I’m Dom, a licensed Queensland roadworthy inspector with over 10,000 inspections completed. I see the same avoidable fails every single week. Cars that could have passed easily end up failing for things the owner could have checked in 5 minutes before booking. This guide covers the most common issues, some real examples from my work, and a simple checklist so you can give your car the best chance of passing first time.
Make Sure Your Car Actually Starts
This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised.
Last week I arrived at a customer’s place in Capalaba to inspect a VW Golf. He asked me if I needed to start the car. Yes – I have to check all the electrical functions like lights, horn, windscreen washer, wipers, and I also need to do a test drive and brake test. He told me the battery was missing. Then he showed me the car. It was parked in knee-high wet grass after heavy rain. I couldn’t even get to it.
My terms and conditions are clear – the vehicle must start, otherwise an inspection isn’t possible. I had to charge a call-out fee and leave. That’s money wasted for both of us.
Before you book, make sure the car starts and runs. If the battery is flat or missing, sort that out first. And make sure the car is parked somewhere accessible – a driveway, a street, a car park. Not in a paddock.
Check Your Dashboard Warning Lights
This is one of the most common reasons cars fail, and one of the easiest to check yourself before booking.
Start the car and watch the dashboard. When you first turn the key, all the warning lights will come on briefly – that’s normal. But once the engine is running, they should all switch off. If any orange warning light stays on, that’s a problem.
Two days ago I inspected a Hyundai i30 in Mt Warren Park near Beenleigh. The car made a good first impression. I sat in the car, started the engine, and immediately noticed the orange airbag warning light stayed on. That’s an instant fail. The rest of the car was fine, but it couldn’t pass with that light on. Unfortunately the customer hadn’t checked this before booking.
Common orange warning lights that cause instant fails include the airbag light, engine fault light, ABS light, and stability control light. If any of these are on, get the issue diagnosed and fixed before booking your roadworthy. It will save you the cost of a re-inspection.
I want to be clear about something – I don’t enjoy charging for re-inspections. The re-inspection fee starts at $60, and by the time I factor in the drive to your address, fuel, and booking costs, I don’t earn anything from it. I’m always happy when a vehicle passes first time. But I follow the rules strictly because these safety systems exist to protect everyone on the road.
Test All Your Lights
Non-working lights are one of the most frequent fail points, and they’re usually the cheapest and easiest fix.
Walk around your car and check every light:
- Headlights (low beam and high beam)
- Park lights
- Tail lights
- Brake lights (get someone to press the pedal while you check)
- Indicators (front, rear, and side – often built into the mirrors)
- Number plate light
- Reverse lights
A blown globe costs a few dollars and takes minutes to replace. Most auto parts stores will fit them for you. Don’t waste a re-inspection fee on something this simple.
Also check the headlight lenses. They must be clear and not heavily faded. If they’re yellowed or hazy, you can polish them with cutting compound, or buy a headlight restoration kit from Supercheap Auto or Repco. This also makes the car look better if you’re selling it.
One more thing – aftermarket tint on any light is not allowed. If you’ve added tint to your headlights or tail lights, it needs to come off before the inspection.
Check Your Windscreen Wipers and Washer
Worn wiper blades are another very common and very cheap fail point. Turn on your wipers and watch them closely. If they leave streaks, smear, or don’t clear the windscreen properly, they need replacing.
New wiper blades cost between $15 and $40 depending on the car. Supercheap Auto and most petrol stations sell them and can fit them for you.
While you’re at it, test the windscreen washer. Press the washer button and make sure fluid sprays onto the windscreen. If nothing comes out, the reservoir might just be empty. It’s usually a blue or clear cap under the bonnet. Top it up with plain water – that’s all you need. Just don’t confuse it with the coolant or brake fluid reservoir.
Note – the rear wiper and rear washer are not part of the roadworthy inspection. Only the front matters.
Look at Your Tyres
Worn tyres are the single most common reason cars fail a roadworthy. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.5mm across the full contact surface.
If you can see the tread wear indicators (the small raised bars inside the tread grooves), your tyres are at or below the minimum. They need replacing.
Also check that tyres on each axle are the same size. Both front tyres must match, and both rear tyres must match. Different brands are fine. Different sizes front to rear are also fine. The spare tyre is not checked.
Look for Oil Leaks
Check underneath your car and look at the ground where you usually park. If you see oil stains, there may be an active leak. An oily underbody will fail the inspection.
If you’ve recently had an oil leak repaired, make sure the mechanic cleaned the old oil off the underside of the car. I see this regularly – the leak is fixed but the old oil is still there, and the car fails because I can’t tell whether the leak is active or not. A quick degrease of the underside before your inspection avoids this issue.
A Few More Quick Checks
These take less than a minute each:
Horn – press it. Does it work? If not, it’s usually a simple fix.
Mirrors – are any cracked? Cracked mirror glass will fail. Cracked mirror casing is usually fine as long as there are no sharp edges.
Windscreen – any chips in your direct line of sight? Large chips or cracks elsewhere? A small stone chip outside the driver’s line of vision is usually acceptable, but anything in your direct view will fail.
Seat belts – pull each one out and let it retract. They must retract properly and not be frayed or damaged.
Driver’s seat adjustment – the driver’s seat must be adjustable. If the mechanism is stuck or broken, it will fail.
Interior fan/blower – turn it on. The air conditioning doesn’t need to work, but the fan itself must blow air and must be able to demist the front windscreen. As long as it works on the highest speed, that’s enough.
Windows – the driver’s window must work. At least 50% of all windows must be operational. Blurry or bubbly tint will fail.
Quick Checklist Before You Book
Use this as a final check before booking your inspection:
- Car starts and runs
- No orange warning lights on the dashboard
- All exterior lights working
- Wiper blades clear the windscreen without streaks
- Windscreen washer sprays fluid
- Tyres have at least 1.5mm tread
- No oil leaks underneath the car
- Horn works
- Mirrors not cracked
- Windscreen free of chips in driver’s line of sight
- Seat belts work and retract
- Driver’s seat adjusts
- Interior fan/blower works
- Driver’s window works
If everything on this list checks out, your car has a good chance of passing first time. This doesn’t cover everything I inspect – I also check brakes, suspension, steering, driveline, exhaust, wheel bearings, headlight aiming, chassis condition and more – but these are the items you can easily check yourself beforehand.
Ready to Book?
If you’ve gone through the checklist and everything looks good, book your mobile roadworthy inspection online. I come to your home or work anywhere in South Brisbane, Redlands and Logan. Starting from $110, same day and next day bookings available.
