How to Report a Vehicle Safety Defect or Recall Problem in Australia

What vehicle problems should you report?

The Australian Government Department of Infrastructure administers the federal safety recall framework for road vehicles and approved road vehicle components under the Road Vehicle Standards legislation. A vehicle or component can be recalled when there is a safety issue that may cause injury or when it does not comply with applicable standards.

The Department specifically invites reports about:

• potential systemic safety issues related to the design or manufacture of road vehicles;
• the potential need for a vehicle safety recall;
• concerns about the progress or performance of an existing vehicle safety recall; and
• alleged breaches of Road Vehicle Standards legislation, including Australian Design Rules non-compliance, failure to comply with approval conditions, or vehicles being imported or provided to the Australian market without the necessary permission.

The issue does not have to already be the subject of a recall before you report it.

Check for an existing recall first

Recall notices for road vehicles and approved road vehicle components are published on the Australian Government Vehicle Recalls website. You can search the recall database using your vehicle details.

If your vehicle is affected by a recall, the manufacturer will generally contact affected owners directly using available contact information. The Department states that, in most circumstances, affected owners are asked to take the vehicle to the manufacturer for the recall issue to be fixed free of charge.

If a recall already exists but you are concerned that it is progressing poorly or is not being performed effectively, that concern is itself one of the matters the Department asks the public to report.

How to submit a Vehicle Safety or Non-Compliance Report

The Department provides an online Vehicle Safety or Non-Compliance Report. The report notifies the regulator of a potential vehicle safety issue or alleged non-compliance with Road Vehicle Standards legislation.

You do not need to create a ROVER account for the public online reporting process. The Department's official guide states that anyone can submit a report and identifies four reporting categories:

• a road vehicle;
• a road vehicle component;
• a company or person; or
• another matter that does not fit the first three categories.

For a road vehicle, the mandatory identifying fields include the vehicle type, make and model. For a component, the mandatory fields include component type, make and model. The form may request additional information depending on the answers you provide.

What information should you include?

Describe what happened and why you believe the issue may involve vehicle safety, a systemic defect, a recall problem or non-compliance. Provide as much accurate identifying and technical information as you have rather than guessing.

The online form specifically asks whether a death or injury is related to the report. If you answer yes, it provides a field for additional information.

After submitting the report, you receive a reference report number. The Department's guide says additional supporting information, such as digital photographs, can then be emailed to the Department using that reference number. The confirmation screen also allows you to print or download a PDF copy of your report for your records.

Can you report a vehicle defect anonymously?

Yes. The online process allows you to report as yourself, on behalf of someone else, or anonymously.

There is an important practical limitation to anonymous reporting: the Department warns that it will not have your contact details to request additional information. If the information in an anonymous report is insufficient, this may result in the case being closed. Include as much relevant detail as possible if you choose not to identify yourself.

Should you contact the dealer first?

For a significant safety concern involving your own vehicle that is related to its design or manufacture, the Department instructs consumers to initially contact the seller or an authorised dealer for that vehicle model and explain the problem before submitting its Vehicle Safety or Non-Compliance Report form.

Keep useful records such as dates, descriptions of the fault, dealer responses and any photographs or technical information. These can help you describe the concern accurately if you then make a federal report.

What the Department does not handle

The Department states that its vehicle safety reporting process is not for normal wear and tear. It is also not a consumer affairs agency and cannot use this reporting process to obtain a refund, repair or replacement from the seller for you.

The purpose of the report is regulatory: information from the public, industry and other regulators helps the Department administer Road Vehicle Standards legislation and identify potential systemic safety, recall and compliance issues.

Department or ACCC: which regulator handles the issue?

The Department administers safety recalls for road vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, caravans and trailers, and approved road vehicle components under the Road Vehicle Standards framework.

Some vehicle-related consumer products fall outside that framework and are instead handled by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission under Australian Consumer Law. The Department identifies examples including quad bikes, golf carts and personal mobility devices; aftermarket consumer accessories such as child restraints, portable ramps, recovery straps and bike carriers; and caravan or camper issues relating to human occupation rather than the vehicle itself, such as a refrigerator or stove.

This distinction matters because the correct reporting and recall channel depends on the type of product and defect.

What happens if a safety issue requires a recall?

A voluntary recall is action taken by a vehicle or component supplier to address a potential safety or standards non-compliance issue. Suppliers that determine a vehicle or component does not comply with applicable standards are expected to commence voluntary recall action as soon as possible.

A compulsory recall can be issued by the responsible Commonwealth Minister where suppliers have not taken satisfactory action to prevent injury or rectify non-compliance with applicable standards.

Submitting a public safety report does not itself establish that a defect exists or guarantee that a recall will be announced. It provides information to the regulator for administration and enforcement of the federal vehicle safety framework.

Other ways to report or contact the recalls team

If you prefer not to use the online report, the Department provides a Vehicle Safety or Non-Compliance Report form that can be used for email or post. The Vehicle Recalls service also lists the recalls team's email, telephone and postal contact channels.

For businesses that supply vehicles or approved road vehicle components, the process is different. Suppliers use the Department's ROVER portal to notify the Department about a recall. This public procedure is focused on consumers and other people reporting a possible safety, recall or compliance problem.

Related vehicle procedures

A safety or recall report is separate from obtaining permission to import a vehicle. If your issue concerns bringing a vehicle into Australia, see the procedures for importing a personal vehicle with a concessional RAV approval, temporarily importing a Non-RAV vehicle, or reimporting an Australian vehicle after export.