Recently there was a post highlighting that a Vehicle Standards Information Bulletin (VSI 6) dated 8 November 2013 had been released.
The document is a guide to modifications requiring certification under the Vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Scheme in New South Wales, and has been updated to help vehicle owners and modifiers determine what modifications to vehicles up to and including 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass require certification.
I will leave individuals to review the document which I have linked below, but highlight that it is clear that when modifications to a vehicle are significant, the vehicle will require a compliance certificate issued by a person accredited as a licensed certifier on the Roads and Maritime
Services (RMS) Vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Scheme (VSCCS).
Currently I am in the process of determining a suitable auxiliary fuel tank for my new Toyota 79 Series Dual Cab and there are two alternatives I am working towards deciding on.
When I checked the requirements of VSI 6 it is quite clear that the fitting or adding of an alternative fuel tank or repositioning an existing fuel tank to non-original mounting points requires certification. It is also useful to read VSB 14 as it details the requirements for the manufacture and fitting of an auxiliary tank in order for it to be compliant and certifiable.
This recent document appears to have created some confusion as to how it is applied, however my own due diligence has highlighted that certification is now required, whether that was the original intent time will tell. Given it involves fuel tanks I suspect it is certainly intended to be captured as a significant modification.
What might be of interest to many is the
frequently asked questions of the VSCCS Declaration of Modification Order 2013. In part it states that the order does not introduce any new type of modification that requires certification; all certifiable modifications in VSB 14 required certification previously. This means that any vehicle subjected to a “major” modification since the late 1970s should have already been certifiable and if they were not certified, they should not have been registered. I'm not sure if that means fuel tanks were supposed to be certified previously.
But importantly, it notes, that vehicles previously modified in a manner that is considered significant under the Order will require certification if they have not already been certified. Auxiliary tanks previously fitted to vehicles, or that have had a larger capacity tank fitted, are captured under this document.
I would like to make a couple of points on my post...
Firstly, I am simply highlighting the new requirement – I neither conceived the regulations or have a
view point as to whether they are applicable, at this point of time I simply intend to comply as written to ensure I have no registration and insurance issues going forward.
I prefer to do my own due diligence on this type of matter as it is me that will be in the “hot”
seat if it all goes wrong given I am the registered owner of the vehicle. I recommend others do the same.
Manufacturers and fitters may
well have a different view, or perhaps feel that it does not apply. When you read the documentation it is quite clear in black and white – an auxiliary tank requires certification. In fact, this is already the case in Queensland.
Why concern yourself? It is an individual’s choice how it is dealt with, but bear in mind non-compliance may have unintended consequences in the future.
Links follow.
VSB14 - Fuel ModificationsVSI 6 Vehicle Standards InformationVSCCS - FAQs
Cheers, Baz - The Landy