Seatbelts and the Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) protect the occupants of a vehicle in a crash and are made up of the following:
- airbags and related components
- seatbelts and buckles
- seatbelt fitting hardware
- seatbelt pretensioners.
Recently, the seatbelt and SRS requirements for VIV vehicles were changed as:
- over 20 deaths worldwide have been directly linked to faulty airbags, and a recall is in place to replace faulty airbags and ensure that they aren’t used in VIV vehicles
- faulty systems can cause severe injury or death to drivers and passengers in a crash.
To increase the safety of occupants in VIV vehicles, VicRoads has made the following changes to the VIV scheme.
When to change seatbelts
A seatbelt and all associated hardware will need to be replaced when:
- there’s heavy panel or structural impact damage to the front of the vehicle
- there’s structural impact damage to the sides or rear of the vehicle
- the pre-tensioner in that seating position has been deployed
- the seatbelt shows signs of wear or tear/damage.
When the vehicle has been written off because of heavy panel or structural impact damage to the front of the vehicle, or structural impact damage to the sides or rear of the vehicle, the driver’s seatbelt will need to be replaced as well as other seatbelts that show signs of damage, or where an airbag or SRS equipment has been deployed.
Replacement seatbelts
The requirements for replacing seatbelts vary depending on the date that vehicles are purchased or written off.
Vehicles written off or purchased before 3 September 2018
Replacement seatbelts must be sourced locally. For new parts, the part numbers must match the Australian delivered repair parts guide for that vehicle make, model and year.
Any second-hand seat belt parts from donor cars must be checked to ensure that part numbers match the Australian repair parts guide for that make, model and year.
The donor vehicle must not contain any of the following damage codes recorded on the Written-Off Vehicle Register (WOVR):
- structural damage to the sides or rear of the vehicle
- heavy panel or structural impact damage to the front of the vehicle
- water immersion
- fire damage.
Vehicles written off or purchased on or after 3 September 2018
Replacement seatbelts must either:
- Be supplied and fitted new by the vehicle manufacturer or a dealer representative for that model vehicle. They should also provide an invoice itemising the seatbelt and the installation.
- Have the components and installation endorsed by the vehicle manufacturer or a dealer representative for that model vehicle. They should also provide a report showing that the seatbelt components are installed correctly and are appropriate for the Australian market.
Any second-hand donor components must be checked to ensure part numbers match the Australian repair parts guide for that make, model and year.
The donor vehicle must not contain any of the following damage codes recorded on the WOVR:
- structural damage to the sides or rear of the vehicle
- heavy panel or structural impact damage to the front of the vehicle
- water immersion
- fire damage.
When to change SRS components
SRS components will need to be replaced when:
- they are damaged or deployed, and/or
- an SRS report shows that they are faulty.
Replacement SRS components
The requirements for replacing SRS components vary depending on the date that vehicles are written off.
Vehicles written off or purchased before 3 September 2018
All replacement SRS components must be sourced locally. For new parts, the part numbers must match the Australian delivered repair parts guide for that vehicle make, model and year.
Any second-hand donor components must be checked to ensure part numbers match the Australian repair parts guide for that make, model and year.
The donor vehicle must not contain any of the following damage codes recorded on the WOVR:
- structural damage to the sides or rear of the vehicle
- any impact damage to the front of the vehicle
- water immersion
- fire damage.
Vehicles written off or purchased on or after 3 September 2018
All replacement SRS components must either:
- Be supplied and fitted new by the vehicle manufacturer or a dealer representative for that model vehicle. They should also provide an invoice itemising the SRS components and the installation.
- Have the SRS components and installation endorsed by the vehicle manufacturer or a dealer representative for that model vehicle They should also provide a report showing that the seatbelt components are installed correctly and are appropriate for the Australian market.
Any second-hand donor components must be checked to ensure part numbers match the Australian repair parts guide for that make, model and year.
The donor vehicle must not contain any of the following damage codes recorded on the WOVR:
- structural damage to the sides or rear of the vehicle
- any impact damage to the front of the vehicle
- water immersion
- fire damage.