- 0 Incorrect (4 allowed to pass)
- 0 Correct
- Updated for February 2025
- Based on 2025 MI commercial driver's license manual
Free MI CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Exam 2025
A study of driving in 2021 – 2022 found that Michigan was the deadliest U.S. state for winter driving, based on fatal accidents per vehicle miles traveled in each state. Certainly, snow and ice can greatly affect driving conditions on such roads as I-75, I-94, and U.S. 131 (where a major problem is lake-effect snow). Still, the state has suffered more fatal traffic accidents in August than in any winter month. More accidents have been caused by drunk driving or speeding than by winter conditions. Urban traffic congestion (such as on I-94 and I-96) and work zones (such as on I-94) are also important contributing factors.
On roads with dangerous drivers or other hazardous driving conditions, your Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) must be up to the job and able to perform emergency maneuvers if necessary to avert an accident. You must be sure that your brakes, horn, lights, mirrors, steering, and tires are in good condition. Federal regulation 49 CFR § 396.13 requires you to be satisfied that your CMV is safe to drive before you drive it. To ensure this, you must conduct a thorough pre-trip inspection before your first trip of the day in that vehicle.
To practice operating CMVs under supervision, you must obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). A key requirement for a CLP is to pass the official General Knowledge test on general driving theory. Your test will likely contain questions on conducting pre-trip inspections. All questions on the General Knowledge test are based on the official Michigan CDL manual (Michigan CDL Handbook 2025). It discusses pre-trip inspections in detail, including the systems and components you must inspect and what defects you should look for. You should study the manual. However, there’s a vast amount of material to learn, and some aspiring drivers have found it tough going.
This Michigan CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test, the first of several we offer, will help clarify all that information and make it easier to understand and memorize. By intensive practice with tests like this one, you’ll soon be prepared to ace all the pre-trip inspection questions on the General Knowledge test.
Like the official General Knowledge test, this practice test is multiple choice. Each question comes with several answer options. You must choose the best or most complete answer. Our AI assistant accompanies each question. It can help you learn by supplying hints and answering your own questions about commercial driving theory. If you still miss a question, the AI assistant will immediately let you know and provide an explanation of the correct answer.
- Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements
- Triple-checked for accuracy
What you need to know
What to expect on the actual MI DOS exam
questions
correct answers to pass
passing score
Helpful links
List of questions (classic view)
- What structure supporting the fifth wheel skid plate should be checked for cracks or breaks?
- You pump the pedal three times and hold it down for five seconds, making sure that the pedal does not move. What are you inspecting?
- What transmits power from the transmission to the drive axle?
- What carries air or hydraulic fluid to the wheel brake assembly?
- ________ are gas or hydraulic devices that cushion the vehicle's ride and stabilize the vehicle.
- What is the sliding mechanism and locking device for tandem axles on trailers?
- What do you inspect to make sure that all are present and show no signs of looseness such as rust trails or shiny threads?
- What should you check to be sure it is solid, clear of objects, and securely bolted to the tractor frame?
- What maintains air pressure in the air brake system?
- Which tires should have a minimum tread depth of 4/32 inch?
- Which of the following can disengage the engine from the drivetrain?
- What transforms steering column action into wheel action?
- Make sure that the _________ are not cut, chafed, spliced, or worn, and not tangled, pinched, or dragged against tractor parts.
- You are looking for puddles on the ground and dripping fluids on the underside of the engine and transmission. What are you checking for?
- What should be fully engaged with no loose or missing pins in the slide mechanism of the sliding fifth wheel?
- To improve visibility during severe or stormy weather, __________ must be secure, undamaged, and operating smoothly and correctly.
- _________ should be clean with no dirt, illegal stickers, obstructions, or damage.
- _________ are the brackets, bolts, or bushings that are used to attach the spring or air bag to the axle and vehicle frame.
- If the wheel has a sight glass, check that the oil level is adequate. Otherwise, look for leaks around the
- What releases the fifth wheel locking jaws so the trailer can be coupled?
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