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  • Updated for April 2025
  • Based on 2025 NM commercial driver's license manual

Free NM CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Exam 2025

A pre-trip inspection is a critical safety measure for aspiring drivers to learn before applying for a New Mexico Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). Before you can be on your way to Santa Fe, you must inspect your vehicle for any actual or potential safety issues as required by federal regulation 49 CFR § 396.13. Pre-trip inspections can help you identify problems that could lead to accidents or mechanical malfunctions before they happen. A common practice is to use a checklist of the main systems and components of your vehicle, such as the battery, tires, brakes, and taillights, to make sure they are safely operating. You will need to thoroughly understand pre-trip inspections as part of your training to obtain a New Mexico Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).

This New Mexico MVD CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test will teach you the critical items requiring inspection and how to spot deficiencies. Using this information, you will be able to drive safely, assured that your inspection covered all the bases. The practice test is your ticket to a wealth of reliable information about pre-trip inspections. By learning this information, you will have taken a major step toward answering 80% of the 20 questions correctly on the MVD CDL General Knowledge Test. Passing the official knowledge test is one of several requirements you must meet to receive a CLP. Combining the information from the practice test with a boosted confidence to answer questions about pre-trip inspections, you will be on the road to your commercial driving career.

While you can find various on-line resources to learn about pre-trip inspections, the CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test offers the most comprehensive information. The practice test is designed to use your current understanding to increase your knowledge of pre-trip inspections. It is based on the most recent New Mexico MVD CDL driver’s manual (New Mexico CDL Handbook 2025) and is up to date as of April 2025. The CDL manual is the most authoritative source on pre-trip inspections. Each of the 20 multiple-choice questions on the practice test uses information from this manual to assess your understanding of pre-trip inspections. If you get a question wrong, the practice test will provide you with a detailed explanation of the correct answer. In comparison, a study guide will help you memorize the answers to the questions, but it will not assist you in correcting wrong answers. You will need to invest additional time in consulting other resources. You can depend on the practice test to help you become more self-sufficient in completing pre-trip inspections and ensuring your driving safety.

Las Cruces may have the Gateway to Space, but you can open the door to a multitude of driving skills with practice tests for other U.S. states and Washington D.C. at https://driving-tests.rg/academy/drivers-license.

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  • Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements

What you need to know

5 out of 5 • 3 votes
6 min to complete
Available in EN and ES
Verified by Steven Litvintchouk, M.S., Chief Educational Researcher, Member of ACES. See our detailed commitment to accuracy and quality in our practice tests.

What to expect on the actual NM MVD exam

20

questions

16

correct answers to pass

80%

passing score

List of questions (classic view)

  1. What structure supporting the fifth wheel skid plate should be checked for cracks or breaks?
  2. 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?
  3. What transmits power from the transmission to the drive axle?
  4. What carries air or hydraulic fluid to the wheel brake assembly?
  5. ________ are gas or hydraulic devices that cushion the vehicle's ride and stabilize the vehicle.
  6. What is the sliding mechanism and locking device for tandem axles on trailers?
  7. What do you inspect to make sure that all are present and show no signs of looseness such as rust trails or shiny threads?
  8. What should you check to be sure it is solid, clear of objects, and securely bolted to the tractor frame?
  9. What maintains air pressure in the air brake system?
  10. Which tires should have a minimum tread depth of 4/32 inch?
  11. Which of the following can disengage the engine from the drivetrain?
  12. What transforms steering column action into wheel action?
  13. Make sure that the _________ are not cut, chafed, spliced, or worn, and not tangled, pinched, or dragged against tractor parts.
  14. You are looking for puddles on the ground and dripping fluids on the underside of the engine and transmission. What are you checking for?
  15. What should be fully engaged with no loose or missing pins in the slide mechanism of the sliding fifth wheel?
  16. To improve visibility during severe or stormy weather, __________ must be secure, undamaged, and operating smoothly and correctly.
  17. _________ should be clean with no dirt, illegal stickers, obstructions, or damage.
  18. _________ are the brackets, bolts, or bushings that are used to attach the spring or air bag to the axle and vehicle frame.
  19. If the wheel has a sight glass, check that the oil level is adequate. Otherwise, look for leaks around the
  20. What releases the fifth wheel locking jaws so the trailer can be coupled?
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