Defect advice - Queensland

Cam · 15-05-2011, 11:22 AM

Hi All,

While sitting at a set of traffic lights a couple of weeks ago I had a policeman do a U turn (illegal U turn mind you :P) and pull in behind me.. He followed me for 8k's and pulled me over in the driveway of the Police station. He mentioned that my car was too loud and asked how long I have had the exhaust on, i replied "5 years". He told me he was going to issue me a defect notice, and I would have to do and get the car tested at QLD transport and bring back proof that the car was not too noisy, I had no problems with this as despite driving a modified car I am a law abiding citizen..

He issues me with a defect notice, and off I went.. I got home and re read the Notice and become confused... Pics Below..

So on part of the notice that I cropped, it says "Inspection Type: Certificate", and it says I need to Produce the Vehicle for a full Certificate of Inspection.. And then a comment that it requires testing to establish DB..

Question:
Am I taking the car to someone to get a RWC, and then to Queensland Transport to get the exhaust tested? Or is the QLD inspection station going to do a full inspection on the car, AND test the exhaust?
Or are they Simply just going to test the exhaust for noise, and off I go?

I am after responses from people who know the process in QUEENSLAND, not people in other states, or who's mates dogs cousin knew a guy who did this...

**ebxr8240** · 15-05-2011, 11:32 AM

I think you'll find a good local exhaust shop should help you out ??
Sounds like you need a "GOOD" muffler and cert ???

They generally check whats on defect...
But I wouldn't have obvious defects showing !!!

tufLTD · 15-05-2011, 11:33 AM

We do quite a few defect clearances at work & generally it's just to clear the noted defects. But yours states that it requires a full Safety Inspection which is unusual. Is it an older vehicle?

Cam · 15-05-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tufLTD

We do quite a few defect clearances at work & generally it's just to clear the noted defects. But yours states that it requires a full Safety Inspection which is unusual. Is it an older vehicle?

Nope, 2001 AU Fairmont, and probably cleaner, and safer then 90% of the cars on the road :P (AP's, Bilstein Coil overs etc)

I do realize I need to quieten it down with a couple of mufflers, but I really need the process to clear my vehicle of the defect clarified!

**ebxr8240** · 15-05-2011, 11:42 AM

Yep check cat condition and quieten it down...

tufLTD · 15-05-2011, 11:56 AM

If it was me, I'd go to an exhaust shop, get a dB test & report, if it's OK then go to the cop shop & show them. If not, get a good muffler fitted in your system, then present report to police.

blownv8au · 15-05-2011, 11:58 AM

minor defects are usually cleared by the issuing police station. It looks like you have to get a rwc and a db check then produce that and the car to that cop shop and they will clear the defect but i'd drop in there and ask. If you are having trouble getting things up to scratch within the time frame ring that cop and he will most likely extend it, because most inspection stations won't sign off unless the car is dam near perfect.

I got slapped with a major in january full inspection which i would have to pay $100 for. I had been pulled over heaps of times and even by rta and no problems and just happened to be the day i was flying to vic to pick up my eb they got stuck into me. To low to loud, wheels to big and not mod plated for the charger so i just deregistered it and will deal with it later.

Road Games · 15-05-2011, 12:18 PM

I can give your rig the once over if you like mate ?

Just to give ya the heads up on what we need to change /modify if anything...

Been through this many times .. i have only reported it once on here though

Cam · 15-05-2011, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6menace

I can give your rig the once over if you like mate ?

Just to give ya the heads up on what we need to change /modify if anything...

Been through this many times .. i have only reported it once on here though

So am I right in assuming that I am required to take it to an inspection station to get it looked over for the "safety inspection"? And not just the zorst DB tested?

I can get a RWC, but I am fairly sure that if the inspection station is going to be a little more harsh then who I get RWC's off..

I have got a good idea of what I would need to do to get it to pass an inspection, if I didn't live northside of Bris I'd take you up on your offer to look over it!

blownv8au · 15-05-2011, 01:32 PM

inspection station as in where you get rwc, safety inspection, safety cert all the same thing or they would be sending you over the pits.

Cam · 15-05-2011, 02:46 PM

So I called the Police station that issued it, and they are not open weekends.

Called the closest 24 hour one and the officer told me she is not sure why they would say that my car needs a RWC when the defect was due to noise, but seeing that the box was ticked I will need to call the issuing police station in business hours..

I did post on another site, where users are more likely to be defected.. And got this.. "you have to fix the exhaust (quieten it down) and produce it to the Deception Bay Police Station, just get a tin plate out of 2mm gall drill a few holes into it and trim to fint in at th cat/exhausst flange so that it quietens it down, make sure its still able to run/drive you dont want to restrict it too much. then take it to the D'bay police station, then they will clear it."

Now I am not going to do a dodge and quieten my car down, I will be doing it properly.. But, still begs the question why I need a RWC according to the form, maybe the cop was a Newbie and didn't know what he was doing?

Makes no sense to me..

flappist · 15-05-2011, 03:22 PM

Could be something as simple as that.

Go to the cop shop, don't be a smartarse, ask if they really think it is too noisy and if they yes it is the apologise and tell them you will get it sorted right away.
If they say it is ok, thank them and leave happy.

Remember despite the urban myths most coppers are ordinary people and are more interested in public safety and the spirit of the law.

GTP 290 · 15-05-2011, 04:57 PM

How about you just show up and do what they ask on the day?

If you are a law abiding citizen as you say then your car would be in 100% roadworthy condition and you have nothing to worry about. Sounds like you are blowing it out to be something biger than it really is.

Cam · 15-05-2011, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP 290

How about you just show up and do what they ask on the day?

If you are a law abiding citizen as you say then your car would be in 100% roadworthy condition and you have nothing to worry about. Sounds like you are blowing it out to be something biger than it really is.

Thanks for your helpful post, for what it's worth..

I am a single dad of a 2 year old, work full time, I leave home at 6am every morning and get home at 6pm.. and can get 1 day off work at the moment to get all of this sorted out.. So if I go there on the day and they say my exhaust doesn't pass, and I can't get the car booked into someone on that day, then what? This is a big deal to me because my livelihood relies on it, and I don't have a lot of spare time to get it sorted out.

I am trying to be prepared....

Regardless, the cop told me I need to go to QLD Transport to get the car noise tested, and then produce the cert to the police station. The police station said they do the testing, not QLD transport, I called someone for a RWC and they said that the inspection station who does the testing will inspect my car, so he wont need to RWC it...
So... what it is I am required to do is the point of this thread... Not how much of a big issue it is, or isn't.

I am going to call the police station tomorrow for more clarification, they close at 4pm so I got no hope of dropping in before they close.

Thanks for the replies

302 XC · 15-05-2011, 06:48 PM

The exhaust will have to pass as per factory requirements
Surely there is a DB level for your car or a DB legal level

With mention above , regarding just deregister
The numbers of your car are recorded,just dereg and rereg wont work either

IF it has to go to Pineapple street (Zillmere) machinery station
You wanna make sure everything is correct

Be good to hear back from you on Monday once you have got to the bottom
Then what was required to get sorted

JC · 15-05-2011, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cam

I am going to call the police station tomorrow for more clarification, they close at 4pm so I got no hope of dropping in before they close.

Thanks for the replies

This sounds like the best course of action - clarify first, and even explain to them your situation re getting time off which is why you want clarification so you can get it rectified ASAP.

If it were me, I'd chuck a resonator or hotdog on the back (just before the tailpipe), and that should pass easily, depending on what other muffler/s you have already.

kenz · 15-05-2011, 07:18 PM

I had a similar situation a few years ago. I knew that it wasn't going to pass any db testing so I had my exhaust shop flange my exhaust after the diff and make me up a bolt on muffler that I can use and swap over with my normal exhaust. Had to get a full rwc done and just take the rwc into the cop shop or I could post it in. Also was done for being too low aswell. Where you have the 2nd and 3rd boxes ticked I had the 2nd and 4th boxes ticked. By the looks of it though you will need to get a full inspection and take it into the cop shop so they can see for themselves. I havent seen too many notices that don't require a full rwc just for one defect

XR6TCraig · 15-05-2011, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

This sounds like the best course of action - clarify first, and even explain to them your situation re getting time off which is why you want clarification so you can get it rectified ASAP.

If it were me, I'd chuck a resonator or hotdog on the back (just before the tailpipe), and that should pass easily, depending on what other muffler/s you have already.

Yep.

I agree. Ring up and without being a smarty, just ask for clarification as per JC's post. Even ask to speak to the issuing officer just to ley him know that you are trying to recitfy this as quickly as you can, but that you were a little confused as to what he was actually requiring.

2011G6E · 15-05-2011, 07:45 PM

Never really understood illegally loud exhausts on cars...

I remember a notable car in an Auto Salon "modified car of the year" series of tests.
It was an R32 Skyline GTR putting out nearly 700 horsepower, but the carefully designed exhaust system put out less than the decibel level the cops will test you for.

There's a difference between a nice exhaust note and an annoying noise...cops won't generally pull you up for the former...

jason71 · 15-05-2011, 07:57 PM

Don't do anything.

Form says to tick boxes not put an X in the boxes.

Not filled out correctly.

Cam · 15-05-2011, 07:59 PM

Thanks for the replies all..

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

This sounds like the best course of action - clarify first, and even explain to them your situation re getting time off which is why you want clarification so you can get it rectified ASAP.

If it were me, I'd chuck a resonator or hotdog on the back (just before the tailpipe), and that should pass easily, depending on what other muffler/s you have already.

At the moment, I have a resonator on the back, thats it :P as my car is 347ci it has twin 2 1/2 into a single 3", so I am not confident it will pass as is. I am going to speak to an exhaust shop tomorrow and book it in for thursday, as I can get it off work.

Will be calling the police station tomorrow and seek clarification. All of this confusion came about when trying to organize a RWC and the guy said it sounds like I may need a full inspection as they are sending me to DOT..

I suspect they may not have a noise probe at the station or something? I mean he pulled me over in the driveway of the Dbay police station, why wouldn't he just test me then and there? btw - I love this "needing to prove my innocence stuff!"

Kenz - Thanks for that, very helpful info. If I need to provide a RWC, and a noise test I am happy to do so, but I am also confused as to why I would need to provide a RWC if it was only for noise..

Maybe the guy I was talking to for RWC was thinking I had to go to Pineapple street to go over the full pits as 302 XC said..

Will keep ya'll updated after I talk to D'Bay cop shop tomorrow!

**ebxr8240** · 15-05-2011, 09:07 PM

If YOU think it's too noisy ?? Then it possibly is...
Fit a GOOD muffler ... Simple...
I wouldn't go to the P station without quietening it down ...
Single 3" requires two resonators and good S type muffler in the middle..

Cam · 15-05-2011, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason71

Don't do anything.

Form says to tick boxes not put an X in the boxes.

Not filled out correctly.

Is there really any use in pursuing this? As I said I rely on my car heavily... Interesting point though..

Rodp · 15-05-2011, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason71

Don't do anything.

Form says to tick boxes not put an X in the boxes.

Not filled out correctly.

Given that the car is integral in the OP's ability to earn a living, I certainly wouldn't be relying on that. Doing nothing = trouble later.

Road Games · 16-05-2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodp

Given that the car is integral in the OP's ability to earn a living, I certainly wouldn't be relying on that. Doing nothing = trouble later.

If you DON'T do anything you may receive a reminder in 4 weeks time.. and if you do get that reminder they will also threaten to cancel your rego for you if ya don't comply...

Chopped · 16-05-2011, 12:53 PM

The police are allowed to re-issue tickets (to correct mistakes)

Eleanor · 16-05-2011, 01:39 PM

Most owners of modified cars should familiarise themselves with this (or should I say cars with modified exhaust systems).

National Stationary Exhaust Noise Test Procedures for In-Service Motor Vehicles

Quote:

These test procedures have been approved by the Australian Transport Council and the
National Environment Protection Council. They are referred to in the Roadworthiness
Guidelines issued under the Australian Vehicle Standard Rules 1999 (Rule 153).

http://www.ntc.gov.au/filemedia/Repo...stSept2006.pdf

svo supporter · 16-05-2011, 07:47 PM

I don't live in QLD anymore,but reading that notice, you need to take the car for a full inspection and to the cop shop with the clearance notice (If that's what they issue)

Yes, the copper might have said one thing, but you could guarantee, you'd take the car back to them, with only the exhaust fixed and they'll tell you to go away and produce the other paper work.

Reaper8 · 16-05-2011, 08:52 PM

i got done for noise in my xf so made a insert out of chicken wire and filled it with steel wool and inserted it in the muffler & tailpipe joint, went over the pits 3db under, got home out it came.

last fairlane · 16-05-2011, 09:25 PM

Not quite the same I had a tip truck
I got a defect notice in the mail I was never pulled over in it
I was told by letter that it was seen in an unroadworthy manor
not told when or where or by who
was it a Mechanic or just another motorist that I may have cut off
anyway I was told in the letter to bring the truck to Woodridge transport
station for an inspection and also to bring $30 for the privilage
anyway I spoke to a few other drivers and was told that the same
thing happened to them and to just forget about it which I did
next time I went to register the truck nothing was said about the letter
I cant give you advice in your case
but thats what happened to me
thanks John