Title 49
SECTION 393.40
393.40 Required brake systems.
§ 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 §§ 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 §§ 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 §§ 393.42, 393.48, 393.49, 393.51, and 393.52 of this subpart.
(4) Electric brake systems. Motor vehicles equipped with electric brake systems must have a service brake system that meets the applicable requirements of §§ 393.42, 393.48, 393.49 and 393.52 of this subpart.
(5) Surge brake systems. Motor vehicles equipped with surge brake systems must have a service brake system that meets the applicable requirements of §§ 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 § 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 § 393.40(e). Trailers not subject to FMVSS No. 121 at the time of manufacture must meet the requirements of § 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 §§ 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 § 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 § 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 § 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 § 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 § 393.40(f)(1) if it meets the requirements of § 393.44 and § 393.52(b).
[70 FR 48048, Aug. 15, 2005, as amended at 72 FR 9870, Mar. 6, 2007]