Technische Bedingungen des Fahrzeugs
What this domain tests
Technische Bedingungen des Fahrzeugs tests the daily and legal condition of a D1 bus: tyres, brakes, lights, steering, fluids, mirrors, doors, warning devices and instruments. The exam expects a driver to identify defects before they become dangerous and to know when a vehicle must be taken out of service. Passenger safety makes brake, tyre and door defects especially serious.
Core rules
- Carry out a walk-around check before driving: tyres and visible damage, lights and indicators, mirrors, windscreen, wipers, fluids, doors and emergency exits, warning triangle and first-aid kit.
- The legal minimum tyre tread depth for cars and buses is 1.6 mm, but a bus should not be run down to that limit in wet conditions. Check pressure when cold and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.
- Brake warning lights, ABS/ESP warnings and low air-pressure warnings must be treated as defects. A bus with a serious brake or air-pressure fault must not be used until checked.
- Doors and emergency exits must open and close correctly. A door that cannot be secured is a passenger risk.
- Mirrors must be adjusted for the driver and clean. Camera and mirror systems, if fitted, must be functional.
- Modifications need approval where required; do not assume that any accessory is legal for passenger transport.
Worked example
Before a morning school run, the brake warning lamp stays on after the engine starts and the air-pressure gauge rises slowly. The correct response is not to drive and see whether it clears. The bus stays out of service until the brake and air system are checked. The driver reports the defect, records it and arranges a replacement vehicle. Driving with a known brake warning would endanger the children and could invalidate insurance or operating permissions. A warning lamp is information about a system fault, not a suggestion to drive more gently.
Traps that cost marks
Treating 1.6 mm as a target rather than an absolute minimum; setting tyre pressure by appearance; ignoring a warning lamp because the brakes feel normal; and checking the bus only once a week. Another trap is to adjust mirrors after moving off or to overlook door and emergency-exit checks because the bus is only doing a short route.