19A NCAC 03D .0532      BRAKES

No vehicle brakes shall be approved for an inspection unless the items indicated in this Rule are inspected and found to meet the minimum requirements established in G.S. 20-124 and this Rule.

(1)           Footbrakes shall not be approved if:

(a)           when applying brakes to the moving vehicle, the braking force is not distributed evenly to all wheels originally equipped with brakes by the manufacturer. The inspection mechanic must drive the vehicle to make this test. The inspector may check the brakes while driving vehicle forward into the inspection area.

(b)           there is audible indication (metal on metal) that the brake lining is worn to the extent that it is no longer serviceable; The wheel must be pulled and the brake lining examined when this occurs.

(c)           pedal reserve is less than one third of the total possible travel when the brakes are fully applied, or does not meet the manufacturer's specification for power brakes or air brakes;

(d)           the reservoir of the master cylinder is not full; Only brake fluid meeting SAE specifications for heavy duty hydraulic brake fluid shall be used when adding or changing brake fluid.)

(e)           there is a visible leakage or audible seepage in hydraulic, vacuum or air lines and cylinders, or visible cracked, chafed, worn, or weakened hoses;

(f)            the vehicle has any part of the brake system removed or disconnected, the brake lines and hoses do not meet the manufacturer's specifications, or are made of a material not approved for motor vehicles; or

(g)           once applied, and while holding pedal pressure for one minute, the brake pedal gradually moves toward the toeboard, indicating fluid leakage.

(2)           Except as provided in Sub-item (1)(b) of this Rule, inspection mechanics are not required to remove the wheels of a vehicle to examine the condition of the brakes. An inspection mechanic shall raise vehicles to check the underside of a vehicle, including the applicable brake components list in this Rule.

(3)           Auxiliary, parking, or holding handbrakes shall not be approved if:

(a)           there is no lever reserve when the brake is fully applied;

(b)           cables are visibly frayed or frozen; there are missing or defective cotter pins; there are broken or missing retracting springs; or there are worn rods or couplings;

(c)           the operating mechanism, when fully applied, fails to hold the brakes in the applied position without manual effort; and

(d)           when emergency or handbrakes are applied, without depressing the accelerator, they fail to hold vehicle.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 20-2; 20-39; 20-183.3(a)(1);

Eff. October 1, 1994;

Readopted Eff. October 1, 2021.