Hi Diana Alan, are you certain, can you show me the relevant act or regs?
I realise you had to do it with previous vehicles, you may also have got bad advice, I see this happen all of the time. To me, if there are no seat belts in the back, then its a load carrying area, seats or otherwise, I cannot see how seats can be illegal. My understanding is that once you have filled your seatbelts, you can start filing your load carrying area. I know there was some legal movement on this in the 90's but I thought that quietly failed.
Regards
adamc79
Seatbelts ADR 4.00
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2006L02677/c8749027-672d-4667-aa65-9928abb478e1Applicable to "Off-road passenger vehicle
MC M1 1 July 1988 Nil"
"4.2.0.2. Vehicle categories MC, shall comply with either
4.2.0.2.1. Clauses 4.2.1, or Clause 4.2.0.1. (4.2.0.1. Vehicle categories MA; MB; MD1 shall comply with Clauses 4.2.1 to
4.13.)
ADR 4.2.1 Detailed Requirements
'Seat Belt Assemblies' shall be fined to each seating position for which seat belt 'Anchorages' are required in accordance with ADR 5/… “Anchorages for Seat Belts and Child Restraints”
ADR 5.00 (
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2006L02680/96c9a9f4-6f2c-4cc9-8eec-d038fc20afb3)
Off-road passenger vehicle MC M1 1 July 1988 Nil
5.2.0.1.1. Vehicle categories MA, MB, MC, MD1, MD2, NA and NB1 shall comply with Clauses 5.2.1 to 5.9.
5.2.1.1. Seat belt 'Anchorages' shall be provided for all seating positions (as
established in accordance with Section 5.7) except for light omnibuses
(MD2)
"42.9. EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL PROTRUSIONS ADR 42.9 (in ADR 42.00 42.01 42.02. 42.03 42.04 (
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2006L03251/98206217-7157-4618-ae67-689c04d1c57a)
42.9.1. No vehicle must be equipped with:
42.9.1.1. any object or fitting, not technically essential to such vehicle, which protrudes from any part of the vehicle so that it is likely to increase the risk of bodily injury to any person;
42.9.1.2. any object or fitting technically essential to such vehicle unless its design, construction and conditions and the manner in which it is affixed to the vehicle are such as to reduce to a minimum the risk of bodily injury to any person;
42.9.1.3. any object or fitting which, because it is pointed or has a sharp edge, is likely to increase the risk of bodily injury to any person; or
42.9.1.4. any bumper bar the end of which is not turned towards the body of the vehicle to a sufficient extent to avoid any risk of hooking or grazing.
Is that enough for you?
The important date is manufactured on or after 1 july 1988.