Vehicle Knowledge and Daily Maintenance (机动车常识与日常维护)
This domain tests pre-drive checks, warning lights and the physics of passive safety systems. It is factual recall, so the marks come from exact numbers and from understanding what a system does and does not do.
Pre-drive checks
- Tyres: pressure measured cold, tread depth of at least 1.6 mm, no cuts or bulges, wheel nuts tight.
- Lights, wipers, horn, mirrors: all working, lenses clean.
- Under the bonnet: engine oil checked on level ground with the engine off; coolant level checked only when cold; brake fluid and washer fluid topped up.
- Inside: all warning lights out after start, brake pedal firm and not spongy, seat and head restraint adjusted.
Warning lights
- Red means stop now: oil pressure, brake system, coolant temperature, battery charge.
- Yellow means caution: engine check, ABS, tyre pressure, airbag.
- An ABS light means normal braking still works but anti-lock is disabled - drive gently to a workshop.
Passive safety
ABS prevents wheel lock-up so you can steer while braking hard; it does not shorten stopping distance on every surface. Airbags only work together with the seat belt, and an unbelted occupant can be injured by the deploying bag. Children under 12 belong in the rear with an appropriate restraint, never in the front passenger seat. The safety hammer should be within reach of the driver, and its target is a side window, not the laminated windscreen.
Worked example
The brake pedal sinks toward the floor and the red brake light stays on. Diagnosis: a hydraulic leak or very low fluid - stop in a safe place and do not continue. The distractor pump the pedal and drive on to the destination is wrong because the system is losing pressure, not merely low on assistance.
Traps
- Claiming ABS improves braking on ice; it preserves steering, not grip.
- Quoting a 1.0 mm tread limit instead of 1.6 mm.
- Opening the radiator cap on a hot engine.
- Assuming the airbag replaces the seat belt.