FTO AUSTRALIA

Hi guys,

As some of you might have been following, TARKUS has had some recent issues with VICROADS compliance (ADR: Australian Design Rules), and (big congrats to him) has overcome them. You can read about it under General Discussions: Registration Irregularities, and under FTO Help: TARKUS is non compliant. Apparently VICROADS is responsible to pay for these changes to be made (which I hope they do), but offer little to help in making these changes.

I unfortunately am in the same boat, and also having a hell of a time making VICROADS requirements. I thought I'd try and find out whether anyone else having these problems as well.....and also to start this thread as a big warning to all, cause I think they;ll start coming after all of us sooner or later....Hopefully this'll help for those in the future who end up the same....

Neways, managed to find an awesome engineer/mechanic team in Heidelberg who have been helping me out

Issues okay and rectified:
- VIN number
- child restraints
- emissions label
- fog light tell-tail
- legal tinting - removed and now my rear window looks crap....I've been advised not to re-tint till after the VICROADS final inspection

Current issue:
- front indicator (yeah Tarkus, they got me too now )
- steering wheel

1. Front indicators
As really well described in Tarkus's thread, this is gonna be an issue for every single FTO in Victoria....Tarkus came up with a good solution (albeit cosmetically not very appealing - sorry mate ), which I'll probably have to follow too....In the meantime, I've ordered a similar, but rectangular shaped indicator light vs circular (Hella Part No 2101) which I hopefully should be able to rig up like Tarkus did....still thinking about it's location (thanks for the specs and drawings Tarkus ). Will post pics when its finally finished

2. Steering wheel
Yep, I gotta surprise when I took my racing wheel off....the previous previous owner decided to change an airbag steering....thanks to EURO for lending me his, but it aint gonna work cause I now need an airbag fitted one installed. So maybe I do have a 97, not a 96 GR afterall???
Good news is that previously VICROADS had stated that this was a roadworthy issue, and that I would have to foot the bill for the problems....I've now managed to make this another ADR, so they'll be paying for an airbag system and the steering wheel to be installed....if this is possible) - lucky, as cheapest price for a stock steering wheel with airbag is $800 !!!

My engineer has managed to source an airbag steering wheel (with airbag)for me....but we have no idea to what extent the previosu owner diabled the SRS system....the guy can check with his equipment, but I apparetnly need Mitsubishi itself to certify whether my SRS electrical is present, and if so, whether it's "functional", before they can install the rest...I'm crossing y fingers that only the dash SRS indicator was uninstalled vs teh entire wiring system, otherwise I might be f&*^ed

I've tried I think all Mitsubishi dealers in Melbourne....no one seems to have a system which can talk to the FTO.....

Q1. Does anyone know whether this is true??? Is there a dealership which can hook up and talk to FTO's,

Mitsubishi are happy to write a letter saying they can't do this
and give permission for another autoelectircal place to do it, but I called the place tehy've suggested and 1. the guys who does these isn't back for another 8 days, and 2. they're not even sure tehy can do FTO's

Q2. Any other places people know of that can check FTO electricals??? Mind you, it has to be a place that Mitsubishi agrees upon/known to the dealer

I wanna get this done earlier rather than later, and it's taking the better half of my life at the moment (I think VICROADS assume none of us work 9-5 Mon- Fri). Neways, any suggestions, remarks, tips, or even just sympathy much appreciated.....

I love my FTO, but this is giving me the biggest sh*ts ever.....Will keep you all updated

Sorry for the long thread

The most likely would probably be North Shore Mitsubishi in Sydney. They actually stock quite a few FTO components and seem to always be the ones recommented for genuine parts.

Question, does the Post facelift model bar not comply as well. The reason I am asking this is that cadbury boy is after a pre facelift bar. If the post facelift complies, another option would be to do a deal with him and fit yourself a newer bar. I know that the answer to this is probably somewhere in this thread, but I havent got the time right now to wade through it!

Eeep....North Shore's a tad bit far from Melbourne burbs

Nice thought with the bar, but Tarkus had a post facelift, and mine's a pre, and we both got done

Thanks for the brainstorming though....keep em coming

Jebus... Thats hella a lot of things to screw around with. When I got my FTO 3 weeks ago, I didnt know I'll be buying into this much trouble lol

Wellz, when i got this FTO it came with a roadworthy - no probs with it at all. But when u talk about ADR compliant im glad that my car is rather stock now lol - but they'll probs find some stuff to talk about if they rly want i guess.

what's getting me agitated now is that fog light/front indicator? Would getting a new front bar work?

know1here wrote:Eeep....North Shore's a tad bit far from Melbourne burbs

Nice thought with the bar, but Tarkus had a post facelift, and mine's a pre, and we both got done

Thanks for the brainstorming though....keep em coming

Tarkus also have a pre-facelift front.

I don't think people need to jump up & down & into conclusions of what need to be done & what will happen, if the traffic authority start to issue a recall of approval, they will be up for a massive law sue against them from engineer, importer & private owner. As they approved it at the first place, & we all paid our fee for it (compliance), so if they do recall it now, it can be a case of thief by deception. So I doubt that they're going to issue a massive recall.

Agreed.

wahahz.

glad to have kevin to relieve us

Remember, whilst they might not issue a recall, they may just nip every vehicle that comes into be registered.

Not sure about Vic, but here in the ACT any import model vehicle brought into the ACT must have a complete compliance check at the motor vehicle registry.

Something ACT import drivers fear like the plague.

Sorry guys,

wasn't my intention to start a mass panic ....just wanted to post it to help anyone else whose landed in the same trouble, and to get any suggestions at the same time

Hya All from "dogs balls".

sorry to have to say this again,but the guy that passed my car at Vic Toads did say they would probably go through the full list of FTO's and make them comply. I have not heard back yet if they are going to pay up but they have only had my letter for a week now.

I have found some other lights that are ADR ok, and they are a little bit smaller and rectangular and LEDs, I am getting some tomorrow (friday) to see what they are like.

and I will try and get some photos of my dogs balls (new indicators) on my web site.

Cya Tarkus.

ps: I might change my nickname to dogs balls, then again "nah" people might get the wrong idea!

tarkus wrote:Hya All from "dogs balls".

sorry to have to say this again,but the guy that passed my car at Vic Toads did say they would probably go through the full list of FTO's and make them comply.

If they do, I start a class action against them & make sure they pay for all my expense including traveling fee, & lost of income. I'm sure most members here won't just sit there & take it, & ready to take some actions when the time is right.

Make them comply? Something's not right here. This is sounding like a failure on general compliance procedures (perhaps a workshop didn't adhere to the CSA guidelines in VIC and VicRoads has noticed this??)

Because something like having child restraint anchorage points on each rear seat, that's been an ADR requirement for ages. For yours not to have it indicates someone's been lazy somewhere (or it's been removed). Same with attaching a new VIN plate on the firewall.

As for something like the steering wheel, as Tarkus and know1here stated that's a roadworthy issue, you cannot replace an airbag steering wheel with a non-airbag one.

Interested in hearing about the front indicators though. What's the exact ruling state?

I have a mate that works in compliance here in the ACT. They are the guys that write the ADR policy. Apparently, each state has the right to modify those guidelines. I have been told unofficially that there is a compliance issue (being able to see the "whole" light from 45 degree angle) but that it should only apply to new compliancing and that a full recall should not happen.

Read between the lines here

Make them comply? Something's not right here. This is sounding like a failure on general compliance procedures (perhaps a workshop didn't adhere to the CSA guidelines in VIC and VicRoads has noticed this??)

Yeah, you're right....the engineers who complied my car originally were the dodgiest bastards, who took major short cuts, and now I'm paying for it....from what my engineer has been able to find out, the originally compliancing team went bust about 2 years ago after a VICROADS investigation

As for something like the steering wheel, as Tarkus and know1here stated that's a roadworthy issue, you cannot replace an airbag steering wheel with a non-airbag one.

I have no freaking idea why the original owner wanted to change ihe original airbag steering wheel, but he/she HAS....it's definately SRS, as the sterring column has the SRS warning label on it, and the non-SRS FTO steering wheel can;t be mounted on, as it's missing a cutout at the bottom for the SRS sensor.....I just hope to God that he's just disconeccted the system at the steering wheel and the dash globe, and not removed the entire circuitry....luckily VICROADS are reclassifying this issue for me as an ADR, so they're footing the bill....

And yeah, as Kev mentioned, I really should sue VICROADS for lost income...

Can FTO's still be imported? If so, how can they not be roadworthy in their standard form?

just curious, would it satisfy the requirements of being visible from a 45 deg angle if you switched the foglights and the indicators around? i mean we can buy afteer market foglights anyway. so the indicators shine out of the fog lights as opposed the the inidcator slot. this is just a thought, as i really dont want to ruin the nice lines of the FTO front.

If you still need an original airbag steering wheel - there is one on ebay.. Its an EVO one so not sure if it will fit but here 'tis

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... RK:MEWA:IT

Courtesy of MrFT000 in the for sale section..

Tarkus' dogs balls:

Nice Kaz, you just beat me too it

just curious, would it satisfy the requirements of being visible from a 45 deg angle if you switched the foglights and the indicators around? i mean we can buy afteer market foglights anyway. so the indicators shine out of the fog lights as opposed the the inidcator slot. this is just a thought, as i really dont want to ruin the nice lines of the FTO front.

Hmmm...I think someone mentioned this on Tarkus' thread...yep:

The light assembly is not symetrical so I cannot just turn it around. and the indicator has to be a certain distance from the main driving lights, cannot find it now but I think it has to be 100 m/m from them.

Also I think I have to leave the original indicators in position because "the inside edge of one of the indicators has to be within 400 m/m of the outside of the car"

...I think that means no, but i'll check with the VACC engineers.

Thanks for the link kazbah ....I've sourced a steering wheel off one of Just Jap's half cuts....damn thing (non MOMO) costs $800....he's got a MOMO one for $1200....Mitsubishi has quoted me $2400 for a new MOMO . VICROADS are copping the bill, so they went for the $800 model -cheap bastards wont buy me MOMO (yet) . The EVO wheel looks similar, but for the meantime, I'll stick with the ones I've sourced, but thanks for the effort.

Oh, and if anyone's interested, Mitsubishi in heidelberg just got new computer hardware and software last week which talks with an FTO's electricals.