[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 5]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR393.40]



[Page 395-396]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 393_PARTS AND ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION--Table of 

Contents

 

                            Subpart C_Brakes

 

Sec. 393.40  Required brake systems.





    (a) Each commercial motor vehicle must have brakes adequate to stop 

and hold the vehicle or combination of motor vehicles. Each commercial 

motor vehicle must meet the applicable service, parking, and emergency 

brake system requirements provided in this section.

    (b) Service brakes. (1) Hydraulic brake systems. Motor vehicles 

equipped with hydraulic brake systems and manufactured on or after 

September 2, 1983, must, at a minimum, have a service brake system that 

meets the requirements of FMVSS No. 105 in effect on the date of 

manufacture. Motor vehicles which were not subject to FMVSS No. 105 on 

the date of manufacture must have a service brake system that meets the 

applicable requirements of Sec. Sec. 393.42, 393.48, 393.49, 393.51, 

and 393.52 of this subpart.

    (2) Air brake systems. Buses, trucks and truck-tractors equipped 

with air brake systems and manufactured on or after March 1, 1975, and 

trailers manufactured on or after January 1, 1975, must, at a minimum, 

have a service brake system that meets the requirements of FMVSS No. 121 

in effect on the date of manufacture. Motor vehicles which were not 

subject to FMVSS No. 121 on the date of manufacture must have a service 

brake system that meets the applicable requirements of Sec. Sec. 

393.42, 393.48, 393.49, 393.51, and 393.52 of this subpart.

    (3) Vacuum brake systems. Motor vehicles equipped with vacuum brake 

systems must have a service brake system that meets the applicable 

requirements of Sec. Sec. 393.42, 393.48, 393.49, 393.51, and 393.52 of 

this subpart.



[[Page 396]]



    (4) Electric brake systems. Motor vehicles equipped with electric 

brake systems must have a service brake system that meets the applicable 

requirements of Sec. Sec. 393.42, 393.48, 393.49 and 393.52 of this 

subpart.

    (c) Parking brakes. Each commercial motor vehicle must be equipped 

with a parking brake system that meets the applicable requirements of 

Sec. 393.41.

    (d) Emergency brakes--partial failure of service brakes.

    (1) Hydraulic brake systems. Motor vehicles manufactured on or after 

September 2, 1983, and equipped with a split service brake system must, 

at a minimum, meet the partial failure requirements of FMVSS No. 105 in 

effect on the date of manufacture.

    (2) Air brake systems. Buses, trucks and truck tractors manufactured 

on or after March 1, 1975, and trailers manufactured on or after January 

1, 1975, must be equipped with an emergency brake system which, at a 

minumum, meets the requirements of FMVSS No. 121 in effect on the date 

of manufacture.

    (3) Vehicles not subject to FMVSS Nos. 105 and 121 on the date of 

manufacture. Buses, trucks and truck tractors not subject to FMVSS Nos. 

105 or 121 on the date of manufacture must meet the requirements of 

Sec. 393.40(e). Trailers not subject to FMVSS No. 121 at the time of 

manufacture must meet the requirements of Sec. 393.43.

    (e) Emergency brakes, vehicles manufactured on or after July 1, 

1973. (1) A bus, truck, truck tractor, or a combination of motor 

vehicles manufactured on or after July 1, 1973, and not covered under 

paragraphs (d)(1) or (d)(2) of this section, must have an emergency 

brake system which consists of emergency features of the service brake 

system or an emergency system separate from the service brake system. 

The emergency brake system must meet the applicable requirements of 

Sec. Sec. 393.43 and 393.52.

    (2) A control by which the driver applies the emergency brake system 

must be located so that the driver can operate it from the normal 

seating position while restrained by any seat belts with which the 

vehicle is equipped. The emergency brake control may be combined with 

either the service brake control or the parking brake control. However, 

all three controls may not be combined.

    (f) Interconnected systems. (1) If the brake systems required by 

Sec. 393.40(a) are interconnected in any way, they must be designed, 

constructed, and maintained so that in the event of a failure of any 

part of the operating mechanism of one or more of the systems (except 

the service brake actuation pedal or valve), the motor vehicle will have 

operative brakes and, for vehicles manufactured on or after July 1, 

1973, be capable of meeting the requirements of Sec. 393.52(b).

    (2) A motor vehicle to which the requirements of FMVSS No. 105 

(S5.1.2), dealing with partial failure of the service brake, applied at 

the time of manufacture meets the requirements of Sec. 393.40(f)(1) if 

the motor vehicle is maintained in conformity with FMVSS No. 105 and the 

motor vehicle is capable of meeting the requirements of Sec. 393.52(b), 

except in the case of a structural failure of the brake master cylinder 

body.

    (3) A bus is considered to meet the requirements of Sec. 

393.40(f)(1) if it meets the requirements of Sec. 393.44 and Sec. 

393.52(b).



[70 FR 48048, Aug. 15, 2005]