Keeping It Legal (or why you can’t always)
So many times people ask about ‘if modification X is going to be legal’. This is a surprisingly complicated topic and there’s a lot of aspects to consider. In fact, more than I can actually include even here, but I will try to be comprehensive about it. Legality even varies state to state, and, some things are potentially legal but you’ll still be accused of being unroadworthy. Some things also have a blind eye turned to them so you’re technically illegal but practically it’s fine. Finally, there are some areas for which the only official ruling would come through taking it to court and an interpretation made of the legislation and regulations
I’m also not a lawyer so this does not constitute legal advice. When in doubt, you should consult your local transport authority who have jurisdiction over such matters and/or obtain your own independent legal advice. I’m just a dude with a blog trying to help.
Rules and regulations that govern this stuff
Many of the State standards for modifications fall back on one of two places:
- The Australian Design Rules (the ADRs); or
- Vehicle Standards Bulletin 14 (VSB14), the National Code of Practise (NCOP) for modifying vehicles
State implementations of these rules also vary, including if modifications need to be inspected or even reported to relevant transport departments. Potentially one needs to view both the legislation and regulations as well as Transport Department policies to really drill down on these things, and it can quickly involve dangerous goods related departments as well (e.g. for carrying fuel).
Finally, plenty of things I say here are not legal modifications e.g. going beyond 2″ suspension lift can be done legally if you engage or work with an engineer. I’m mostly using the definition of ‘legal’ as in a ‘without additional paperwork, or with easy paperwork’.
As an aside, you can do everything to keep things legal but the police still have the opportunity to unfairly hit you with an unroadworthy sticker if they decide something is illegal, even if it isn’t by the letter of the law. It’s deeply unfair but it does happen.
Nothing easy in this world… so let’s get right to it.
Sections and recommendations
- Roadworthiness
- Weight
- Suspension, tyre and wheel modifications
- Bodywork / window changes
- Interior changes
- Dimensions, placement and securing of loads
- Lighting changes
- Performance modifications
Recommendations
- Keep the vehicle roadworthy
- Consider how you load and accessorise the vehicle to minimise weight you carry;
- While not a legal limit (though can relate to legalities of safely loading the vehicle), the roof load limit is well worth understanding and considering;
- Keep suspension lifts under 2″;
- Tyre changes smaller than fitting 235/75-15, best off on aftermarket wheels of 6″ or wider;
- Tyres need to be 96N load and speed rated or higher;
- Be prepared for knock-on legality effects of modifications e.g. needing mudflaps after adding a suspension lift;
- Things you might not be aware of need certification e.g. replacement fuel tanks;
- Be aware of fitment positions for driving lights and how they might vary between states e.g. half of vehicle versus all of the roof; and lastly,
- You almost certainly are not legal in some aspect, potentially even with a totally stock vehicle, so don’t navel gaze too much on this topic.
Roadworthiness
This shouldn’t be controversial and I’ll cover the stuff here that might be overlooked.
There are the obvious parts to roadworthiness: tyres have sufficient tread all the way across them, no oil or other fluid leaks, car doesn’t produce excessive noise or any smoke. While it does slightly vary from state to state, this info guideline on roadworthy inspections from Victoria is a good one to go through if you want to know the details of what is looked at.
There are also other things people forget:
- You need a working horn;
- Your wiper blades need to be in good condition and the wiper motor and washer(s) need to operate;
- Seat fabric needs to be intact; and,
- Head lining fabric needs to be attached and not drooping down.
On the topic of tyres: just to dispell a myth, you do not require a spare wheel or tyre to be roadworthy. Yep! This is super common but ultimately a working and functional spare tyre is not a roadworthy requirement in any state or territory despite how much some people will yell about it. It isn’t even a requirement in the ADRs to provide anything, though most manufacturers who don’t give a spare tyre at least give you some kind of tyre repair stuff. Is it a good idea to have a functional spare? Definitely. It isn’t illegal though.
Weight
An area people often either insufficiently consider with a Jimny or overly think about compared to most 4wds, weight is a very definitive area of legality. There are more aspects than total vehicle weight to consider here, though.
I have a bit of a writeup on understanding GVM and how to make choices to be a bit more weight conscious.
Payload
There’s multiple aspects to payload to understand. We’ll start with a completely standard car: a generation 4 3 door Jimny has a maximum vehicle mass (a GVM – gross vehicle mass) of 1435 kg, and a 5 door 1545 kg. Easy peasy, that’s the maximum weight the car can be on the road. The real question is, though, what does that mean I can fit in the car? For that it gets a bit trickier unless you are prepared to weigh your car fully fuelled with you in it and all your accessories fitted. You need to consider the payload i.e. what amount of stuff (including fuel and you as the driver) you can have in the car and still be legal.
I have based this table off the official compliance figures provided by ROVER. Note that automatic transmissions are specified to weigh differently in the 3 and 5 doors but they do weigh and have the same stuff. Autos are +15 kg on the base weight, and the 5 door is +102 kg over a 3 door. Lites nominally weigh the same as a 3 door but the wheels are a little heavier and the rest of the equipment can’t save more than a kg or two. Note that tare weights in Australia in ROVER are measured with 10 L of fuel, so need to account for 30 L (20 kg) of fuel to obtain the actual kerb weight.
| 3 door Aus compliance (VTA-049434), manual | 3 door Aus compliance (VTA-049434), auto | 5 door XL Aus compliance (VTA-061645), manual | 5 door XL Aus compliance (VTA-061645), auto | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tare weight | 1075 kg | 1090 kg | 1177 kg | 1192 kg |
| Kerb weight (tare + 30L fuel) | 1095 kg | 1110 kg | 1197 kg | 1212 kg |
| GVM | 1435 kg | 1435 kg | 1545 kg | 1545 kg |
| Payload with full fuel | 340 kg | 325 kg | 348 kg | 333 kg |
Ultimately to keep it legal, you + accessories fitted to the car + anyone else in the car + towbar down weight (talked about later) + any luggage/gear you’re carrying in the car needs to be below the ‘payload with full fuel’ number to be fully legal from a gross vehicle mass angle.
GVM upgrades
You can, however, obtain a GVM upgrade for 3 doors (as of writing this in July 2024, it’s not available for a 5 door). This increases your GVM to either 1785 kg (through Ironman) or 1800 kg (through Tough Dog or TJM) and hence also increases your available payload.
I have based this table off the official compliance figures provided by ROVER. Note that automatic transmissions are specified to weigh differently in the 3 and 5 doors but they do weigh and have the same stuff. Autos are +15 kg on the base weight, and the 5 door is +102 kg over a 3 door. Lites nominally weigh the same as a 3 door but the wheels are a little heavier and the rest of the equipment can’t save more than a kg or two. Note that tare weights in Australia in ROVER are measured with 10 L of fuel, so need to account for 30 L (20 kg) of fuel to obtain the actual kerb weight.
| 3 door Aus GVM upgrade through Ironman, manual | 3 door Aus GVM upgrade through Ironman, auto | 3 door Aus GVM upgrade through Tough Dog or TJM, manual | 3 door Aus GVM upgrade through Tough Dog or TJM, manual | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tare weight | 1075 kg | 1090 kg | 1075 kg | 1090 kg |
| Kerb weight (tare + 30L fuel) | 1095 kg | 1110 kg | 1095 kg | 1110 kg |
| GVM | 1785 kg | 1785 kg | 1800 kg | 1800 kg |
| Payload with full fuel | 690 kg | 675 kg | 705 kg | 690 kg |
Axle load limits
There is another catch to maximum weight though and that is the maximum load on each axle which is outside of the total mass limit.
| 3 door, as standard | 3 door, Ironman GVM | 3 door, Tough Dog/TJM GVM | 5 door, as standard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front | 680 kg | 800 kg | 800 kg | 765 kg |
| Rear | 880 kg | 1100 kg | 1100 kg | 880 kg |
Yep, another thing to consider! Way more people forget about this one. This is often an issue with bullbars and winches, especially if you go for the heaviest of those options.
You’ll note that the sum of the permissable axle loads exceeds the GVM for both standard and upgraded cars. 3 doors sum to 1560 kg (125 kg over GVM), 3 door GVM upgraded cars 1900 kg (100 – 115 kg over GVM) and 5 doors 1645 kg (100 kg over GVM). This raises an interesting additional option for inreasing the total allowable mass.
Queensland only GVM upgrade
(This might apply to the 5 door, but I don’t know anyone that’s had it done yet).
There’s a little known thing which is Queensland only, and that is re-rating the vehicle’s GVM to match the sum of the axle load limits, so long as the new limit isn’t greater than 10% of the original GVM. This lets you go from 1435 kg for a 3 door to 1560 kg (125 kg greater payload), and would let you go to 1645 kg (100 kg greater payload) for the 5 door. This does require a suspension upgrade to be performed and needs to be signed off by a licenced engineer, but it is another route to gaining payload increases to the car.
Note that it doesn’t change the original axle load limits so you still need to comply with the original axle load limits. Thus it might not help you for an overly heavy bullbar or winch arrangement, but could be meaningful for what you carry when you go camping alongside having a bullbar and winch fitted to the car.
Roof load limits – weight
This is trickier as it’s not explicitly a legality aspect with a direct law. I’ve dedicated a whole article to Jimny roof load limit(s), but ultimately Suzuki Australia and also Suzuki Queensland recommend 30 kg as the roof load limit for the Jimny.
There is a catchall with this, however, in the various regulations implementing vehicle rules across Australia, in that you are not allowed to load a vehicle to make it ‘unstable or unsafe’. Examples of a couple of regulation implementations of this are provided below as proof:
(2) A load on a vehicle must not be placed in a way that makes the vehicle unstable or unsafe.
Western Australia: Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014 – Reg 187
(1) A load on a vehicle or a trailer must not be placed in a way making the vehicle unstable or unsafe.
New South Wales: Road Transport (General) Regulation 2021 – Reg 66
While it isn’t direct proof, an argument could be made that exeeding a roof load limit set by a manufacturer on stability grounds (such as the Jimny’s roof load limit) would place culpability on the person loading it. It’s probably more of a consideration around insurance rather than legality, given it would require the interpretation that it made the vehicle unstable or unsafe compared to what it would have been – and a tall, narrow 4wd with a high centre of gravity could be argued to already be unstable.
Suspension, tyre and wheel modifications
This is the area probably most commonly asked about ‘keeping it legal’ and the answer is… it’s kinda not totally clear. A change here could also invalidate prior modifications to keep something legal.
Maximum lift height
This varies state by state, and note that it can be done through a combination of suspension and tyre diameter changes. In an attempt to be helpful, I’ve compiled it state by state for cars with stability control (as the that’s what counts for a JB74/JC74). Ultimately different states either follow VSB14 strictly (and use a 50 mm overall roof height change as the limit) or they interpret it more liberally (giving you 2″ / 50 mm in suspension and 1″ / 25 mm via tyre diameter change).
| State | Max suspension lift | Max tyre lift |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | 2″ / 50 mm | 1″ / 25 mm |
| New South Wales | 2″ / 50 mm | 1″ / 25 mm |
| ACT | 2″ (but max overall lift 50 mm) | 1″ / 25 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) |
| Victoria | 2″ / 50 mm | 1″ / 25 mm |
| Tasmania | 2″ / 50 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) | 1″ / 25 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) |
| South Australia | 2″ / 50 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) | 1″ / 25 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) |
| Western Australia | 2″ / 50 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) | 1″ / 25 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) |
| Northern Territory | 2″ / 50 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) | 1″ / 25 mm (but max overall lift 50 mm) |
| Other external territories | Look, if you’ve got a Jimny on – Christmas Island – Cocos (Keeling) Islands – Antarctica | … then get in touch (but probably by default VSB14 applies) |
Given ~77% of Australia’s population lives in Victoria, NSW or Queensland, so for the vast majority of Australians their legality here is 2″ suspension lift, 1″ via tyres (so a maximum lift of 75 mm) There’s around a quarter of Australians, though, for which they are only allowed to lift the car a maximum of 50 mm via a combination of either suspension or tyres.
Note that the diameter change for a tyre is double the lift provided, so a suspension lift of 25 mm comes from a tyre diameter change that is 50 mm. The factory Jimny tyre size of 195/80-15 is 693 mm diameter (27.3″), allowing up to a 743 mm diameter (29.25″) tyre. The maximum standard sizing for that is either 235/75-15 or 205R16, both of which are 734 mm overall diameter. Another option would be 235/70-16, netting you 737 mm overall diameter.
Extended brake lines
Something that is required for some lifts (generally 50 mm or later, but it actually depends on the droop of the lift) is extending one or more brake lines. People then get caught up in wanting to ensure their brake lines are ‘ADR compliant’, but for the past while this has ceased to be meaningful. Instead, it is all covered under ADR 42, the general safety requirements:
10. Brake Hose and brake Tubing
ADR 42/05 – General Safety Requirements 2018
10.1. Flexible hydraulic brake hoses, air and vacuum brake tubing, air and vacuum hose, and flexible and hydraulic power hose, between the ‘Brake Power Unit 31/00’ or ‘Brake Power Unit 35/…’ and the master cylinder or its equivalent must:
(a) conform to any edition of the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 106 (49.CFR.571.106 – Brake Hoses) in force between 1 October 2010 and the commencement of this rule, or to an applicable SA, SAE, BS, JIS, DIN, ISO or UN standard for flexible brake hoses, air brake tubing or hose, vacuum brake tubing or hose, or hydraulic power tubing or hose, current between 1 January 2005 and the commencement of this rule;[1] and
(b) be fitted/routed so as to prevent chafing, kinking or other mechanical damage under normal motion of the moving vehicle parts.
That’s it. They need to be fitted so they won’t chafe or get pulled or kinked or suffer damage, and they need to meet one of a bunch of standards. Braided brake hoses meet these requirements (depending on manufacturing methods) as do rubber lines (again, depending on manufacturing, usually around crimp fittings). If in doubt then check with the supplier of your additional brake lines as to what standards they conform to.
Tyre changes and wheel implications
In addition to the maximum lift requirements, there are other changes that need to be considered around tyre changes and how that all is or isn’t legal.
Is it legal with my GVM upgrade?
Super common question and actually kinda hard to get a definitive answer on. Pre-rego GVM upgraded cars are generally regarded as being bound by their approval paperwork and that is predicated entirely on stock tyre sizes. Thus it might be seen that . On the flipside to that argument, since they are ‘born’ taller, they’re not necessarily different to a stock car and so one reading of VSB14 would be that you can do the 50 mm diameter increase and still be ok. Emails from both Ironman and Tough Dog that various people in FB groups have received definitely indicate that the manufacturers think that pre-rego the GVM upgrade is bound to sticking to the stock tyres.
Post rego is a matter of engineering signoff as part of the approval process. Many engineers are happy to go with the no more than 7% or 50 mm diameter increase as per VSB14. This change is easily signed off without further paperwork, and so you’re potentially ok with a post rego GVM upgrade with larger tyres assuming they are signed off at the time of fitment.
If you don’t have a GVM upgrade but do engineering suspension upgrades then your engineering is going to be the best person to advise of legality, but you potentially have a little more scope than just trying to stick to ‘what’s legal without doing any further paperwork’.
Tyre to rim fitment considerations
Once you want to go bigger tyres you need to think about the rim fitment. Some people have had issues with tyre fitments beyond 215 section tyres to standard Jimny wheels, usually as tyre shops will say the fitment is illegal. The relevant ADR here is ADR42 (general safety requirements), current in force version is revision 5. Where this gets tricky is that the ADR does not specify rim fitment requirements for non passenger cars:
Other than L-Group vehicles
19.2.1. All ‘Rims’ normally fitted to the vehicle must be suitable for the vehicle model/type, particularly with respect to their dimensions, speed and load performance characteristics.
19.2.2. For category MA vehicles (passenger cars), the rims fitted must comply with those listed for the tyre size designation in:
(a) ISO 4000-1:2015 (Passenger car tyres and rims Part 1: Tyres (metric series)); or
(b) the Tyre and Rim Association of Australia Standards Manual – 2018 edition; or
(c) the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation Standards Manual – 2018 edition; or
(d) the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, Inc. Year Book – 2018 edition; or
(e) the US Tyre and Rim Association, Inc. Year Book – 2018 edition
ADR 42/05: General Safety Requirements, section 19.2
In addition to the older ADR 42 standard, the ADR for Passenger Car Tyres (ADR 23) also then applies ADR 95 to ‘new model vehicles’ after 1 July 2019.
3.1 The circumstances under which vehicles must comply with this standard are set out in the Australian Design Rule 95/… – Installation of Tyres.
ADR 23/03: Passenger Car Tyres.
We then turn our attention to ADR 95.
Applicability
3.1 This vehicle standard applies to all categories of vehicles from the dates set out in clauses 3.1.1 to 3.1.2 and the table under clause 3.4. below.
3.1.1 1 July 2019 for all new model vehicles.
3.1.2 There is no mandatory application date for all other vehicles. They may comply with this vehicle standard, or continue to comply with the Australian Design Rule 42/04 – General Safety Requirements.
3.2 For the purposes of clause 3.1.1, a “new model” is a vehicle model first produced with a ‘Date of manufacture’ on or after the agreed date in that clause.
…
5.2. M-Group and N-Group vehicles
5.2.1. All tyres normally fitted to the vehicle (thus excluding any temporary-use spare unit(s)) must be suitable for the vehicle model/type, particularly with respect to their dimensions, speed and load performance characteristics.
5.2.2. In the case of a vehicle with passenger car tyres, each tyre fitted to the vehicle must comply with the Australian Design Rule 23/… – Passenger Car Tyres.
5.2.3. In the case of a vehicle with light truck or truck/bus (commercial vehicle) tyres, each tyre fitted to the vehicle must comply with the Australian Design Rule 96/… – Commercial Vehicle Tyres.
5.2.4. Manufacturers must not fit tyres that require a cold inflation pressure greater than 825 kPa for radial ply tyres and 700 kPa for other tyres, to achieve the manufacturer’s rated ‘GVM’.
5.2.5. Category MA, MB and MC vehicles, which meet the requirements of Appendix A as varied by Section 6 Exemptions and Alternative Procedures, will be deemed to comply with this rule.
5.2.5.1. References to Regulation No. 30 in Appendix A shall be read as the Australian Design Rule 23/… – Passenger Car Tyres.
5.2.5.2. References to Regulation No. 54 in Appendix A shall be read as the Australian Design Rule 96/… – Commercial Vehicle Tyres.
ADR95/00 Installation of Tyres.
Those regulations also just cover the ways in which compliance can be reached, rather than outright specifying rim and tyre fitments.
A 3 door Jimny was already a model 1 July 2019, so it isn’t mandated to adhere to ADR 95; however, a 5 door Jimny was a new model vehicle after this date and thus does have to adhere to ADR 95. In any case, the Jimny comes fitted with passenger car tyres so has to adhere to passenger car tyre regulations for compliance purpposes.
The ADRs however, as mentioned, only cover the requirements to comply a vehicle in Australia. ADR42 section 19.2 essentially states only “the rims need to be suitable” and doesn’t specify rim to tyre fitment regulations. Various State regulations don’t make the exemption around the requirement for fitments to conform to various tyre and rim guidelines, for example:
Tyres fitted to your vehicle must meet the construction standards set out in Australian Design Rules (ADR) 23. In addition to complying with ADRs, vehicles registered in NSW must be fitted with wheels and tyres that conform to dimensional standards specified in the Tyre and Rim
NSW VSI.09: Revision 5 – Guidelines for alternative wheels and tyres
Association of Australia’s latest annual ‘Standards Manual’ publications, and meet other
applicable rules of the ‘Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2017’.
Thus while it isn’t against the ADRs to fit any tyre to any rim, practically State requirements do require you to fit against either the Australian ‘Tyre and Rim’ bible or, in many cases, equivalent international sources. An example of this would be the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation standards (ETRTO), and it specifies the following rim fitments for tyres of a profile similar to what a Jimny would run:
Ultimately it’s recommended to go for a 6″ or wider wheel for a 225 or greater section tyre under all of the international standards for tyre to rim fitment. It’s ultimately not against the ADRs to fit tyres to rims outside of this but it is generally against the relevant State modification regulations which are what you also need to adhere to.
In general it would take a picky police officer or roadworthy inspector to notice this; practically it comes up mostly when people go to a tyre shop and ask to fit (say) 235s to stock 5.5″ wide Jimny wheels. To cover themselves against potentially supplying or fitting something that might be illegal, tyre shops may well knock you back for not adhering to the fitment regulations.
Maximum wheel dimensions: width
I’m breaking this into its down sub-section as there’s some considerations here to make if you do go down the path of changing rim sizes to fit wider tyres to your Jimny. Note that you can’t fit narrower wheels to cars in Australia without engineering, for starters.
There are maximum wheel width increases for some jurisdictions. NSW, for instance, only allows up to a 25 mm (1″) increase in wheel width.
Replacement of wheels where the rim width exceeds the largest wheel combination specified by the manufacturer by greater than 25 mm.
NSW VSI.06: Light Vehicle Modifications.
Example requiring certification:
• Fitting a wheel with a width of greater than 225 mm, when the greatest wheel width specified by the manufacturer is 195 mm.
Example not requiring certification:
• Fitting a wheel with a width of 205 mm, when the greatest wheel width specified by the manufacturer is 195 mm.
Tip: Refer to VSI No.9 Guidelines for alternative wheels and tyres for more information.
All other jurisdictions fall back on the requirements in VSB14 Section LS, where the maximum tyre size increase for off-road vehicles is 1.5x the original fitment tyres. For a Jimny that means you can fit up to 285 section tyres, and this means a rim fitment of 10″ is allowable. This is in contrast to older regulations where you might have been limited by the original rim fitment. Note that rim fitments are also required to adhere to relevant tyre to rim standards so, again, going beyond a 215 section tyre on a Jimny would appear to require a 6″ or wider rim.
Wheels and tyres are required to be fully contained within the mudguards, so wide wheels and/or aggressive wheel offsets potentially will require extensions to the factory arches to be fully legal.
So, in short:
- In NSW you technically are limited to a maximum rim width of 6.5″ (+1″ on standard)
- In other States and Territories you can go all the way up to a 10″ wide rim and a 285 section tyre, assuming wheels are covered by wheel arch extensions, but the tyre and rim fitment need to be listed in appropriate standards
Maximum wheel dimensions: offset changes
This one gets people as they confuse track width with the maximum width to the outside of the wheel. The track width is measured at the centre of the wheel, and to understand changes in track width you only need to look at the change in offset between wheels.
Where this gets tricky for people to understand is the rules are written about track width changes, not offset changes. You can’t narrow the track of a vehicle, and you can only increase the track of a 4wd (an MC complianced vehicle – the Jimny is this) 50 mm. This is equivalent to an offset change of 25 mm per side to make the track width wider. The thing is that going ‘wider’ in offset is actually about making the offset more negative.
For a JB74 or JC74 the standard offset is +5, so you can go all of the way to a -20 wheel and meet the no more than 25 mm change per side.
Wheel spacers
Not legal in Australia, since they weren’t fitted by the original manufacturer of the car. Go find wheels with the correct offsets instead.
Other parameters you need to consider with tyres
Load limits
This one is fairly easy: the load limit of the tyre needs to meet or exceed the factory load limit. For those who don’t know, the last part of the tyre specifications on the sidewall carries the load and speed rating for the tyre. The full specification of the factory tyres is 195/80R15 96S, so a load limit of 96 (equates to 710 kg per tyre) applies.
So long as your aftermarket tyres exceeds this then you’re good to go.
Speed limits
Unlike the load limit, you can relax the speed limit requirements. The speed limit is given by the 2nd part of the final part of the tyre specifications: speed limit S is a maximum speed of 180 km/h. Under VSB14 and all the various State and Territory requirements you can relax it down to a speed limit of class N (140 km/h):
The speed rating of the tyres fitted to vehicles with special features for off-road use of at least 140 km/h N when the tyre placard requires a higher speed rating than N
VSB14 Section LS Tyres, rims, suspension and steering
Note that ‘special features for off-road use’ is defined as the parameters for an MC complianced vehicle, so the Jimny is covered here. A lot of mud terrain tyres will be lower speed rated than S rated, so this is a useful exemption.
Speedo requirements
This is a common area of myths. Since 2006, Australian cars require speedos that:
- Do not under-represent the speed that you are going (so they always overread)
- Have some limits on the maximum amount over they can read.
The exact specification the speedo needs to reach is outlined in ADR 18/03, and it is tested at up to 3 actual speeds (40, 80 and 120 km/h, assuming the Jimny is certified to a maximum speed > 150 km/h):
0 ≤ (displayed speed – actual speed) ≤ 0.1 * actual speed + 4 km/h
Basically: it has to be within 10% + up to 4 km/h of the true speed in terms of its overreading. This means when the car is travelling at 110 km/h, the speedo can read up to 10% higher (+11 km/h) and an additional 4 km/h, so up to 125 km/h is within the relevant standard.
Where this interracts with tyre changes is that the car doesn’t know when you have changed tyres. Comparisons with a GPS and the Jimny’s speedo indicates that they tend to display around 105-106 km/h for an actual speed of 100 km/h. This is completely within the specifications, and it means a tyre change in diameter of around 5-6% will result in a speedo which is still compliant as it won’t under-read the actual speed. It just so happens that this means that running 235/75-15 tyres (a change of 5.6% over standard) will probably mean the speedo is pretty much now bang on.
The ADRs do not specify odometer accuracy and in fact like a lot of digital derived speedo cars, the factory odometer reading is pretty much bang on. They fudge the speedo so it doesn’t fall afoul of the ADRs, but they don’t want to overrepresent the distance the car has travelled. While not illegal, it does mean once you fit larger tyres then you’ll find your odometer is now underpresenting how far you’ve travelled (and your car’s reported fuel economy will look worse for the same reason, too).
If, however, you fit reduction gears there could be scenarios where you are no longer in compliance with the speedo reading requirements, rendering the car technically illegal but I’ll revisit that in the relevant section on reduction gearing.
Bodywork / window changes
Mudguards
This is actually something where it looks like Jimnys aren’t totally legal prior to delivery even before doing any further modifications, but add bigger tyres and/or a suspension lift and you fall afoul of the ADR42/05 (and State modification equivalents) of requiring mudguards that protect at least 300 mm off the ground for 4wds.
There’s more complexity to the mudguard rules in ADR42/05 around angles of coverage that aren’t totally worth getting into. Some people have been caught out around this aspect when getting GVM upgrades signed off. I’m not sure it’s an oversight or I’m reading it wrong but it does seem like even standard the Jimny’s rear bumper is far enough off the ground that it doesn’t quite meet the 300 mm requirement for mudguards. Add in 2″ lift and some larger tyres and suddenly it is really obvious. (I’m acutely aware of this as I was picked up for this on a roadside roadworthy check as part of a large scale RBT campaign. Consequently I fitted mudflaps to my Jimny…).
Bullbars / front bumpers
This one really riles people up for some instance, and it’s not super easy to get your hands on all of the paperwork for what makes a bullbar or front bumper replacement fully legal. Before any other consideration, it’s worth understanding that bullbars can be heavy (and they vary significantly in weight for the Jimny) so you need to account for such things when working out if you need a GVM upgrade.
After the weight consideration, then there’s a heap of design considerations needed to be taken into account. Bullbars or replacement front bumpers need to adhere to sections 1, 2 and 3.1 of Australian Standard AS 4876.1-2002 Motor vehicle frontal protection systems. While it might be true that replacement bumpers sourced from overseas might meet these requirements, proving it is the harder part. There are also tests conducted based on section 3.2 of that standard which test aspects of pedestrian safety that the bullbars also should conform to. The NSW bullbar guide is actually quite a useful one to go through the different geometric considerations around bullbar legality.
While many manufacturers claim ‘ADR COMPLIANCE’ for their bullbars, what they really mean is they don’t fall afoul of pedestrian and other safety requirements that standard bumpers need to conform to under the ADRs, and also that they meet the relevant Australian Standards and there’s paperwork to prove this. There’s no one set ADR for ‘this is what a compliant bullbar is’ as it’s all held in the relevant Standard.
Rear bars
These are less standardised than bullbars / front bumpers. Rear bars do have some requirements around visibility of things like numberplates, requirements around compliance of lights and the like (plus mudguards/mud flaps to cover wheels) but it is much looser. While some replacement bar manufacturers do like to claim tested for ADR compliance, this comes down to those aspects like lighting and visibility of numberplates, not intricate crash tests to verify airbag compliance (which aren’t even required for modern bullbars, since airbags are usually triggered through accelerometers elsewhere in the car not pressure switches at the front).
If the rear bar includes a towbar component then this towbar does need to meet Australian standards to meet full legality as a towbar though (AS4177.1-2004).
Wheel arch extensions
You would add these if your chosen wheel/tyre fitment ends up poking the wheels past the wheel arches to keep them legal. These are legal to add and quite simple to do so, too; VSB14 (section LH: Body modifications) does not limit the width of these extensions. Maximum protrusions of 150 mm either side (see further down this page) probably does provide an actual legal basis for a limit. All you really need to do to comply with this requirement is:
- Securely fasten them to the car;
- Follow the line of the body of the car; and,
- All edges need a 5 mm radius to them.
Window tinting
Window tinting rules are basically consistent, with the NT allowing for darker rear tinting than other jurisdictions.
| State / territory | Tinted windscreen strip | Front (drivers row) windows | Side windows | Rear window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All but the NT | Greater of: 10% windscreen area or above wiper path | 35% light transmission | 20% light transmission | 20% light transmission |
| NT | Greater of: 10% windscreen area or above wiper path | 35% light transmission | 15% light transmission | 15% light transmission |
It’s also possible to fit privacy glass rearward of the driver’s row of seating, however, this has to be incorporated into glazing changes rather than applied as a tint film.
Replacement glass or windows
This is actually both relatively simple and also kind of complicated. There are a number of compatible standards specified in the appropriate ADR (ADR 08/01), but for simplicity basically it needs to meet European automotive glass requirements. In addition, replacement glass, or replacement windows that incorporate replacement glass, needs to be E-marked and with some other appropriate marking around the glass.
If the replacement glass incorporates darker tinting as part of the glass then you need to consider this with regards to maximum light transmission if you then fit auxiliary tinting film. You can also fit glass that is ‘privacy glass’ i.e. transmits no light assuming that the glass incorporates this tinting into the glass.
Numberplate visibility
This one is interesting as the ADRs and some states essentially just need the plates visible from the front and the back and don’t exactly specify (publicly) what this is. NSW is probably the best reference where plate visibility is covered in documents such as their bullbar design guidelines, and Club4x4 have a good discussion on plate visibility, too.
Probably best therefore to ensure you do match the NSW requirements around elevated visibility. This could be a problem for wider spares or excessively deep rear wheel bags as the factory plate location is quite deep in the bumper (but just barely makes the 45º requirement for vertical visibility!).
Folding numberplates for winching
This one is another common one and is probably something that could count as illegal. Rather than going through every State’s regulations, I’ll just quote a couple:
119. Number plate to be fixed on vehicle
Western Australia: Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014
(1) A responsible person for, or a person in charge of, a vehicle must ensure that each number plate issued for the vehicle by the CEO or a corresponding authority is rigidly fixed to the vehicle, kept rigidly fixed to the vehicle and displayed in accordance with the applicable provisions of subregulations (2), (3) and (4).
Penalty:
(a) for a first offence, a fine of 4 PU;
(b) for a subsequent offence, a fine of 8 PU.
Modified penalty: 2 PU.
Subdivision 3
New South Wales: Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2017
Use of number-plates
25 Display of number-plates (cf 2007 reg Sch 2 cl 61)
(1) The vehicle number-plate issued by Transport for NSW for a vehicle must be permanently affixed to the vehicle so that (assuming the vehicle to be on level ground)—
(a) the number-plate is at all times—
(i) in an upright position that is substantially parallel to the vehicle’s axles, and
(ii) not more than 1.3 metres above ground level…
Both of those regulations talk about it either being fixed or permanently displayed in a vertical/upright position, which rules out foldable plates. Assuming that the folding plate mount is stiff enough that the plate cannot lift up when driving you’re probably ok, and you definitely don’t want plates that are controlled from the driver’s position to fold up. A safety measure might be mounting it with some quick release pins at the bottom to stop it folding back when on the road: then it would be definitely fixed in place from a legal perspective.
Related: in a lot of jurisdictions, if you have different sized numberplates, the rear numberplate has to be the bigger of the two numberplates:
(g) in the case of a motor vehicle for which number-plates of different sizes are issued—the larger of the number-plates is affixed to the rear of the vehicle.
New South Wales: Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2017
If you are relocating numberplates or, say, fitting an aftermarket rear bar then you need to ensure that the numberplate is illuminated when the headlights are on. Other than that, there’s some visibility requirements that you need to consider if you are relocating plates, and, some jurisdictions don’t like numberplates mounted to one side of the vehicle.
Fuel tank changes
There are legal requirements here requiring certification. You also need to consider if the exhaust modifications will still allow your car to be legal (and basically all the replacement tanks, or the auxiliary tanks, require this).
The reason for requiring inspection is twofold:
a) To inspect the tank for integrity and ensuring it still meets all requirements around ground clearance and clearance to components, plus the vapour emissions capture requirements; but also,
b) As it changes the base (tare) weight of the vehicle, along with the kerb weight of the vehicle. Recall that the tare weight is the car + 10L of fuel; a larger fuel tank is likely heavier so although it contains the same amount of fuel at the tare measuring point, the car’s base weight will be heavier. In addition, the kerb weight will change as there will be the greater tare weight, plus the weight of the additional fuel to consider.
| State | Requires modification plate or inspection to be legal? |
|---|---|
| Queensland | Yes: The Queensland Light Vehicle Modification Handbook refers back to VSB14, section LM 1.2 MODIFICATIONS THAT MAY BE CERTIFIED The following modifications may be performed under the Section LM Codes: * Fitting an additional or replacement fuel tank and associated componentry; |
| New South Wales | Yes: Fitting/adding an alternative fuel tank or repositioning an existing fuel tank to non-original mounting points. Example requiring certification: * Fitting an alternative fuel tank or repositioning of an existing fuel tank to non-original mounting points. |
| Australian Capital Territory | Yes: the relevant documentation also refers back to VSB14, section LM |
| Victoria | Yes: Inspection needed as replacement Jimny tanks don’t fall under section 1.1 or 4 for VSB14, section LM |
| Tasmania | Yes: refers you to VSB14 for what is required to be inspected (and replacement tanks does include that) Modifications will need to be inspected and certified at an AVCAIS if it changes: – The performance of the vehicle – The vehicle in a way that makes it no longer comply with Australian Vehicle Standards |
| South Australia | Most likely requires inspection, especially as the vapour emissions system needs to be maintained: For vehicles manufactured on or after 1st July 1976 the ADR requirements for evaporative emission controls must be met, including: – All fittings and devices fitted to the fuel tank by the vehicle manufacturer must be retained or duplicated and operate correctly. – The fuel tank and filler shall be arranged so that any overflow or leakage of fuel cannot accumulate or contact the exhaust or electrical systems. – Fuel tanks fitted to the vehicle are normally required to be filled and vented externally. – If a filler inlet is located inside a vehicle, it must not be inside the passenger compartment and the inlet must be separately sealed from the rest of the vehicle to ensure fumes or spilled fuel cannot enter the passenger cabin. – There must be no lights or electrical wiring in the area where the fuel filler is located. – The minimum ground clearance of 100mm must be retained. |
| Western Australia | Simple modification only – notify WA DoT, and installer (must be approved) must complete VSB14 checklist LM1: Fitment of aftermarket fuel tanks. (LM1 checklist required) The following National Code of Practice VSB14 checklists must be supplied at time of inspection. The checklists must be completed and signed by the holder of a Motor Vehicle Repairers Certificate or a DoT automotive consultant. * LM1: Fuel tank alterations. |
| Northern Territory | Yes: Requires assessment and approval at a Government inspection facility: Basic modifications are modifications that do not affect the level of safety, strength and reliability of vehicle systems, and may be assessed and approved at a government inspection facility. In most cases you don’t need to submit a written application or apply to the technical advisory committee. Some modifications that require certification under the code may also be assessed as a basic modification. Common examples of this can include: … replacement fuel tanks/cells |
These inspections are not usually onerous and I doubt you’d be picked up for doing a DIY tank install and not declaring it, but formally the car is required to be inspected when you change the fuel tank for a different one.
Interior changes
Removing seats
Commonly this gets asked but in most jurisdictions, seat removal is a modification of the car that requires certification and an inspection process.
1.2 MODIFICATIONS REQUIRING CERTIFICATION UNDER LK CODES
VSB14 Section LK Seating and Occupant Protection
The following modifications require certification under the LK Codes:
Fitting complying seating to complying seat anchorages;
Fitting complying seatbelts to complying seatbelt anchorages;
Fitting complying child restraint anchorages;
Reduction in Seating Capacity; and
Fitting roll-bars, roll-cages and other types of ROPS.
Not only do seats need to be removed, but they also need to have the seatbelts for those positions removed while still retaining the seatbelt pretensioner system for the rest of the car. This could be achieved by either a) putting the seatbelts behind the panels and wrapped up securely, or b) removing them and then adding in a resistor to fool the pretensioner system to think there is still a seatbelt there.
In some jurisdictions, such as Queensland, it is possible to be legal if you are ‘temporarily’ removing seats. Generally this is taken to mean you have removed a seat that does not require a tool for removal for a temporary reason; but even unbolting them temporarily counts, too. Quoting the Queensland Govt here:
If a change is classed as permanent, it is a modification and must be certified by an Approved Person (AP). However, if the seating is only changed for a short period, it may be classed as temporary and is not classed as a modification. But how do you know what is temporary and permanent?
Queensland Govt: Vehicle Standards Instruction – permanent and temporary removal of seats from light vehicles
The key question that needs to be answered when assessing the removal of seats is whether the vehicle is permanently modified (the seats are removed for an indefinite period or are not expected to be refitted) or has it just been reconfigured in accordance with the manufacturers various options
So it really depends on how permanent it is likely to be viewed. Building a platform over where the seats were and have them out of the car without ever really wanting to put them back? Probably not a likely story and will be deemed unroadworthy or require an inspection and a mod plate. Building a platform over seats folded down is likely ok, if the seats are still in the car in any case.
Other states are less lenient. For other cars with additional seating that can be removed without tools then you’re probably ok, but otherwise formally removal of seats and changing the capacity is generally going to be illegal without certification. Leaving the seatbelts in the car, however, is often enough for Police to not question the modification further, but there are no guarantees around this. Once they’re removed they are removed until refitted and the car isn’t legal without an inspection/certification/mod plating.
Fitting aftermarket seats
This is another thing where certification is required, and is covered by VSB14. A key element to consider is this point:
the safety features of the seat are not downgraded (e.g. seats fitted with side airbags are
VSB14 Section LK Seating and Occupant Protection
not replaced with seats that do not have this feature or are not compatible with the parent
vehicle safety systems).
i.e. you need to retain in-seat airbags to remain legal. Given all Jimnys come with in-seat airbags in Australia (at the point of writing: maybe one day we’ll get the lower cost commercial van version which doesn’t have them) then you need to fit aftermarket seats that have airbags that are compatible with the Jimny’s airbag system.
No easily bunging in cheap seats from another car, especially unless they have airbags. In addition, speaking to an engineer (who didn’t want to be directly quoted), the seats would need to retain fold-forward ability if you are keeping it as a 4 seater.
Aftermarket seats are available with in-seat airbags and that fold forwards but they are not cheap.
Dimensions, placement and securing of loads
Widths and protrusions
This is something that can get people with bulky/large awnings especially if they are secured to a roof platform wider than the roof itself. Protrusions are only allowed to be 150 mm either side of the maximum width of the car. Note that maximum width of the car does not include the mirrors, but it does include the factory wheel arches as well as the main bodywork. As it turns out, the mirrors in their normal folded-out positions are pretty much exactly on the 150 mm limit.
Where this can catch people out are a) awnings or b) extended arches to fit wider tyres (since wheels/tyres can’t protrude beyond the guards). From the gutter to the maximum width points is only 263 mm and, by definition, is only 150 mm from either side of the rear guards (as they’re the limiting factor).
Front and rear overhangs
Front overhang in Australia is easy, for the past few years it has been harmonised at 1.2 m in front of the headlights.
Rear overhang is trickier and what most people get wrong. It is 60% of the wheelbase of the car, but it is measured from the centre of the rear axle. 3 doors can have loads extending 1.35 m (60% * 2250 mm) behind the centre of the rear axle, and 5 doors 1.554 m (60% * 2590 mm) behind the same point due to their longer wheelbase.
Note that this is most likely going to catch out people at the back of the car. Bike racks off the towbar or big things hanging off the spare tyre can definitely be a problem. Another issue can be long things like kayaks or surfboards: they could end up hanging too far off the back when they need to be more forwards from a legality perspective.
Practically, a 3 door can only have something sticking 670 mm past the factory spare tyre (let alone a wider spare!) which doesn’t give much rear overhang beyond the car. The 5 door can be more generous, allowing about 870 mm extra past the factory spare tyre.
The absolute maximum length for something you carry, based on my scale drawings out of Suzuki sales brochures, is about 5.3 m for the 3 door and 5.9 m for the 5 door (since you have gained 39 cm directly from the wheelbase increase plus the 20 cm extra allowance behind the rear axle, too).
Restraints and securing loads to or in the car
Speaking of loading the car especially on the roof: another aspect people forget is that related to the regulations about not loading a car so it is unstable or unsafe also contain reference to the National Transport Commission’s Load Restraint Guide. Not following this guide is viewed as prima facie evidence that your vehicle was loaded in an unsafe manner or in a way as to be unstable.
Without going into a huge amount of details, really this boils down to the facts that you need to ensure that you have sufficiently strong (and provably strong) straps that appropriately secure loads to your vehicle, and any mounting system is adequately constructed to hold loads attached to it and remain attached to the car.
Another part that often comes up in discussions like these is around the carrying of fuel or other potentially hazardous goods. Although a lot of people are quick to claim it is illegal to, say, carry fuel on the back of the vehicle, this is actually less clear than people think. It is not explicitly called out in any legislation, other than around safely carrying goods. (Note: the volume of petrol carried in jerrycans is insufficient to render it a ‘dangerous good’). Victoria, for instance, direct you towards WorkSafe and the hazards around jerrycans, but they do not at all mention transporting petrol outside of an area where it might get damaged in an impact (but they do mention transporting it in a ventilated area, which implies outside of the vehicle, though out of sunlight which is hard outside of a vehicle…):
Transport portable fuel containers in a secured and upright position, away from heat sources, such as the sun, in a well ventilated space.
Victorian Government: Filling portable fuel containers with flammable liquids at service stations
Note that fuel containers do have relevant Australian standards they need to meet (AS/NZS 2906-2001) so you should ensure that containers you use to carry fuel meet this standard. Ones sold in Australia should definitely meet this, though ones sourced from overseas may not meet it.
Towing things
There are a couple of towing limitations for the Jimny. First off, gen 4 Jimnys in Australia at the point of writing this article (middle of 2024) have the following 3 key specifications around towing:
- Braked towing limit: 1300 kg (compliance data for 3 and 5 door cars)
- Unbraked towing limit: 350 kg (ditto)
- Maximum towbar downweight: 75 kg (owners manuals)
Towbars do need to be certified as passing through the relevant Australian standard (AS4177.1-2004) and amendments to this standard.
You will need to check with your towbar supplier, however, an Australian compliant towbar will have a compliance sticker on it or somewhere on the car (e.g. in the drivers door jam) which will specify the weight limits. Note all these weight limits includes the weight of the trailer i.e. the 350 kg unbraked trailer limit includes the weight of the trailer (which might be 200 kg unlaiden). You also need to take into account the ball weight in terms of the GVM calculations mentioned above: if you are towing at 75 kg ball weight with a non GVM upgraded car then you’ll have a limited payload in the car itself once this 75 kg is taken out.
The maximum towing limit (both braked and unbraked) for the car is specified in the compliance data for the car, though it is possible for towbar manufacturers to de-rate a towbar to lower than the manufacturer’s towing limits. On the flipside a towbar manufacturer cannot specify higher limits than the compliance data, unless it is part of a second-stage manufacturer process since they are fixed maximums in the compliance data.
Although some older cars (and even some current cars) have a ‘gross combination mass’ (GCM) specified as part of their compliance data, the Jimny is a car where the maximum tow weight is specified along with the gross vehicle mass, and no GCM is specified. This means that even a GVM upgraded car can still tow 1300 kg of weight (assuming a braked trailer). People will argue with me, but if you check the GVM paperwork for the 3 SSM pre-rego GVM upgrades you will see they all still list 1300 kg maximum braked towing capacity (and 350 kg unbraked).
If the car specified a GCM then it would be different: that number isn’t changed in most GVM upgrade processes and so the maximum towing amount would reduce. Since the compliance information doesn’t contain a GCM but does contain a maximum towing weight plus a vehicle maximum weight then you are still able to tow a full 1300 kg with a GVM upgraded car.
Lighting changes
Additional light(s)
Where can you fit driving lights?
This is another thing which varies state by state, though usually only subtle differences.
- ACT
Can be fitted to the roof or other elevated part of the vehicle
Must not create glare from reflections off bonnet/bullbar or other parts of the vehicle
Must be mounted symmetrically about the vehicle
No more than 4 additional lights: a light bar counts as one lamp, unless parts of it can be switched individually - New South Wales
Need to be mounted rearward of the front of bullbar or bumper bar i.e. cannot protrude forwards
Cannot obstruct the drivers vision, in particular they need to ensure that the driver can see the road 11 m ahead
Pairs of lights need to be fitted symmetrically about the centre of a vehicle and light bars need to be mounted to the centre of the vehicle
Must not produce reflective glare off surfaces like bonnet or bullbar
Maximum of 4 lights - Northern Territory
Maximum of 4 main beam headlamps i.e. for the Jimny with 2 existing headlights then only 2 additional driving lights; exemptions can be granted for up to 8 driving lights, however.
Must be mounted symmetrically about the centre of the vehicle
Can’t block the drivers view or potentially injury pedestrians in an accident
Can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle - Queensland
Must not be placed in the drivers sight lines
Can be fitted to the roof, so long as they are fitted to the front half of the vehicle (w.r.t. total length)
Must be placed symmetrically about the centre of the vehicle
Must not create glare back to the driver - South Australia
Additional four lights are allowed, and must be fitted symmetrically about the centre of the vehicle
Lights need to be mounted to the front of the vehicle
Lights need to adhere to ADR light marking requirements i.e. be ‘E-marked’ (more on this a bit later on about replacement lights) - Tasmania
Can be fitted on the roof on the front half of the car (defined as half the total length)
Maximum of 4 lights
Symmetrically mounted about the centre
Cannot be above bullbars or bonnets and obscure driver’s vision
No glare from any reflections - Victoria
All lights must be fitted either symmetrically about the centreline of the vehicle (if pairs of lights) or centred on the vehicle (for a single light/light bar).
Maximum of 4 lights can be fitted
Must be fitted below the bonnet line or top of a bullbar if fitted to the front of the vehicle
Must not produce reflective glare to dazzle the driver, and cannot obstruct the driver’s view of the road - Western Australia
Can be fitted anywhere along the roof of a vehicle
Cannot be fitted above the bonnet line/top of a bullbar
Must not dazzle driver with reflections
Must be fitted symmetrically about the centreline of the vehicle
Cannot obstruct or interfere with any other lights fitted to the vehicle
Maximum of four lights can be fitted
Switching requirements for driving lights
All states have a requirement that driving lights are only able to be operated with the high (‘main’) beam lights on only. Some states also require them to be separately switched to the headlights i.e. you can have high beam without driving lights, or you can also turn the driving lights on while the high beam lights are on. If you want to do this neatly for Jimnys with LED headlights you’ll probably want to see my writeup on piggyback adapters to pull out a high beam signal from the 6 pin headlight connectors. That will give you a wire to pull into the cabin to put as an input to any aftermarket switch in the dashboard to let you neatly switch them on and off, and also ensure they only work with high beam on.
Work lights versus driving lights
Work lights are lights designed for temporary use for additional illumination, especially obstacles and things like that offroad. This includes things like rotatable spot lights for hunting purposes. These can be installed anywhere, though in some jurisdictions they have to be below the driver’s eyeline. They do not need to be switchable on and off with high beam, but they generally would not be used for driving on the road and doing so might make the police regard them as driving lights. Explicitly, you are not to use work lights to dazzle, or even if they potentially would dazzle, other road users.
Work lights need to be switchable, and they must be placed so that they won’t injure pedestrians in accidents and are securely fixed to the vehicle.
Rock lights/under body lights
(Coloured) Underbody lights are strictly prohibited in most jurisdictions, though the most obvious is South Australia via the following wording:
Coloured under-car neons lighting systems are not approved. A vehicle can not show coloured light other than what is specified in the Road Traffic (Light Vehicle Standards) Rules 2018, and the Australian Design Rules.
South Australian vehicle modificiations webpage, accessed July 2024
Non coloured underbody lights would come under the definition of a work light, though when driving you would need to ensure you aren’t displaying white light to the rear, etc.
Daytime running lights or illuminated badges/grilles
Daytime running lamps are covered by ADR 76/00, where essentially DRLs need to be:
- Fitted to the front of the vehicle
- White in colour
- Not over a certain brightness in certain directions
- Marked with an E-mark, plus RL and Y for interdependent lights
- Need to be within 400 mm of the sides of the vehicle
- Above 250 mm off the ground, and < 1.5 m off the ground
- Some states require a maximum of 2 DRLs, though this seems rarely enforced
Illuminated badges and grilles are deemed to be separate to lamps under ADR13, so they are less restricted than other types of lights. Aftermarket ones might be deemed separate to optional factory illuminated grilles/badges so it is worth checking with a traffic authority in your state before committing to this mod, though!
Fog light regulations
Before we move onto other lights, it’s worth also touching on the use of fog lights. This is important to understand with GLX Jimnys that have both DRL and fog lights in the same housing; some Jimny owners have been accused of having their fog lights on in clear conditions when it is, in fact, the DRLs.
Fog lights can only be used in any Australian jurisdiction during fog or other weather causing lower visibility than normal. Using them outside of this is an offence; however, DRLs are allowed to be used. It’s important to understand the difference and be able to demonstrate the fog lights being separate to the DRLs in the Jimny via the control on the light stalk for the fog lights.
Since I have fitted yellow fog light globes to the fog light part of my lights & cool white LEDs as the DRL globes, it’s a bit more obvious with my car.
Replacing factory lights
If you are going to go down the route of replacing lights on the Jimny then it’s important to familise yourself with compliant lights/light housings.
While there’s a number of factors that come into it, the simplest way to explain it is that lights need to be marked with an approval mark: the so-called E mark, which is a European marking standard and includes a number next to an E inside a circle. The number relates to which country approved the light. Essentially if you have that then you have ADR compliant lights and you’ll be fine with replacement lights.
Many cheaper lights are not E-marked, however, and so are not compliant as required. If you want to be fully legal with a replacement light then this is the most important part to get right as it’s also the easiest checked.
Lights need to have certain visibility angles, so potentially some LED replacement globes e.g. for taillights might fail this as they do not illuminate in the same way as factory incandescent globes do. Colours also matter, but only in terms of the illumination: you can have clear LED indicators so long as they flash amber, not white, and they meet all visibility angle requirements.
Replacement assemblies that do not contain retroreflectors will need some additional reflectors added e.g. taillights on the Jimny act as rear red reflectors, required under the ADRs; aftermarket taillights often do not include these. Adding some additional reflectors will make the car legal: it is the rear of the car which has to have them, not the light assembly itself. It’s just that Suzuki chose to make the car compliant through reflectors built into the rear light assemblies which is why they are included in the stock lights.
Replacing halogen headlights with HID/LED globes or entire LED replacement units
This is a common question especially amongst Jimny lite owners who look to replacing their halogen headlights with something brighter. Ultimately there is no concept of the ADR compliance of a globe per se, but there are elements where the compliance of a light assembly includes how the globe radiates light and retrofitted HID or LED globes may not illuminate in the same way and thus aren’t compliant.
There are a number of markings required on headlights which is the main source of areas where they might be technically non-compliant if you replace the headlight unit, ADR 46 covers these or ADR 77 if you are using HID lights.
In addition, you need to consider headlight levelling and washing for lights that produce over 2000 lumens:
Dipped-beam headlamps with a light source or LED module(s) producing the principal dipped beam and having a total objective luminous flux which exceeds 2,000 lumens shall only be installed in conjunction with the installation of headlamp cleaning device(s) according to Regulation No. 45.
ADR 13/00 – Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on other than L-Group Vehicles) 2005
The levelling does not need to be automatic (a la 3 door Jimny GLX), it can be driver controlled (a la 5 door Jimny XL).
Assuming you meet headlight marking requirements for replacement lights, and either ensure they produce < 2000 lumens or you fit headlight washers and at least driver seated controlled headlight levelling then you can upgrade your lite headlights to ‘brite’ headlights.
Tinting of standard lights
This is a surprisingly common mod to ‘smoke’ or black out lights. While they still shine, they are less visible than standard and are not legal. Lights which are provided smoked and are E-marked, so long as they are sufficiently bright and visible from all required angles, are compliant, however. It’s all down to if they are approved with the tinting versus it being added on via a film or painted on after the lights were approved.
Performance modifications
The Jimny is absolutely no powerhouse, so people naturally look at boosting their performance.
Replacing exhaust components
Legal if you retain ability to meet emissions and don’t produce noise beyond the ADRs, specifically ADR 83/00. There are strict noise test requirements for in-service vehicles if you want to verify that your car meets the noise requirements. The noise signature data, as reported through Green Vehicle Guide, is 78 dBa @ 3750 rpm. To meet the requirements under VSB14 you have to be within 5 dBa of this reading (see test procedure LT4):
VEHICLES MANUFACTURED TO ADR 83/00 SPECIFICATIONS
VSB14, section LT4: noise test
The stationary noise level of a motor vehicle that is certified to ADR 83/00 must not exceed, by
more than 5 dB(A), the noise level that is established for the motor vehicle when it is certified.
Alongside noise, replacement exhaust components also need to meet emissions requirements. The Jimny meets ‘Euro5’ emissions standards in Australia, as specified in ADR 79/04 (note the version I have linked is the one in force when the Jimny was approved). This isn’t necessarily simple to demonstrate compliance with, especially in the case of full exhaust systems that might remove one of the two catalytic converters or similar. Some jurisdictions, e.g. South Australia, require the same number of catalytic converters and O2 sensors in their same positions in the replacement exhaust system:
Catalytic converters and exhaust sensors that have been replaced are to be positioned in the same exhaust flow location as in the original system.
South Australia: Vehicle standards and specifiations for cars -> Engine and exhaust modifications
Victoria has similar wording:
for vehicles fitted with one or more catalytic converters as original equipment, the catalytic converter(s) must be retained in their original location and all exhaust gas must flow through the converters at all times. Similarly, any sensors and particulate filters positioned in the exhaust system as original equipment must be retained in their original locations and operational
Vehicle Standards Information 8: Guide to modification for motor vehicles
In NSW, you get slightly conflicting advice. On one hand they require certification for removing a catalytic converter, but if you remove it and replace even a complete exhaust system with original *or* with equivalent emissions control things then that doesn’t require certification. If you fitted a better performing single cat instead of the two smaller in the Jimny then you could argue it is equivalent emissions control.
Examples requiring certification:
NSW VSI.06 Rev 3
…
* Removal of bypass or emission control equipment including exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), positive crankcase ventilation (PCV), catalytic convertors, engine management sensors
…
Examples not requiring certification:
* Alternative exhaust systems that retain the original or equivalent emission control equipment eg headers, mufflers, complete exhaust systems
Other states just require that you may not even require inspection for an entire exhaust system replacement including replacement of catalysts so long as the car still meets the emissions requirements. This implies you can delete one of the two cats so long as the remaining one is sufficient to meet emissions requirements.
– Exhaust headers (extractors) may be fitted to any motor vehicle, provided
Queensland TMR: Vehicle Standards Instruction, Minor Modifications
* they do not foul any part of the steering, suspension, brake or fuel systems
* all fittings for emission control equipment (E.G.R. valve, oxygen sensor, pipes and so on) are incorporated to ensure the vehicle maintains compliance with Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for vehicle emissions
* exhaust systems continue to comply with relevant legislation or ADRs for vehicle noise
* they bear the correct markings as specified by the ADRs, for example, a trademark or name of the component manufacturer
– Silencing devices and emission control devices, such as mufflers and catalytic converters, may be replaced, provided
* they do not foul any part of the steering, suspension, brake or fuel systems
* they bear the correct markings as specified by the ADRs, for example, a trademark or name of the component manufacturer
In any case, most aftermarket exhausts for the Jimny (in fact, I’d say all) do not certify that they have passed emissions tests and so would technically render the car illegal, though some modification certifiers have been happy to sign off modified exhaust systems with variants to the emissions control stuff like cats and spacing out O2 sensors.
Replacing intakes
This one is relatively straightforwards. If you retain the emissions requirements e.g. PCV still goes into the intake not into the atmosphere, and all sensors are retained then you can swap airboxes and all is fine. You can even run a pod filter, so long as it is enclosed (which it should be on a 4wd).
Swapping intake manifolds would require inspection, however, as would larger changes to the intake system. Neither of these are common or indeed even really done on a Jimny though.
Snorkels and legality
Related to intake changes are changes around snorkels. These are also a modification that generally does not require certification or inspection. The main things to worry about are, in fact, driver’s sight lines, any additional noise from the intake and how that might affect the stationary noise test, and also things like pedestrian safety around minimum radiuses on the edge of the snorkel (especially for metal snorkels).
ECU tuning
Assuming ECU tuning involves using the standard ECU rather than a replacement ECU, meets the original emissions requirements and doesn’t produce more than a 20% power increase then this is totally legal to do without certification or inspection. Example wording on the 20% increase (which is found a lot about a difference between simple mods that don’t need certifying and complex ones that do) is from Victoria:
In all cases, if the engine is modified such that the resulting power increase is greater than 20% it must be certified by a VASS Signatory under the relevant Code of Section LA.
Vehicle Standards Information 8: Guide to modification for motor vehicles
One will find similar boilerplate around retaining compliance with relevant emissions standards as well, similar to things like exhaust modifications. Swapping out an ECU for an aftermarket one, along with changes providing > 20% power, or changes where the vehicle might not be emissions compliant any longer all require certification to be legal. It’s possible, but you will have to pay for and pass emissions tests especially for custom setups.
Forced induction (turbo or supercharger)
This one is surprisingly legal in most jurisdictions ASSUMING you once again are under that magic 20% power figure. The problem is that noone does that, so at that point you will need to deal with compliance. Complaince here might include more than just engine modifications as engineers may well wish to see suspension and brake improvements alongside additional power to meet all of the relevant checklists.
It isn’t impossible, but it does require paperwork, legwork and money to make it legal. Some tuners in some States have off the shelf approvals to go, however, so it is worth investigating anything that will make the job easier.
Reduction gears
A consideration here is around speedo compliance. While the modification to put in reduction gears itself wouldn’t require anything to make it legal, if it does mean your speedo is out of specification with the ADRs then technically your car is illegal. Not easy for the police to tell, obviously, but it’s something to consider. You just need to make sure that your chosen combination of tyres/final drive ratio/transfer case reduction gears ends up still with the speedo in the compliance range of never underreading and not overreading by more than 10% of actual speed + 4 km/h.
If the speedo is out of compliance through a gearing change then certification is required.
Throttle controllers
This isn’t really the place for a deep dive into these, but in terms of roadworthiness and/or requirements around legality then these are legal. They simply are pretending you’re pressing the throttle differently so won’t change the emissions outside of the parameters of the stock ECU anyway.
Given some of the bold claims made by manufacturers of them, however, a case could be made that they should be illegal under Australian Consumer Law as they potentially do not stack up to the advertised hype of reduced drive-line lag or more power. This is especially true of influencers, often who don’t declare sponsorships from such manufacturers, repeat or amplify bold product claims around performance and thus are also flouting the law with regards to paid product endorsements.