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View All Plans- Updated for January 2025
- Based on 2025 IL commercial driver's license manual
Free IL CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Exam 2025
Winters in much of Illinois can be tough – and tough winters can make driving difficult or even hazardous. Icy conditions on Interstate 55 and heavy traffic congestion near Chicago have led to numerous bus and semi-truck accidents. Fog, snow, ice, and treacherous black ice can make driving on Interstate 55 hazardous. In addition to snowstorms, commercial drivers on Interstate 57 may have to contend with strong crosswinds, which can cause problems for large commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Also, bus drivers on Lake Shore Drive must be prepared for sudden lake-effect snow squalls.
Conducting a thorough pre-trip inspection as required by federal regulations will help ensure that your vehicle is safe to drive and able to take on even the challenging driving conditions of an Illinois winter.
The official General Knowledge test, which you must pass to become a licensed commercial driver, will evaluate your knowledge of various aspects of driving theory, including pre-trip inspections. All questions on the General Knowledge test are based on the official Illinois CDL manual (Illinois CDL Handbook 2025). You should study the manual, but there’s a vast amount of information in it to memorize.
Our practice tests can help you learn all that information by intensive repetition. This Illinois CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test, the first of several we offer, will help you master the information on pre-trip inspections in the official CDL manual and ace those questions on the General Knowledge test.
Like the official knowledge test, this practice test is multiple choice. Each question comes with several answer options. You must choose the best or most complete answer. If you get stuck on a question, our AI assistant can give you a hint or rephrase the question. It can also answer your own questions about commercial driving theory. If you still miss the question, the AI assistant will immediately let you know and provide an explanation of the correct answer. This immediate feedback will help reinforce the correct answer in your mind.
Your newly gained knowledge of pre-trip inspections will also help you pass the pre-trip inspection part of your skills test for a CDL. As your test examiner watches, you’ll conduct an inspection of your vehicle. You’ll identify each key component and tell the examiner about its condition.
After you get your CDL, continue thoroughly inspecting your vehicle every day that you drive it. Federal regulations prohibit driving a CMV you think is unsafe. Besides, you may risk a serious accident if you do.
Check out our other Illinois CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Tests too!
- 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 IL DMV exam
questions
correct answers to pass
passing score
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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