Hamilton WOF inspector let unauthorised people use his credentials
Friday, 15 February 2019
A Hamilton vehicle inspector let unauthorised people use his credentials to do warrant of fitness checks - some when he was overseas.
The NZ Transport Agency also found Michael Cox's own inspections to be 'poor quality'.
The agency has immediately suspended Michael Cox and his two inspecting organisations: Auto Super Shoppe Hamilton Central and Hamilton Automotive Repairs Ltd.
'Mr Cox admitted to allowing four unauthorised people to use his credentials to carry out Warrant of Fitness (WoF) inspections over a 10-month period,' and NZTA statement said. 'This included a time when Mr Cox was overseas.'
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When Cox himself was inspecting, his process also failed to properly inspect lights, transmissions and structural corrosion, a review revealed.
About 1140 vehicle owners will need their vehicles rechecked, NZTA said, and some may have passed when they shouldn't have.
The transport agency will contact them to advise on options, and vouchers will be provided.
'We are unaware of specific concerns relating to individual vehicles however, due to the poor quality of Mr Cox's inspections there is a possibility that some vehicles may have been incorrectly passed,' the agency said. 'For this reason, we strongly encourage people who have a current Warrant of Fitness issued by Mr Cox and - Auto Super Shoppe Hamilton Central and Hamilton Automotive Repairs Ltd – to get their vehicle rechecked.'
Only the specified Hamilton franchise of Auto Super Shoppe is affected by the immediate suspension.
Whangarei vehicle inspector Hapi Brown has also been suspended from issuing warrants, along with his outlet John St Automotive Limited, trading as Hapi's Automotive.
He too allowed unauthorised people to use his credentials to carry out inspections, and the transport agency said he did not have the required brake testing equipment, meaning he couldn't have known accurate brake test results during vehicle inspections.
The agency will contact all 94 affected vehicle owners.
Since investigations into suspect WOFs began, more than 29,500 vehicles have been recalled for rechecks, but so far only about 7500 have been retested, and about 60 per cent of them failed their first recheck.