Challenge
A colleague in Bussum has been driving for weeks with a broken rear light: 'if something were wrong, wouldn't the dashboard show it?' The CBR exam designer knows learners confuse dashboard warning lights with physical defects — and tests exactly whether you know the book explicitly rules this out for lighting. Every part speaks through sound or feel, not through a screen.
Read this section on its own page: Challenge: Recognising common defects: from steering to tyre
The model
Six parts, six own signals (Book p.224-225): steering (thumping sound), wheels (vibration + uneven wear), brakes (grinding/pulling/spongy), lighting (check it yourself daily), exhaust (noise/scraping sound), tyres (pressure, nitrogen = green cap).
Read this section on its own page: The model: Recognising common defects: from steering to tyre
Core
Steering: rubber boots protect vulnerable steering parts from dirt and moisture and can crack after years. A thumping sound on sharp steering points to the CV joint of a drive shaft — don't keep driving on it for long. Suspension: driving hard against kerbs can bend or shift components, so the wheels stop tracking correctly. Noticeable as steering vibration, visible as unevenly worn tyres. Brakes: brake pads wear. A grinding sound means you are already too late. If the car pulls to one side while braking, there is a brake-system defect; a spongy pedal suggests the brake cylinder — have it checked ASAP. Lighting and indicators: check them yourself daily before departure. The dashboard does not automatically flag a broken bulb. Exhaust: rust can make it leak after years (audible noise through rust holes); worn rubber mounting rings can let the exhaust come loose (a scraping sound while driving) — repair or replace ASAP. Tyres: air tyres slowly lose pressure, so check it regularly. Nitrogen filling (green valve cap) is a voluntary choice that holds pressure roughly 4x longer than air — lower consumption, better handling, shorter braking distance, less wear, lower burst risk.
Read this section on its own page: Core: Recognising common defects: from steering to tyre
Why it matters
Ignored defects pile up at exactly the wrong moment: a spongy brake pedal means less braking power right when you need it most. On the A31 near Renswoude, at dusk, a defective rear light only becomes obvious when another driver fails to notice you braking.
Read this section on its own page: Why it matters: Recognising common defects: from steering to tyre
Memory hook
Steering: thumping = joint. Wheels: vibration+skewed = tracking. Brakes: grinding/pulling/spongy. Lighting: check yourself, no dashboard warning. Exhaust: noise/scraping. Tyres: pressure, green cap = nitrogen (a choice, not a duty).
Read this section on its own page: Memory hook: Recognising common defects: from steering to tyre
Source: WVW 1994 art. 5 · checked 2026-10-22
Test yourself
In the sports-hall car park in Scherpenzeel you steer sharply to back into a space. You hear a clear thumping sound from the right front wheel. What does that indicate, and may you keep driving on it?
Show the answer
Six parts, six own signals (Book p.224-225): steering (thumping sound), wheels (vibration + uneven wear), brakes (grinding/pulling/spongy), lighting (check it yourself daily), exhaust (noise/scraping sound), tyres (pressure, nitrogen = green cap).
Frequently asked questions
‘If a lighting or indicator bulb is broken, a warning automatically appears on the dashboard’ – is that true?
No. 'You cannot rely on a defective bulb being indicated by a dashboard warning.' Daily checking before departure remains necessary.
‘Uneven tyre wear is always caused by incorrect tyre pressure’ – is that true?
No. Unevenly worn tyres and a vibrating steering wheel point to bent or shifted suspension components (tracking), for example after hitting a kerb hard — not primarily to pressure.
‘A 'spongy'-feeling brake pedal is ordinary wear and does not need to be checked immediately’ – is that true?
No. 'If your brakes feel 'spongy' there is probably something wrong with your brake cylinder. Have your car checked as soon as possible.' This is not ordinary wear but a defect requiring immediate action.
‘A green valve cap on the tyres is a legal requirement’ – is that true?
No. The green valve cap is simply how you recognise nitrogen filling; nitrogen is a choice with benefits (holds pressure longer, lower consumption, shorter braking distance), not a legal requirement.
‘A thumping sound from the front wheel when steering sharply comes from worn brake pads’ – is that true?
No. Worn brake pads give a grinding sound while braking; a thumping sound while steering sharply points to a defective CV joint of the drive shaft