Chapter 6: Passenger Vehicles Flashcards
Passenger vehicles are classified based on what?
their wheelbase and/or the gross vehicle weight rating
- additionally, some are further defined by the total amount of passenger and cargo volume, measured in cubic feet within the vehicle.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
Maximum weight at which a vehicle can be safely operated on roadways; includes the weight of the vehicle itself plus fuel, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight.
What are the most common types of passenger vehicles?
- Passenger cars
- Vans
- Sport utility vehicles
- Pickup trucks
Types of passenger cars.
- Minicompact cars
- Subcompact cars
- Compact cars
- Midsize cars
- Large (full size) cars
- Specialized passenger vehicles
Minicompact cars
AKA station cars - generally less than 10 feet in length with interior volumes of less than 85 cubic feet and wheelbase less than 86 inches.
Subcompact cars
Passenger vehicles with a wheelbase of less than 100 inches, primarily economy cars with a unibody construction, often without a trunk, and may have a third door or a hatch back in the rear.
Compact cars
Cars with a wheelbase between 100 and 104 inches, typically slightly larger versions of subcompact cars, and may have four doors, trunks, and even station wagon configurations.
Midsize cars
Cars with a wheelbase of 105 to 109 inches. Many have unibody construction. This class includes midsize station wagons, and may have 3-5 doors.
Large (full size) cars
Cars with a wheelbase of 110 to 114 inches, includes luxury automobiles, many are built on rigid frames. Their heavy construction can make extrication operations more difficult and time consuming.
Specialized passenger vehicles include:
- Station wagons
- Limousines
- Sports cars/ coupes
- Roadsters
- Convertibles
- Kit cars
Station wagons are distinguished from hatchbacks, minivans, or SUV’s in what two ways?
- The height of the passenger compartment remains the same for its entire length.
- The front body of the vehicle matches other vehicles in the manufacturers production line.
Limousines have a wheelbase of ____, and are built on ____.
- more than 114 inches
* heavy frames
In the event of an accident, limousine passengers are more likely to ____
not be wearing a seat belt.
Sports cars/ coupes
- can be equipped with Roll Over Protection Systems (ROPS)
* these cars are involved in many high speed collisions.
Roadsters
conversions of popular older vehicles into two seat open vehicles that offered limited protection from the weather and collisions. The lack a roof, rear and side windows, and passenger protection systems. Modern versions are two seat, convertible sports cars.
Convertibles
May have ROPS permanently deployed or crash/ roll activated. Unlike roadsters, these are equipped with roll-up side windows.
Vans can hold up to ____ passengers.
15
Minivans have a GVWR of less than ____
8,500 pounds
Minivans are vulnerable to ____
high crosswinds and rollovers
SUV’s evolved out of ____
the truck based station wagons of earlier decades.
Pick up trucks are all constructed on ____
full rigid frames
A pick up trucks carrying capacity ranges from ____
1/2 to 1 ton
From an extrication standpoint, every vehicle can be considered to have ____ sides. What are these sides?
8
- Front
- Rear
- Interior
- Exterior
- Driver side
- Passenger side
- Undercarriage
- Roof
The roof is always ___, regardless of how the vehicle is resting.
called the roof
Door/ roof posts are normally identified ____
alphabetically from front to rear
Fenders
Body material that surround the front tires. Starts at the front of the vehicle, proceeds around the front tire, and ends at the fire wall
Quarter panels
Body material that surrounds the area of the rear tire.
Firewall
A partitions between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment, designed to protect vehicle occupants from the engine and associated hazards.
Kick panels
Vertical panel wall in front of the A-post that is enclosed by several structural members
Rocker panels
Rounded narrow body panels on each side of a vehicle, below the doors and between the kick panel and the quarter panel.
Monocoque
Construction technique in which an object’s external skin supports the structural load of the object.
Chassis
Basic operating system of a motor vehicle consisting of the frame, suspension system, wheels, and steering mechanism but not the body
What are the three basic frames used in modern vehicles?
- Full or rigid frames
- Unibody
- Space frames
A vehicles structural integrity is determined by ____
the remaining strength of the vehicles chassis after a collision.
Older vehicles tend to retain more of their structural integrity because ____
they contain more steel and less aluminum, magnesium, and plastic in their construction.
When a vehicles chassis is weakened, the structural integrity is compromised. Allowing ____ must be prevented if rescuers and those trapped in the vehicle are to be protected.
unwanted and perhaps dangerous movement
An advantage for manufacturers of body on frame construction is ____
it allows frequent changes to body styles without having to make changes to the chassis.
As the price of ____ dropped in the 1920’s and 1930’s, automobile manufacturers began to look at the use of uni body construction that was becoming common in the ____ industry.
- Aluminum
* Aviation
In unibody construction, a vehicles ____ and ____ parts are built together as one unit instead of attaching the vehicles body to a frame.
stress-bearing elements and sheet metal body
____ is the dominant automobile construction technique.
spot welded unibody construction
Space frames
An aluminum skeleton that is similar to aircraft frames upon which the aluminum, plastic, or composite skin of the vehicles body is attached.
Space frames may weigh as much as ____ less than conventional steel or aluminum unibody frames.
50 percent
Regular glass was used in vehicles manufactured prior to ____ when the ____ was introduced.
- 1927
* laminated safety windshield
____ is required in passenger vehicle windshields
Laminated glass
Laminated glass consists of ____
two sheets of glass bonded to a sheet of plastic sandwiched between them.
Laminated glass is most commonly used in ____ and ____.
windshields and some rear windows.
Many laminated windshields and rear windows are now held in place with ____, and can be identified by ____, which is designed to protect it from sum damage.
- polyurethane glue
* the black shading around the perimeter of the window
Tempered glass is most commonly used in ____
side windows and some rear windows
Enhanced protective glass (EPG)
Usually used in side and rear window locations, this glass is similar to laminate, but is typically thinner, lighter, and stronger.
Enhanced protective glass is currently used in makes by which manufacturers
Audi, Volvo, and Mercedes.
Polycarbonate
Is used as a window glazing over glass for side and rear windows. This system provides greater scratch resistance, reduced weight, and a wider variety of window shapes. Some disadvantages include its cost and the difficulty involved in penetrating it.
Transparent Armor (AKA ballistic glass)
Made of sheets of polycarbonate material sandwiched between sheets of glass. Heat and pressure are used to laminate these materials together to form a ballistic glass capable of absorbing the impact of bullets or shrapnel and preventing them from piercing the glass.
How is mild steel used in vehicle construction?
Used in vehicle frame, body components, and I-beam safety components
How is Dual Phase (DP) steel used in vehicle construction?
Used in vehicle frame, body components, and safety components
How is Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel used in vehicle construction?
Used in vehicle frame, body components, and safety components.
How is High strength low alloy (HSLA) steel used in vehicle construction?
Used in body and safety components; includes DP and TRIP steel
How is Ultra High Strength (UHSS) steel used in vehicle construction?
Used in body and safety components; includes boron, and martensite
How is Aluminum used in vehicle construction?
Used in vehicle bodies, engines, and frames.
How is magnesium used in vehicle construction?
Used in tire rims, engine components, transmission housings, steering columns, frame support members, and dashboards.
Boron steel and martensite are common in passenger vehicles manufactured since ____
2012
How have manufacturers responded to changes in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 214 and 216?
Being required to decrease passenger vehicle injuries and fatalities is side impact and rollover collisions manufacturers have chosen to produce vehicles with more steel or stronger steel. Due to fuel mileage restrictions many manufacturers have elected to use lighter steel as well.
The two most common fuels used in automotive vehicles are ____
- gasoline and diesel
Hybrid Electric Vehicles cannot be ____, instead they utilize ____ to collect ____ and convert that energy into electricity, which is stored in the hybrid’s batteries until needed.
- plugged in and recharged
- regenerative braking
- kinetic energy
Most Hybrid Electric Vehicle batteries are housed ____
in the trunk
The danger associated with hybrid vehicles is ____.
the high voltage stored within the batteries and running through wiring or cables connected to the vehicles electric motor. These cables can carry as much as 650 volts of direct current.
Most manufacturers color code high energy cables ____, ____, or ____.
Orange, Yellow, or Blue
Rescue personnel should ____ a hybrid vehicles electrical system as much as possible.
avoid
High voltage wiring
Orange wiring - Any voltage measurement greater than 60 volts
Medium voltage wiring
Blue wiring - Any voltage measurement between 30 and 60 volts
Low voltage wiring
Any color wiring - Any voltage measurement less than 30 volts
Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) can be charged by ____, ____, or by ____.
- plugging it into an outside power source
- by the internal combustion engine
- regenerative braking
PHEV’s can run on only electricity up to ____
40 miles
Battery Electric Vehicles (EV) generally travel ____ per charge, though some models can travel over ____.
- 60 to 80 miles
* 200 miles
EV high voltage battery system consists of a large, approximately ____ pound, ____ volt ____ battery pack that is located ____.
- 650 pound
- 400 volt
- Lithium ion
- on the exterior and underneath the vehicle
Extended Range Electric Vehicles use ____ to power a ____ that charges the battery system in a linear process.
- a internal combustion engine
- electric generator
The engine powers a generator - which in turn charges the battery
EREV’s high voltage battery system consists of a large ____ pound, ____ volt _____ battery pack that runs lengthwise on the on the exterior and underneath the vehicle, directly beneath the center console.
- 400 pound
- 350 volt
- Lithium ion
Propane is often used to power ____
buses, forklifts, and taxis
Auxiliary Fuel Cells are electrochemical energy conversion devices that produce electricity while converting ____ and ____ into water.
- Hydrogen and Oxygen
Historically vehicle fuel tanks were constructed of ____ or ____. But because older tanks are heavier and tend to corrode, modern tanks are made of ____.
- aluminum
- terne coated steel
- plastic
Rescuers should isolate and manage a vehicles electrical system because ____
- it eliminates a potential ignition source
- deactivates the vehicles SRS
- and de-energizes and additional accessories or power equipment.
When dealing with keyless entry and smart key ignitions rescuers should ____
- power down the vehicle
- activate the emergency brake
- and locate and disconnect the battery
Automotive batteries used in ignition systems are generally of the ____ type.
lead acid
Types of batteries used in hybrid vehicles:
- Lead acid
- Absorbed glass mat
- Nickel cadmium (NiCad)
- Nickel metal hydride (NiMH)
- Zinc-air
- Lithium ion (Li-ion)
- Lithium ion polymer (Li-poly)
Batteries in passenger vehicles and light trucks can be found in ____
- the engine compartment
- passenger compartment
- fender wells
- trunk
What types of vehicles most always have more than one battery?
- Diesel trucks
- Diesel passenger vehicles
- hybrid vehicles
In select Mercedes C and E class vehicles, which are non-hybrid and non-diesel, the main battery is located ____ and the auxiliary battery is located ____.
- in the trunk
* engine compartment
What is the purpose of the suspension system?
To provide maximum friction between the tires and the road surface, to help with steering stability, improve handling, and to increase the comfort of the passengers.
What are the three commonly used types of suspension springs?
- coil spring
- leaf spring
- torsion bar
Shock absorbers operate with the combination of ____
oil and a series of internal valves. The oil can only flow through the valves at a certain rate making the suspension movement slower, smoother, and more predictable.
Struts operate similar to shocks but are mounted to the ____ of the vehicle, usually attached to a ____, and designed to be an ____ of the suspension system. Unlike shocks, if the struts were not attached, the vehicle would ____.
- Chassis
- Coil spring
- integral and structural part
- not be supported and would be totally immobile.
Air ride suspension systems give the vehicle ____, increasing the stability, handling, and comfort.
self leveling capability
Collision avoidance systems can use ____, ____, and ____ or other sensors to detect objects.
radar, laser, and infrared
The typical forward looking collision avoidance system uses radar or laser sensors to scan a distance of ____.
330 feet
Side sensing collision avoidance systems use ____, ____, or ____, to sense objects ____ to ____ feet from the side of the vehicle.
- camera, radar, or lasers
* 6.5 to 30 feet
Rear looking collision avoidance systems use ____, ____, or ____, to sense objects ____ or less.
- camera, radar, or laser
* 20 feet
Since ____ all passenger vehicles manufactured in the U.S. have had to be equipped with seat belts.
1968
Seat belt pretensioners
Protective devices designed to tighten the belts as the front impact airbags deploy.
Chemical inflators currently used in all driver frontal restraint systems and many passenger frontal restraint systems use ____ to create ____, which inflates the airbag.
- sodium azide (enhanced with potassium nitrate)
Most side impact airbags, curtains, tubes, and some passenger frontal airbags use ____, usually filled with ____, to Inflate the airbags.
- stored gas inflators
* inert gas
Airbags can deploy at speeds of up to ____ exerting a potentially lethal force. Rescue personnel must know where these airbags may be located and the possible procedures to avoid and mitigate them.
200 mph
Children under the age of ____ should not ride in the front seat of vehicles with an armed passenger frontal airbag.
12
Mechanically activated Side Impact Protection Systems (SIPS) may deploy even if the vehicles battery has been disconnected. Isolating these systems may require ____
the connection between the sensor and the airbag inflation unit be cut.
What are the two types of Head Protection Systems?
- window curtains
* Inflatable tubes
After activation Inflatable tubes ____
remain inflated.
Crushable bumpers are not a hazard until in a fire until ____
the fire is out.
After a fire the clear liquid that forms on an involved crushable bumper is ____. Firefighters should ____
- concentrated hydrofluoric acid, which is a highly corrosive substance.
- flush these bumpers with copious amounts of water minimizing the presence of HF.
Crushable bumpers are made of ____ molded into an ____ structure, covered by a flexible rubber shell.
- polystyrene foam
* egg crate
Bumper struts are ____
sealed units containing hydraulic fluid and compressed gas.
If both struts attached to a bumper explode simultaneously, they can launch the bumper and/ or struts ____
100 feet or more
With the introduction of tilt, collapsible, and tilt-steering columns, use extreme caution if ____
the steering column is pulled or relocated.
High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steel
Alloy steel developed to provide better mechanical properties or greater resistance to corrosion than carbon steel; different from other varieties of steels in that it is designed to possess specific mechanical properties.
Tensile strength of different types of steel:
- Ordinary mild steel - 20,000 to 23,000 psi
- High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steel - 40,000 to 70,000 psi
- Micro Alloy (MA) steel - 110,000 to 215,000 psi
- UHSS steel - up to 442,000 psi
High strength steel running diagonally in door, or as dashboard support beams may be ____
too hard to be cut by hydraulic cutter.
Crumple zones ___
lengthen the time a vehicle takes to come to a complete stop during an accident.
Currently all passenger vehicles without ROPS are now required to have roof supports, commonly called roll cages, that will withstand a force equal to ____ the weight of the vehicle. In the near future it will be required to support ____ the weight of the vehicle.
- 2.5 times
* 3 times
Pop up style ROPS activate and rapidly extend up behind passengers when the vehicle exceeds ____ from horizontal, a lateral angle limit of ____, a longitudinal angle of ____, a ____ force, or becomes weightless for at least ____.
- 23 degrees
- 62 degrees
- 72 degrees
- 3 G acceleration
- 80 milliseconds
