Engine Light On? Your Car Will Not Pass a Roadworthy in Queensland
I inspected a 2025 LDV T60 in Park Ridge today. Only 30,000km on the clock. The engine light, ABS light, and stability control light were all on. That’s three safety-related warning lights. Three fails.
The owner was furious. She told me the car drives perfectly, that the dealer said it’s just a sensor issue, that it’s fine to drive. Her husband screamed at me loud enough for the neighbours to come out and look.
None of that changes the result. If the warning lights are on, the car does not pass.
The engine light is safety related
This is the one people argue about most. “It’s just the engine light, it’s not a safety thing.” It is.
The engine warning light means the engine management system is not operating as the manufacturer intended. This can affect emissions, fuel delivery, engine performance, and in some cases driveability. The car may feel fine today, but the system is reporting a fault that could affect how the engine behaves – particularly in an emergency situation where you need full throttle response or predictable engine behaviour.
Higher emissions are an environmental safety issue. The engine management system controls how much fuel is burned and how cleanly. When the system has a fault, the engine can produce significantly higher emissions than it should. This is a safety and environmental concern that the roadworthy inspection is designed to catch.
If the engine light is on, the car fails. It doesn’t matter if the car drives fine. It doesn’t matter if your mechanic or dealer said it’s just a sensor. The light is on, which means the system has a fault.
What if you bought a car with a roadworthy and the engine light was on?
Put yourself on the other side. You just bought a car. The seller provided a roadworthy certificate. You drive it home, look at the dashboard, and the engine light is staring at you.
Your first thought would be “how did this pass a roadworthy?” Your second thought would be “I want my money back” or “the inspector needs to pay for this.” And you’d be right to think both of those things.
That’s exactly why I can’t pass a car with the engine light on. The person buying this car expects it to meet safety standards. They’re relying on the roadworthy certificate to confirm that. If I pass a car with a known fault, I’m not just breaking the rules – I’m setting up the next owner for a bad experience and myself for a legitimate complaint.
ABS and stability control lights
The ABS light means the anti-lock braking system is disabled. Under heavy braking, the wheels can lock and the car can skid instead of stopping in a controlled manner. That’s a clear safety issue.
The stability control light means the electronic stability program is not functioning. In a sudden swerve or on a slippery road, the system that prevents the car from spinning out is not working.
Both of these systems exist to prevent accidents. When they’re disabled, the car is measurably less safe. There’s no argument to be had here.
You pay for an inspection, not a certificate
This needs to be said clearly. When you book a roadworthy inspection, you are paying for an inspection. You are not paying for a certificate. The certificate is issued only if the vehicle passes. If it doesn’t pass, you’ve received exactly what you paid for – a professional inspection of your vehicle’s safety condition.
I publish a free roadworthy checklist on my website. It clearly states that safety-related warning lights are a fail. If you know your car has warning lights on the dashboard before booking, you already know the car will not pass. Book a mechanic first, get the lights sorted, then book the roadworthy.
Don't expect me to commit a crime
Issuing a safety certificate for a vehicle that does not meet the safety requirements is illegal. It puts my licence, my business, and my livelihood at risk. It also puts the driver, passengers, and everyone else on the road at risk.
If your dealer, mechanic, or anyone else told you the car is fine to pass a roadworthy with warning lights on, ask them to issue the certificate themselves. If they can’t or won’t, ask yourself why. Either they’re not licensed to issue certificates, or they know it won’t pass and they don’t want their name on it.
I take full liability for every certificate I issue. My examiner number is on every inspection report. If something goes wrong with a vehicle I passed, it comes back to me. I will not put my name on a vehicle that doesn’t meet the safety standards.
A new car is not exempt
This LDV had only 30,000km. It was a 2025 model. The owner couldn’t believe that a nearly new car could fail a roadworthy. But a warning light doesn’t care how new the car is. If anything, a warning light on a nearly new car suggests a genuine fault that needs attention – not something to ignore.
New cars develop faults. Sensors fail. Wiring harnesses can have issues. Software glitches can trigger warning lights. These things happen to every brand. Get it diagnosed, get it fixed, and then book the roadworthy.
Check before you book
Before booking your roadworthy, start the car and watch the dashboard. Every warning light should come on briefly during the self-check and then switch off once the engine is running. If any safety-related warning light stays on, do not book the inspection. Take the car to a mechanic first.
This saves you money. This saves you time. And this saves both of us a frustrating conversation in your driveway.
