Vehicle condition
87 questions
What this topic tests
Daily checks, coupling, brakes and the warning lights that mean stop. This is the topic where the right answer is most often "do not drive until it is fixed".
- Warning lights: a braking-system light means have it checked before setting off, not at the end of the run.
- The fifth wheel is checked and lubricated regularly, and the trailer parking brake goes on before any air line comes off.
- Air tanks are drained to remove moisture drawn in from the atmosphere.
- Wheel nuts are tightened evenly with a torque wrench, then checked again shortly afterwards.
- Faulty headlights mean the vehicle does not move, even mid-journey in daylight.
The mark people lose: Assuming a fault can wait for the depot. If a warning light stays on, the paper expects you not to set off at all.
- A loud buzzer sounds in your vehicle. What's this most likely to indicate?
- A passenger tells you they've noticed that a wheel nut is missing from your bus. How often should you check your vehicle's wheel nuts?
- A tyre has been replaced on your vehicle. What precautions should be taken when tightening the wheel nuts?
- At a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) roadside check, your vehicle is found to have serious defects and you may no longer use it. Who will DVSA share this information with?
- Before each journey, you should check all warning lights. What should you do if a warning light remains lit?
- Before starting a journey, you want to check your brake-system warning lights. What can you do when these are not operated by the ignition switch?
- How can vehicle breakdowns be reduced?
- How can you check the age of a tyre fitted to your vehicle?
- How frequently should a driver carry out a walkaround check?
- How frequently should the components of a fifth-wheel coupling be inspected?
- How often should the components of the fifth-wheel coupling be inspected?
- In very cold weather, moisture can freeze in your vehicle's air storage tanks. What can you do to help prevent this from happening?
- On motorways, you're usually driving at higher speeds for long distances. What effect can this have on your tyres?
- On your daily walkaround check, you see that one front tyre is more than 10 years old. What should you do before using the vehicle?
- The bus you're driving is fitted with automatic transmission. When would you use kickdown?
- The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the police carry out spot checks for faulty vehicles. What will happen to the vehicle if serious defects are found?
- What can you add to diesel fuel to prevent it from becoming less effective at low temperatures?
- What could happen if there’s not enough oil in your engine?
- What could happen if you overfill your engine with oil?
- What could happen if you overfill your engine with oil?
- What do heated fuel lines prevent?
- What does it mean if the ignition warning light comes on while you're driving?
- What does this warning light on the instrument panel mean?
- What does this warning light on the instrument panel mean?
- What happens to diesel fuel when it gets hot?
- What must vehicle operators provide for their drivers?
- What proportion of the width of a tyre must have at least the legal minimum depth of tread?
- What should you check before you drive off a muddy building site onto the road?
- What should you check for wear or damage on a drawbar unit?
- What should you do if the brake pedal becomes hard to press?
- What should you do if thick black smoke is coming from the exhaust of your vehicle?
- What should you do if you notice that 2 wheel nuts are missing from one of the wheels on your vehicle?
- What should you do if you notice that your coach's right rear indicator is not working?
- What should you do if your power-assisted steering fails suddenly?
- What should you regularly check on the tyres of your bus?
- What will happen if you follow a regular vehicle maintenance schedule?
- What will result from having over-inflated tyres?
- What would be illegal?
- What would you secure with a dog clip?
- What's most likely to cause a burst tyre?
- What's the fifth-wheel coupling used for?
- What's the final thing you should do after recoupling a trailer?
- What's the main reason for cleaning your wheels and tyres when you leave a building site?
- What's the minimum depth of tread required over three-quarters of the breadth of a lorry tyre?
- What's the most likely cause if your steering starts to feel heavy?
- What's the most likely reason for a diesel-engined vehicle running erratically in very cold weather?
- What's the purpose of a preheating device?
- When should anti-freeze be used in the cooling system?
- When should the driver of a coach wear gloves?
- When should wheel nuts be checked?
- When should you check the oil level in your engine?
- When should you check the wheel nuts on your vehicle?
- When should your lorry coupling system (fifth wheel) be checked and lubricated?
- When would you use 'kickdown' on a vehicle that has automatic transmission?
- Where should you park your vehicle before checking the engine oil level?
- Which tool is essential for fitting a road wheel?
- While driving, your engine-oil warning light comes on. Why could it be dangerous to continue driving?
- Why are frequent tyre checks advisable on a tri-axle double-deck vehicle?
- Why do air tanks on brake systems need to be drained?
- Why is it important to avoid overfilling the engine with oil?
- Why should you carry out a daily walk-round check before setting off?
- Why should you check your tyres more frequently on a coach with 3 axles?
- Why should you use an approved coolant solution in your engine's cooling system?
- Why should your engine oil be changed at the recommended intervals?
- You discover that one of your rear brake-light bulbs has failed. How soon should it be replaced?
- You hit the kerb at speed. What part of your vehicle should you check for damage?
- You notice that one of your tyres has a bulge in the side wall. What will happen if you drive the vehicle?
- You’re driving a coach that is towing a trailer. What should you do before uncoupling your trailer?
- Your coach is fully laden. What's the most likely reason for the steering feeling heavy?
- Your coach often tows a trailer. How often should you check the trailer tyres for pressure?
- Your steering suddenly becomes heavy to turn. What could make this happen?
- Your vehicle has broken down at night on a two-way road. How should you try to leave the vehicle?
- Your vehicle has double rear wheels. Why should you check them before leaving a building site?
- Your vehicle suffers a tyre blow-out. How could this create a hazard for other road users?
- You're about to start a long journey midway through the day. What should you do if you notice that the sidelights work but the headlights are faulty?
- You're checking your vehicle. What should you do if you discover an air leak in the braking system?
- You're checking your vehicle's tyres before starting a long motorway journey. What check should be made on each tyre?
- You're driving a double-deck bus. What's the minimum depth of tread required over three-quarters of each tyre's width?
- You're driving a lorry along a motorway. You notice that you're losing tread from one of your tyres. What should you do?
- You're driving a new articulated lorry that's fully laden. You notice that the steering feels heavy. What's the most likely reason?
- You're driving a six-wheeled double-deck bus. What do you need to know about punctures on the rear tyres?
- You're driving a three-axle double-deck bus and have the steering turned onto full lock. What should you do to avoid rear tyre scrub?
- You're driving a three-axle double-deck bus. Why should you take extra care when using full steering lock?
- You're driving along a motorway. What should you do if the air-pressure warning device starts to operate?
- You're uncoupling a trailer. What must you do before disconnecting any of the air lines?
- You've had to change a wheel on your vehicle. When should the wheel nuts be checked again?
- You've stopped on a firm, level surface. What's the first thing you must do before you uncouple the trailer?