front seat belt failed and 65-year-old passenger William Ball died.

NZTA has not released any information on the cost of the review, other than the $400,000 spent on engaging Meredith Connell to oversee the exercise, and that was very much a preliminary figure.

But garages found to have done substandard inspections may be liable for the cost of carrying out thousands of WOF rechecks.

Letters sent to affected car owners say that while NZTA will cover their next WOF inspection fee it may, where appropriate, seek to recover the costs from the business that provided the potentially suspect warrant.

A survey of almost 1800 Motor Trade Association members around the country found the average price charged for a WOF was $52, with prices varying from $20 to $88.

* An earlier version of this story quoted incorrect recall figures supplied by NZTA.