31. Technical condition of vehicles and their equipment

31. TECHNICAL CONDITION OF VEHICLES AND THEIR EQUIPMENT

31.1. The technical condition of vehicles and their equipment must comply with the requirements of standards concerning road safety and environmental protection, as well as rules of technical operation, instructions of manufacturers and other regulatory and technical documentation.

31.2. It is prohibited to operate trolleybuses and trams if there is any malfunction specified in the rules of technical operation of these vehicles.

31.3. It is prohibited to operate vehicles in accordance with the legislation:

a) in case of their manufacture or conversion in violation of the requirements of standards, rules and regulations concerning road safety;

b) if they have not passed mandatory technical inspection (for vehicles subject to such inspection);

{Subparagraph "b" of clause 31.3 as amended by Resolution of the CM No. 1029 dated 26.09.2011}

c) if license plates do not meet the requirements of relevant standards;

d) in case of violation of the procedure for installation and use of special light and sound signaling devices.

{Subparagraph "d" of clause 31.3 as amended by Resolution of the CM No. 161 dated 22.03.2017}

31.4. It is prohibited to operate vehicles in accordance with the legislation in the presence of the following technical malfunctions and non-compliance with the following requirements:

31.4.1. Brake systems:

a) the design of brake systems has been changed, brake fluid, components or individual parts not intended for this vehicle model or not meeting the requirements of the manufacturer have been used;

b) during road tests of the service brake system, the following values are exceeded:

Vehicle type	Braking distance, m, no more than
Passenger cars and their modifications for cargo transportation	14.7
Buses	18.3
Trucks with a permissible maximum mass up to 12 t inclusive	18.3
Trucks with a permissible maximum mass over 12 t	19.5
Road trains with tractors being passenger cars and their modifications for cargo transportation	16.6
Road trains with tractors being trucks	19.5
Two-wheeled motorcycles and mopeds	7.5
Motorcycles with sidecar	8.2

The normative value of braking distance for vehicles manufactured before 1988 may be exceeded by no more than 10 percent of the value given in the table.

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Notes:

1. The test of the service brake system is carried out on a horizontal section of road with a flat, dry, clean cement- or asphalt-concrete surface at a vehicle speed at the start of braking: 40 km/h - for cars, buses and road trains; 30 km/h - for motorcycles, mopeds by the method of single action on the brake system controls. The test results are considered unsatisfactory if during braking the vehicle turns at an angle of more than 8 degrees or occupies a lane of more than 3.5 m.

2. Braking distance is measured from the moment of pressing the brake pedal (handle) to the complete stop of the vehicle;

c) the tightness of the hydraulic brake drive is broken;

d) the tightness of the pneumatic or pneumohydraulic brake drive is broken, which causes a decrease in air pressure with the engine not running by more than 0.05 MPa (0.5 kgf/sq.cm) for 15 min in case of actuating the brake system controls;

e) the pressure gauge of the pneumatic or pneumohydraulic brake drive does not work;

f) the parking brake system with the engine disconnected from the transmission does not ensure a stationary state:

vehicles with full load - on a slope of at least 16%;

passenger cars, their modifications for cargo transportation, as well as buses in running order - on a slope of at least 23%;

trucks and road trains in running order - on a slope of at least 31%;

g) the lever (handle) of the parking brake system is not locked in the working position;

31.4.2. Steering:

a) the total play in the steering exceeds the following limit values:

Vehicle type	Limit value of total play, deg, no more than
Passenger cars and trucks with a permissible maximum mass up to 3.5 t	10
Buses with a permissible maximum mass up to 5 t	10
Buses with a permissible maximum mass over 5 t	20
Trucks with a permissible maximum mass over 3.5 t	20
Cars and buses taken out of production	25

b) there are noticeable mutual displacements of parts and assemblies of the steering not provided for by the design, or their displacements relative to the body (chassis, cab, frame) of the vehicle; threaded connections are not tightened or reliably fixed;

c) the power steering or steering damper (on motorcycles) provided for by the design is damaged or missing;

d) parts with traces of residual deformation and other defects are installed in the steering, as well as parts and working fluids not intended for this vehicle model or not meeting the requirements of the manufacturer.

31.4.3. External lighting devices:

a) the number, type, color, placement and mode of operation of external lighting devices do not meet the requirements of the vehicle design;

b) the adjustment of headlights is violated;

c) the lamp of the left headlight in the low beam mode does not light;

d) diffusers are missing on lighting devices or diffusers and lamps are used that do not match the type of this lighting device;

e) tinting or coating is applied on the diffusers of lighting devices, reducing their transparency or light transmission.

__________ Notes:	1. Motorcycles (mopeds) may be additionally equipped with one fog lamp, other mechanical vehicles - with two. Fog lamps should be placed at a height of at least 250 mm from the road surface (but not higher than low beam headlights) symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and no further than 400 mm from the outer dimension in width.
	2. It is allowed to install on vehicles one or two rear fog lights of red color at a height of 400-1200 mm and no closer than 100 mm to the brake signal lights.
	3. Switching on fog lamps, rear fog lights should be carried out simultaneously with switching on the parking lights and illumination of the license plate (low or high beam of headlights).
	4. On a passenger car and bus, it is allowed to install one or two additional non-flashing brake signals of red color at a height of 1150-1400 mm from the road surface;

31.4.4. Windshield wipers and washers:

a) windshield wipers do not work;

b) windshield washers provided for by the vehicle design do not work;

31.4.5. Wheels and tires:

a) tires of passenger cars and trucks with a permissible maximum mass up to 3.5 t have a residual tread pattern height of less than 1.6 mm, trucks with a permissible maximum mass over 3.5 t - 1.0 mm, buses - 2.0 mm, motorcycles and mopeds - 0.8 mm.

For trailers, the norms of residual tread pattern height of tires are established, similar to the norms for tires of towing vehicles;

b) tires have local damage (cuts, tears, etc.) exposing the cord, as well as delamination of the carcass, separation of the tread and sidewall;

c) tires by size or permissible load do not match the vehicle model;

d) diagonal tires together with radial, studded and non-studded, frost-resistant and non-frost-resistant, tires of different sizes or designs, as well as tires of different models with different tread patterns for passenger cars, different types of tread patterns - for trucks are installed on one axle of the vehicle;

e) radial tires are installed on the front axle of the vehicle, and diagonal ones on the other (others);

f) tires with a restored tread are installed on the front axle of a bus performing intercity transportation, and on other axles - tires restored according to the second class of repair;

e) tires repaired to the second class of repair are installed on the front axle of passenger cars and buses (except buses performing intercity transportation);

є) a mounting bolt (nut) is missing or there are cracks in the wheel disc and rims;

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Note.

In case of constant operation of a vehicle on roads with a slippery roadway, it is recommended to use tires that correspond to the condition of the roadway.

{Clause 31.4.5 supplemented with a note according to CM Resolution No. 111 dated 11.02.2013}

31.4.6. Engine:

a) the content of harmful substances in exhaust gases or their smoke level exceeds the standards established by standards;

b) the fuel system is not sealed;

c) the exhaust system is faulty;

31.4.7. Other structural elements:

a) windows and rear-view mirrors provided by the vehicle design are missing;

b) the sound signal does not work;

c) additional items are installed on the glass or a coating is applied that limits visibility from the driver's seat and impairs its transparency.

__________
Note.

Transparent colored films may be attached to the upper part of the windshield of cars and buses. Tinted glass (except mirror glass) is allowed, the light transmission of which meets the requirements of GOST 5727-88. Curtains on the side windows of buses are allowed;

{Subclause "c" of clause 31.4.7 as amended by CM Resolutions No. 46 dated 23.01.2019, No. 944 dated 19.08.2022}

g) the door locks of the body or cab, cargo platform side locks, tank and fuel tank neck locks, driver's seat position adjustment mechanism, emergency exits, devices for their activation, door control drive, speedometer, odometer, tachograph, glass heating and blowing device provided by the design do not work;

{Subclause "g" of clause 31.4.7 as amended by CM Resolution No. 46 dated 23.01.2019}

ґ) the main leaf or center bolt of the spring is destroyed;

d) the towing or coupling device of the tractor and trailer link as part of a road train is damaged, as well as the safety ropes (chains) provided by their design. There are play in the connections of the motorcycle frame with the sidecar frame;

e) the bumper or rear protective device, mud flaps and splash guards provided by the design are missing;

є) missing:

medical first aid kit with information on the type of vehicle for which it is intended - on a motorcycle with a sidecar, passenger car, truck, wheeled tractor, bus, minibus, trolleybus, vehicle transporting dangerous goods;

warning triangle (flashing red light) that meets the requirements of the standard - on a motorcycle with a sidecar, passenger car, truck, wheeled tractor, bus;

on trucks with a permissible maximum mass over 3.5 t and on buses with a permissible maximum mass over 5 t - wheel chocks (at least two);

orange flashing beacons on large-sized and heavy-duty vehicles, on agricultural machinery whose width exceeds 2.6 m;

{Fifth paragraph of subclause "є" of clause 31.4.7 as amended by CM Resolution No. 876 dated 01.10.2008; as amended by CM Resolution No. 196 dated 26.02.2020}

working fire extinguisher on a passenger car, truck, bus.

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Notes:

1. The type, brand, and installation locations of fire extinguishers with which vehicles with the identification sign "Orange color plate" transporting dangerous goods are equipped are determined by special rules.

2. The first aid kit, the list of medicines of which corresponds to DSTU 3961-2000 for the corresponding type of vehicle, and the fire extinguisher must be in a fixed state in the places determined by the manufacturer. In the case when the vehicle design does not provide for these places, the medical first aid kit and fire extinguisher must be located in easily accessible places.
The type and number of fire extinguishers must comply with established standards. Fire extinguishers provided for vehicles must be certified in Ukraine in accordance with legal requirements;

{Paragraph 2 of the note to subclause "є" of clause 31.4.7 as amended by CM Resolution No. 934 dated 03.09.2009}

{Paragraph 1 of the note to subclause "є" of clause 31.4.7 as amended by CM Resolution No. 1105 dated 11.11.2020}

zh) seat belts and head restraints are missing in vehicles where their installation is provided by the design;

z) seat belts are not in working condition or have visible tears on the straps;

i) on a motorcycle there are no safety arcs provided by the design;

і) on motorcycles and mopeds there are no footrests provided by the design, on the seat - transverse handles for the passenger;

ї) the headlights and rear position lights of a vehicle transporting large-sized, heavy-duty or dangerous cargo are missing or faulty, as well as flashing beacons, reflective elements, identification signs provided for in clause 30.3 of these Rules.

31.5. In the event of malfunctions specified in clause 31.4 of these Rules occurring on the way, the driver must take measures to eliminate them, and if this is impossible - drive as short a route as possible to the place of parking or repair, observing precautionary measures in compliance with the requirements of clauses 9.9 and 9.11 of these Rules.

In the event of malfunctions specified in clause 31.4.7 ("ї"; "d" - as part of a road train) occurring on the way, further movement is prohibited until they are eliminated. The driver of the faulty vehicle must take measures to remove it beyond the roadway.

31.6. Further movement of vehicles is prohibited if:

a) the service brake system or steering does not allow the driver to stop the vehicle or perform a maneuver while moving at minimum speed;

b) in the dark or in conditions of insufficient visibility, the lamps of headlights or rear position lights do not burn;

c) during rain or snowfall, the windshield wiper on the side of the steering wheel does not work;

d) the towing device of the road train is damaged.

31.7. It is prohibited to operate a vehicle by delivering it to a special site or parking lot of the National Police in cases provided by law.

{Clause 31.7 as amended by CM Resolution No. 161 dated 22.03.2017}

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