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Anon
By AA | Moderator | 844 Posts | 23 March 2011 at 4:45pm

We currently tow a Suzuki SX4 car behind our Trail-lite motorhome using a 'A' frame.

Our information is that new regulations were passed in December 2010 making it illegal to fit any towing fixtures to a vehicle fitted with air bags.

We are unable to verify this for insurance purposes.

Can you help?

Smillie

jbiddle
By jbiddle | Community Member | 1657 Posts | 23 March 2011 at 4:47pm

I’m not sure about a change in rules from December 2010 but any modification that potentially changes a vehicles ability to help protect occupants in a frontal impact collision is grounds for a Warrant of Fitness rejection on certain vehicles.

All MA (passenger) and MC (off-road passenger) vehicles from 2002 – 03 repectively were required to meet a frontal impact rule as part of vehicle compliance and entry into NZ.

Any additional brackets welded to a vehicles chassis for example, would constitute a change in the vehicles structure from original manufacture, and would therefore put into question its ability to meet the frontal impact rule.

This rule is based around how the chassis is constructed and could, when first introduced, include vehicles with no airbags. So technically, it’s not whether a vehicle has airbags or not, it’s more about altering the vehicles structure which may change its frontal impact status.

It’s not up to a WoF authority to prove a vehicle will not meet a frontal impact standard if it has been modified, it’s up to the vehicle owner to prove it still does and that is impossible to do.

What is accepted is a Low Volume Certification label which means an approved certifier has deemed the modifications either minor or done in a way which does not compromise the frontal impact requirements. You would need to do some checking but it is possible that no LVV certifier would be prepared to sign this sort of modification off.

I guess there will always be cases where vehicles like yours have been modified and still pass a WoF inspection because the inspector has missed the modifications that have been made.

By law however, you should not be towing unless your Suzuki has a Low Volume Compliance plate attached.

Our understanding is many people in similar positions to yourselves try to find vehicles first registered pre 2002 to use for towing behind their motorhomes.