Will you lose credit for not mentioning the fan or blade?Do you have to be specific with the lights?

For the pre trip, can I just tell the examiner “All of my lights including the Clearance lights (point to it), headlights including high-beam, low-beam, and turn signals (point to it)” or do I have to say it individually (“my headlights are not cracked, bent, or broken, they are of the correct color, clean, and securely mounted”)?

also, do you have to know the name of the side lights (as in reflectors)?

 

Also, in some YouTube videos, many people keep mentioning the fan blades and radiator fan but if you forgot to mention them, you won’t lose credit right? I don’t see anywhere on the CDL manual that includes fans or blades.

 

Yes you do. If for no other reason all the lights don't have to work. Only the required ones do.
But the examiner is expecting a specific list and you need to memorize the list. Don't treat it as a pre-trip as much as an exercise to remember everything.

 

Cracked , bent, broken or missing. Securely attached not leaking....mantras of the test. I feel your pain on that. We all do. I had to explain to my instructor when I tested out the hardest part for me was speaking it. After turning wrenches for 23 years having to actually verbalize what I am doing was a challenge.
Point at everything you see, get the mantras in your head in a specific rhythm like your favorite song.

Another point. I saw so many students look at the list like they were back in high school looking at it like they were trying to remember My Dear Aunt Sally .

Remind yourself that this is for SAFETY and to help identify current or progressing problems. Which will keep you off the side of the road by multitudes. Once you understand and change they WHY you are learning the inspection it doesn't seem such a hassle. When I tested out I listed so much even the instructor would interrupt me and say "Ok move along we got others to test"

Once on the road your brain will simplify it to - shiny, loose, missing or wet. Shiny is a combo. It's either because it is loose, or missing, or wet. Always pay attention to the shiny.

 

you know, if you were to buy a CDL student manual, it's all spelled out there. then you can refer to it as often as you want.

check Amazon, they have several there.

 

Right there - well said.

 

Same. The morning of my CDL test my dad told me “just run your hand across everything and everything your hand touches, name it and say it’s not cracked, loose, leaking or bent”. I either tricked her into thinking I know more than I did at the time, or the 35 degrees and rain helped. But about 5 minutes of that and she called it and we did in cab stuff, then hit the road.

 

Do you have your state CDL manual?

NY State Pre-Trip Inspection

 

We aren't even allowed to open the hood on our pre-trip portion of the test. Apparently someone at one time hurt themselves trying to yank open the hood and sued the province. So the government said no more opening the hood.

 

There is something I would like to get across about "chicken" lights. These are basically lights used to decorate a rig in addition to the ones the DOT requires. While having them in working order is not a violation, some DOT cops if they see some out may start looking deeper. This is the same concept that has been repeated in these forums for years about keeping trucks clean and the dash in a tidy way. Some DOT cops have a nose for this crap. This is one reason I am not a big fan of "chicken" lights to start with. Another thing about them is at some point the OEM alternator won't handle the load and burns out and this can destroy a battery in short order. If you keep "chicken" lights you are better off keeping them working and checking them when you check the other lights.