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This information was borrowed directly from
http://rmv.hqusareur.army.mil/190-1/190-1.htm#AppC
**There are some new regs that are not listed here. Please check above website for current regs!
SECTION II
POV MECHANICAL STANDARDS
C-5. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
a. The chassis number on the vehicle being inspected must be the same as the chassis number on AE Form 190-1AA.
b. The manufacturer's serial number will not be removed, altered, or defaced.
c. Receipts for ordered replacement parts will not be acceptable substitutes for repairs required to meet mechanical standards in this appendix, except when the part does not pose an immediate safety hazard (for example, broken glass, cracked lens of a turn-signal light).
d. Vehicles with automatic transmissions that start when the gearshift lever is in gear will be rejected.
e. If excessive oil is leaking from the engine or transmission, the vehicle may be rejected. For the purposes of this publication, an excessive leak is anything that allows for three or more drops in 60 seconds.
f. POV inspectors will not use sharp instruments (for example, screwdrivers, tire tools, razor blades) when checking for body or frame rust or other body condition. Only hand pressure or a small rubber mallet may be used.
C-6. EXTERIOR CONDITION OF POVS
a. POVs must meet the minimum standards of exterior condition considered acceptable in the local military or civilian community. POVs that have deficiencies (for example, missing grill or fenders; broken windows; extensive body damage; and deteriorated tailgates, engine covers, trunk lids, or running boards) will be rejected.
b. License plates must be completely visible and the rear plate centered under the light (para C-11f). Both license plates will be attached securely by bolts, screws, or brackets so that no part of the plate is obscured. String or wire will not be used to secure license plates.
c. POVs with license plates (permanent or temporary) that are not affixed properly (for example, placed on the vehicle dashboard or on the rear window ledge), are not clearly visible, or that are altered in any way, will be rejected. Drilling holes through the face of license plates for placement is authorized if the license-plate numbers are not obstructed.
d. License plates may be bent forward only to conform to the vehicle configuration.
C-7. BUMPERS
POVs (except motorcycles and motorbikes) should have bumpers of the kind provided by the manufacturer firmly attached to both the front and rear of the vehicle. Any repair to or modification of the original bumpers will be examined for safety and strength. Exceptions include bumpers, bumper mounts, and other protrusions that have been removed, or vehicles that are manufactured without bumpers. Bumpers will not be removed if they have build-in lights (for example, turn signals, taillights).
C-8. DOORS AND FRAMES
a. Latching devices, including locks on doors, must be operational. Nonoperational electrically operated door locks will not cause a POV to be rejected if all doors can be locked and unlocked manually.
b. Frames and one-piece bodies must not be broken, bent, or corroded to an extent that the chassis is weakened or the wheel tracking is impaired. The undercarriage will be inspected for rust damage. Structural parts of floorboards that are rusted through and frames rebuilt with filler or riveted sheet metal will cause the POV to be rejected. POVs with body damage will not be driven if the damage impairs POV accessories (for example, broken or misaligned headlights, loose exhaust system, broken mirrors, inoperable hood).
c. POVs that have body rust and corrosion on doors or frames that weaken areas protecting the driver or passengers will be rejected. Crucial areas are door panels, doorposts, and rocker panels. POVs that have metal posts and panels repaired by body putty or other filler material will be rejected. Rust damage that does not threaten safety is allowed.
C-9. DANGEROUS PROJECTIONS
POVs with dangerous projections (for example, bumpers bent out of place, loose running boards, protruding molding and body trim, bent or torn hood or fenders) will be rejected.
C-10. PAINTING AND MARKING
a. Painting or markings resembling those normally used on U.S. Government-owned vehicles, and markings that might associate a POV with a foreign government, are prohibited.
b. After-market reflectorized paintings or markings may be used only on the rear of a POV.
C-11. LIGHTS
a. Installed and required lights specified in this paragraph must work properly. Optional lights offered by the manufacturer are not required to be operational. Exterior lights with broken or missing lenses are not considered as working properly. Lenses with small cracks will not be considered broken. A cracked tinted lens (for example, taillight, turn signal) allowing emission of white light is—
(1) Not considered acceptable on vehicles manufactured with European specifications.
(2) Acceptable on vehicles manufactured with DOT specifications if the glass has been glued properly, the owner has proof that the part is on order, and the repair will be made within 60 days.
b. Headlights (high and low beams) must be adjusted so that the light pattern strikes the mechanical headlight-alignment device or alignment board within the specified range. Tinted headlight lenses (for example, yellow lenses commonly used in France (not to be confused with factory-installed foglights mounted next to headlights)) are prohibited. Foglights installed as headlights are not authorized. Unsealed headlights corroded to an extent that the emission of light is insufficient are not acceptable.
c. Foglights are not required. If foglights are mounted, they should be installed to operate only with low-beam headlights. POVs with foglights that operate with high-beam headlights or that are not operational will not be rejected; nor will the POV owner be required to have the wiring altered. The owner will be advised, however, that nonoperational foglights and foglights with high-beam headlights violate German law.
d. An installed rear foglight (red)—
(1) Must be mounted on the left rear of the POV, separated by at least 4 inches (100 millimeters (mm)) from the taillights.
(2) Must be mounted so that the upper edge of the light emission surface is no more than 32 inches (800 mm) above the road surface.
(3) Should be capable of being turned on by a separate switch and have an indicator light inside the vehicle that remains on while the rear foglight is on.
e. Class 3 POVs must have two or more taillights and stoplights. Taillights must emit a red light visible from 100 feet (30 meters) in sunlight. Stoplights must emit a red light visible from 500 feet (150 meters) in normal sunlight. Class 1, 1b, 4, and 5 POVs (app I) must have at least one taillight and stoplight that comply with the requirements for class 3 POVs.
f. A taillight or separate lamp must light up the rear license plate and make it clearly legible from 82 feet (25 meters). This light must be wired to work when headlights or parking lights are on. All lamps must work.
g. Backup lights, if installed, must be operational and function only when the transmission is in reverse gear.
h. POVs (except for class 4 and 5 vehicles with an engine capacity of 50 cubic centimeters (cc) or less) must be equipped with directional signals as part of the lighting system. Directional lights, light indicators, switches, flashers, and wiring must be operational. The external directional lights must be positioned to be visible for at least 100 feet (30 meters) in normal daylight to the front and rear of the POV.
i. The four-way flasher system (hazard lights) on POVs with more than two wheels (except motorcycles with sidecars) must be operational. The hazard light must operate with the ignition on or off, be able to be turned on and off from inside the vehicle, and have an indicator light inside the vehicle to alert the POV operator that the system is on. The four lights must flash at the same time 60 to 120 times per minute.
j. Installing any of the following types of lighting is prohibited:
(1) White, amber, or any other color lights behind the grill for the purpose of lighting up the grill.
(2) Lights in the wheelwells, under fenders, or behind the tires.
(3) Additional lighting in or around the vehicle windshield, windows, or rear window that does not enhance vehicle safety. Vehicles must not have more than two original or additional stoplights affixed in the rear window.
(4) Decorative lighting around the license plate.
C-12. REFLECTORS
a. All POVs and trailers must be equipped with at least two rear red reflectors.
b. Motorcycles and motorscooters must be equipped with at least one rear red reflector.
c. Reflectors required by subparagraphs a or b above may be attached separately or combined with taillights.
C-13. GLASS
a. POVs must be equipped with safety glass, except when Plexiglas is used by the vehicle manufacturer. For the purposes of this appendix, safety glass is glass treated or combined with other materials to reduce the likelihood of injury.
b. Vehicle glass must not have breaks. Glass in the front, rear, and side windows directly to the right or left of the driver must not have cracks that impair or distort the driver's vision. The windshield must be free of damage (except for scratches and chips) in that part of the windshield located in the driver's windshield-wiping area. Cracks outside the driver's windshield-wiping area that are over 6 inches (150 mm), star-shaped fractures over 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter, or any condition concerning glass breaks or cracks cited in this paragraph will be determined to obstruct the driver's visibility and will cause the POV to be rejected.
c. Transparent or tinted (after-market) material attached to the rear or side windows to reduce glare must be of a professional nature and must not distort the driver's vision. When after-market material is used on the windshield, it may be placed on the top edge only and must not extend more than 4 inches (100 mm) downward on a horizontal plane from the top where the windshield and car body connect.
d. Decals that distort or impair the driver's view must not be attached to the front, rear, or side windows of the vehicle. Authorized stickers, labels, and decals attached to the windshield must not extend upward into the driver's field of vision.
C-14. MIRRORS
a. Each passenger car must have an inside rearview mirror and an outside rearview mirror of unit magnification on the driver's side. The inside mirror must provide a maximum field of view 200 feet (61 meters) to the rear of the vehicle on a level road surface. The outside mirror must provide the driver with a view of a level road surface extending 8 feet (2.5 meters) out from the tangent plane 35 feet (11 meters) behind the driver's eyes.
b. POVs with inside rearview mirrors that do not meet the field-of-view requirements in subparagraph a above, or that have tinting material applied on the side or rear windows, must have an outside mirror of unit magnification or a convex mirror installed on the passenger side.
c. The mirror mounting must provide a stable support for the mirror and allow for mirror adjustment by tilting in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Neither the outside mirror nor the mirror mounting may protrude farther than the widest part of the vehicle body except to the extent necessary to produce a field of view meeting or exceeding the requirements in subparagraphs a and b above.
d. A motorcycle must be equipped with two rearview mirrors. Each mirror must be mounted with a stable support so that the horizontal center of the reflective surface is at least 11 inches (275 mm) outward of the longitudinal centerline of the motorcycle. The mirrors must be adjustable by tilting in both the horizontal and vertical directions.
e. Mirrors must not be discolored, cracked, or broken.
C-15. WINDSHIELD WIPERS
a. Windshield wipers must be operational and the wiper blades serviceable to ensure visibility. If installed, defrosters must be functional.
b. Windshield wipers are not to be confused with headlight washers and wipers. POVs that have nonoperational headlight wipers will not be rejected.
C-16. HORNS
POVs must be equipped with horns or other authorized warning devices capable of being heard from at least 200 feet (61 meters) away. The horn must be controlled by a button or other device installed on the steering wheel, unless the POV was equipped differently by the manufacturer.
C-17. SPEEDOMETERS
POV speedometers must be operational. Inspectors will check operation of speedometers during the road test.
C-18. SEATBELTS
a. Passenger cars manufactured to U.S. specifications after 1 January 1968 must comply with Federal Standard 208 (49 Code of Federal Regulations). Federal Standard 208 requires a seatbelt for each forward-facing seat position or passive protection at all positions (for example, buses with padded seats).
b. All vehicles made to foreign specifications or American vehicles made before 1 January 1968 must be equipped with at least a lapbelt for driver and front-seat passenger positions.
c. If a vehicle is designed and equipped with a customized kit including single point-mounted chairs ("captains chairs"), all of the chairs must be equipped with at least a lapbelt. If a vehicle is equipped with seats (except rotating) not facing the front, no seatbelts are required.
C-19. STEERING SYSTEMS
a. Linkage Play. Free play in the steering linkage must not exceed .25 inch (6.25 mm). The inspector will—
(1) Elevate the front end of the vehicle to load the ball joints. If the vehicle was manufactured in the United States before 1973 it will be inspected with ball joints unloaded.
(2) Ensure the wheel bearings are correctly adjusted.
(3) Grasp the front and rear of a tire and attempt to turn the tire and wheel assembly left and right. If the free movement at the front or rear tread of the tire exceeds one-quarter of an inch, there is excessive steering linkage play.
b. Free Turning. Steering wheels must turn freely through the limit of travel in both directions. The inspector will—
(1) Turn the steering wheel through the limit of travel in both directions.
(2) Feel for binding or jamming in the steering-gear mechanism.
c. Power-Steering System. The power-steering system must be operational. The vehicle will not be rejected for cracked or slipping belts; however, the POV owner will be told to correct the deficiency.
d. Miscellaneous. The POV will be rejected when—
(1) Tie-rod steering-arm assemblies (steering arms, idler arms, drag links), ball joints, and kingpins have excessive play or are damaged or worn.
(2) The rear axle is bent or the wheels are positioned improperly or not aligned with the axles.
C-20. SHOCK ABSORBERS AND SPRINGS
a. Installation of automatic level control, air or gas shock absorbers, or coilspring airbags is authorized if it does not change the handling characteristics of the vehicle.
b. Shock-absorber mountings, shackles, and U-bolts must be attached securely. Inspectors will—
(1) Examine shock absorbers for air, gas, or oil leaking from within.
(2) With the vehicle on a level surface, push down on one end of the vehicle, then release it, noting the number of cycles of free rocking motion. Vehicles may not rock more than two cycles.
(3) Repeat the process ((2) above) at the other end of the vehicle.
c. Shock absorbers that fail to meet the criteria in subparagraph b above will be considered defective and the POV will be rejected.
d. Leaf and coil springs, shackles, and U-bolts must be attached securely. They must not be broken, modified, or extended above the vehicle manufacturer's design height. Spacers, if installed, must be installed on both front springs, both rear springs, or all four springs.
C-21. BRAKES
a. Compliance with one of the performance criteria in (1) or (2) below for service brakes will meet the requirements of this paragraph. Brake-test machines will be used where available and operational. When brake-test machines are not available or operational, a road test will be conducted.
NOTE: Tire-inflation pressure should be within the limits recommended by the tire manufacturer before either the brake-machine test or road test is conducted.
(1) Brake-Machine Test (Roller-Type or Drive-On Platform). The force applied by the brake on a front wheel must not differ by more than the percentage of the force applied by the brake on the other front wheel according to the test equipment manufacturer's specifications. The same criteria applies to rear wheels.
(2) Road Test. The road test will be conducted on a level (not to exceed plus or minus 1 percent grade), dry, smooth, hard-surfaced road that is free from loose material, oil, or grease. The test is restricted to a designated area in the vicinity of the inspection station. (Refusal of the POV owner to permit a road test of the POV will result in the immediate termination of the inspection and in the POV's being rejected.) The service brake will be applied and the vehicle will be brought to a stop as specified in (a) or (b) below.
(a) Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) or less: The service-brake system must stop the vehicle within 25 feet (7.6 meters) from a speed of 20 mph (32 kilometers per hour (kph)) without leaving a 12-foot (3.7 meters) wide lane.
(b) Vehicles with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms): The service-brake system must stop single-unit vehicles, except truck-tractors, within a distance of not more than 35 feet (10.6 meters), and combination vehicles and truck-tractors within a distance of not more than 40 feet (12 meters), from a speed of 20 mph (32 kph) without leaving a 12-foot (3.7 meters) wide lane.
b. Inspectors will inspect front brake hoses and brake lines through all wheel positions from full left to full right for defects. Brake lines must not be cracked, chafed, corroded, cut, badly rusted or worn, or flattened. Any of these conditions could result in brake failure and will cause the POV to be rejected.
c. The master brake cylinder and wheels will be examined for signs of brake-fluid leakage. Brake-fluid leakage could result in brake failure and will cause the POV to be rejected.
d. When the brake pedal is fully depressed, the distance that the pedal has traveled from its free position must not be greater than 80 percent of the total distance from its free position to the floorboard, or to any other object that restricts pedal travel.
e. The main purpose of the parking (hand) brake is to hold the vehicle in a stationary position while it is parked. If tested on the brake-test machine, the applied force variance will not cause the POV to be rejected. Application of the parking (hand) brake must prevent the vehicle from rolling on a 6-degree incline.
f. Motorcycles must have a split-service brake system or two independently activated service-brake systems. Motorcycle-brake tests will be conducted by the owner under the supervision of the POV inspector (a(2) above).
C-22. TIRES AND RIMS
a. The tread depth of the vehicle tires must be at least 1/16 of an inch (1.6 mm). Inspectors will use a tread-depth gauge at any two adjacent major grooves at three areas spaced approximately equally around the outside of the tire. If at any point the tire tread is less than 1/16 of an inch (1.6 mm), the tire is excessively worn. Tires must be free from chunking, breaks, bumps, knots, or bulges showing cord or tread separation from the casing or other adjacent materials. The use of regrooved tires is prohibited. Tire cords or belting materials must not be exposed to the naked eye or when cuts or abrasions on the tire are probed.
b. Spare tires, including emergency space-saving tires, will be subject to inspection. Any condition likely to cause injuries to personnel or faulty component parts (for example, excessively worn tires, deeply cut or exposed cords, cracked rubber, flat tire, missing spare tire) will be grounds to fail the POV during the inspection. POV owners must be advised that if they have a defective spare tire or missing spare tire while traveling on the autobahn, they will be in violation of German traffic law and could be fined. Newer-model POVs with no-flat safety, self-inflating tires that do not come equipped with a spare tire are exempt from this requirement.
c. Two snow-tires on the drive axle and two summer tires on the other axle are authorized if all four tires are radial or all four tires are bias-ply.
d. POVs with tires that extend beyond the outermost portion of the fender well when viewed from above are not authorized.
e. Studded tires are prohibited in Germany.
f. Tires and rims other than the size recommended by the manufacturer will not cause the POV to be rejected if they do not compromise safety. Speed-rated tires are not required.
g. A tire rim (wheel or disc) must have no visible cracks, elongated bolt holes, or indication of repair by welding. Wheel nuts and bolts must be in place and tight.
C-23. EXHAUST LINE
a. The exhaust system will be secured tightly and free of leaks. Tailpipes must extend behind the rear wheels or beyond the side edge or rear of the vehicle body unless prevented by the manufacturer's specifications.
b. Muffler cutouts and other similar devices that are not factory-installed (including fiberglass-packed, straight-through mufflers) that permit passage of excessive noise are prohibited. Muffler replacements will be similar to the manufacturer's specifications and will not be loud.
c. The POV may be rejected if it emits excessive smoke.
d. All parts of the exhaust line will be strong enough to resist normal hand pressure applied by the inspector.
C-24. FUEL TANKS AND LINERS
Fuel tanks will be DOT-approved or an equivalent design and permanently attached to POVs. The fuel tank filling spout will be closed by a cap of noncombustible material. POVs missing fuel-tank caps and POVs with fuel leaks will be rejected.
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