Vehicle Equipment & Safe Operation — Michigan
Michigan CDL practice test: 371 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Vehicle Equipment & Safe Operation: 143 questions.
Brakes, tires, lights, mirrors, seat belts, child seats and basic vehicle control.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Vehicle Equipment & Safe Operation |
| License test | Michigan CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 143 (39% of 371 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
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Questions (143)
1. Radial and bias-ply tires:
- Should be used together.
- Should be used together on the front of a vehicle.
- Should not be used together. ✓
Answer: C. Should not be used together.
Radial and bias-ply tires should not be used together. The handbook's tire inspection list treats radial and bias-ply tires used together as a problem condition to look for, right alongside mismatched sizes and tread separation. The list names things that make a tire setup unacceptable, so mixing the two tire types is something to avoid rather than something allowed. That makes the choice saying they should not be used together the one that matches the handbook.
2. What can happen if the air pressure gets too low in an air brake system?
- The brakes may squeak.
- The brakes may stop working. ✓
- The brakes may be sluggish.
Answer: B. The brakes may stop working.
If air pressure gets too low, the brakes may stop working. The handbook states that pressing and releasing the pedal unnecessarily can let air out faster than the compressor can replace it, and if pressure gets too low, the brakes won't work. It also warns that too much air loss means you could lose your brakes while driving. So the hazard described for low air pressure is losing braking, not just noise or a weak feel.
3. Which gas would cause concern due to a faulty exhaust system?
- Oxygen
- Carbon monoxide ✓
- Nitrogen
Answer: B. Carbon monoxide
4. Which of the following is not part of a vehicle’s air brake system?
- Air gauges
- Low pressure warning device
- Air filter ✓
Answer: C. Air filter
An air filter is not part of a vehicle's air brake system. The handbook's air brake section describes the compressor, storage tanks, and the safety devices checked during inspection. In that inspection procedure, the air gauge is checked to confirm it is working and to watch pressure drop, and the low air warning devices (buzzer, light, and flag) are checked to confirm they activate before pressure falls below 55 psi. Both are treated as parts of the air brake system itself. An air filter is not listed among the air brake parts or among the devices inspected, so it does not belong to that system.
5. Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS):
- Reduce a vehicle's normal braking capacity.
- Are in addition to other braking systems and do not reduce a vehicle's braking power. ✓
- Are not effective on larger vehicles.
Answer: B. Are in addition to other braking systems and do not reduce a vehicle's braking power.
ABS is in addition to other braking systems and does not reduce a vehicle's braking power. The handbook describes ABS as an add-on to the brakes already on the vehicle. It says ABS neither lowers nor raises your regular braking ability. It also says ABS activates only when wheels are about to lock up. That matches the answer that ABS adds to other braking systems without cutting braking power. The handbook does not say ABS reduces normal braking capacity.
6. When applying your brakes, the vehicle should:
- Pull to one side.
- Squeak.
- Not pull to either side. ✓
Answer: C. Not pull to either side.
When you apply the brakes, the vehicle should not pull to either side. The inspection passage says to drive forward at 5 mph, apply the service brake, and stop. After stopping, you check that the vehicle does not pull to either side and that it stops when the brake is applied. The passage adds that if the vehicle pulls to one side or does not stop well, the brakes may not be working correctly. So a straight, even stop is the sign of brakes working right.
7. When performing a pre-trip inspection and looking into the fifth wheel gap, you should:
- Make sure the locking jaws are open.
- Make sure the locking jaws are fully closed around the kingpin. ✓
- Make sure the locking jaws are loose.
Answer: B. Make sure the locking jaws are fully closed around the kingpin.
You should make sure the locking jaws are fully closed around the kingpin. The handbook says that when you look into the fifth wheel gap, the locking jaws or lever must be fully secured around the kingpin, and you should check for play between the kingpin and the jaws or lever. It also describes checking that the fifth wheel jaws have closed around the shank of the kingpin and that the locking lever is in the lock position. This confirms the trailer is actually locked to the tractor, not just resting on the fifth wheel. If there is space or the jaws are not closed, something is wrong.
8. A loaded trailer with a high center of gravity:
- Gets better gas mileage than an unloaded trailer.
- Can roll over easily. ✓
- Is usually more stable than an unloaded trailer.
Answer: B. Can roll over easily.
A loaded trailer with a high center of gravity can roll over easily. The handbook explains that a high center of gravity means much of the load's weight sits high off the road, which makes the vehicle top-heavy and easy to roll over. It adds that this is most dangerous in curves or when you swerve to avoid a hazard, and that heavy cargo should be loaded as low as possible with the heaviest parts under the lightest. That is exactly the risk described for a loaded trailer carrying its weight up high.
9. The rods in S-cam brakes move the slack adjusters when air pressure is added to the brake chambers. This air pressure is added to the chambers when the driver:
- Presses the brake pedal. ✓
- Uses the emergency brake.
- Uses the trailer hand valve.
Answer: A. Presses the brake pedal.
Pressing the brake pedal is what sends air into the brake chambers to move the slack adjusters. Pressing the brake pedal is what sends air into the brake chambers. The handbook describes the foot pedal as the control that applies air pressure: pushing it down admits air, and that pressure extends the push rod and works the slack adjuster in an s-cam brake. Letting up reduces the pressure and releases the brakes. So the action that moves the slack adjusters through added chamber pressure is use of the brake pedal, not the other controls listed.
10. Place the trailer air supply control in its "emergency" position to test:
- The trailer emergency brakes. ✓
- A coupling device.
- The anti-lock brakes.
Answer: A. The trailer emergency brakes.
Placing the trailer air supply control in the emergency position tests the trailer emergency brakes. The handbook's trailer brake check says to charge the trailer air brake system, confirm the trailer rolls freely, then stop and move the trailer air supply control to the emergency position. After that, you pull gently with the tractor and check whether the trailer emergency brakes hold. The same control is described as shutting off air to the trailer and applying those emergency brakes. That makes this the correct check for the trailer emergency brakes.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook