AutoTrader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
Your Warrant of Fitness is important to ensure that your vehicle meets road safety standards. Preparing for a WOF can be a bit daunting, but we’ve got you covered with a simple checklist to make sure you’re ready.
Lights – Do a full walk around of the vehicle to make sure that every light is working including; brakes, dip lights, hazard and indicators.
Fluids – Check your engine oil, brake fluid, windscreen wiper fluid levels, and make sure there are no leaks. You can view our guides for checking these by clicking on each option.
Steering – Unfortunately, there is no at home fix for this one. But if you feel like the steering is not as responsive as it could be, or if the power steering warning light is on – it is likely time for a repair.
Exhaust – To test if your exhaust is leaking, park your car in a well-ventilated area and turn your engine on. If you notice any unusual noises or smoke coming from the exhaust, this indicates that there could be a leak and this will need to be fixed before the vehicle will pass a WOF.
Windscreen – If there is windscreen damage to your vehicle that will affect your vision as the driver or prevents the wiper blades from working, it will fail the WOF so it will need to be repaired. Next, make sure that your windscreen wipers are in working order, if they need replacing, this can be sorted easily before your WOF.
Tyre Pressure – Check the tyre pressure of your vehicle, if they are low fill them up to the recommended amount at the petrol station.
Tyre Tread – The tyre tread legal minimum is 1.5mm, if it is below this tread depth the tyres will need to be replaced before the vehicle can pass a WOF.
Brakes – If your brakes are stiff, then you should get them checked by a mechanic. There may also be a brake warning light on your dashboard which indicates your brake pads will need to be replaced. If you are concerned, you could take it to a mechanic for a pre WOF check up. Otherwise your WOF will reveal any issues and you can get it repaired so that it will pass.
Suspension – Unfortunately, suspension cannot be properly checked at home. But if you push down on each corner of the vehicle, the car should rebalance. If it doesn’t, you may need to get your shock absorber reconditioned.
