ISO 20653-2023 PDF

Full title and description

Road vehicles — Degrees of protection (IP code) — Protection of electrical equipment against foreign objects, water and access. This International Standard defines the IP (ingress protection) designations applied to enclosures of electrical equipment used in road vehicles and describes the protection provided against solid foreign objects, access to hazardous parts and the effects of water ingress for vehicle electrical systems.

Abstract

This document specifies the designations and definitions of protection types and degrees (IP codes) for electrical equipment enclosures in road vehicles; it sets out the requirements for each degree of protection and the test methods used to verify compliance (including tests for dust ingress, drips, sprays, jets, immersion and high‑pressure/high‑temperature wash).

General information

• Status: Published
• Publication date: August 2023 (30 August 2023 reported by distributors)
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• ICS / categories: 43.040.10 (Electrical and electronic equipment)
• Edition / version: Edition 3 (2023)
• Number of pages: 24

Key bibliographic and lifecycle details as published by ISO.

Scope

Applies to degrees of protection provided by enclosures of electrical equipment fitted to road vehicles. The standard covers designation and definitions of protection types and degrees (IP codes) for protection of equipment against ingress of foreign objects (including dust), protection of persons against access to hazardous parts, protection of equipment against effects of water ingress, the requirements for each degree and the tests to verify compliance.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition and notation of IP codes used specifically for road‑vehicle equipment (including the vehicle-specific "K" designation where applicable).
• Classification of protection against solid objects and access (first IP digit) and protection against water ingress (second IP digit), with levels defined from 0 up to 6 (solids) and up to 9 / 9K (water/high‑pressure cleaning) as applicable to vehicles.
• Detailed test methods: vertical drips, inclined drips, spray at angles, splash, jets, strong jets, high‑pressure/high‑temperature spray (9K), temporary and continuous immersion tests and associated pass/fail criteria.
• Rules for designation when multiple degrees or combined tests are required (for example combined markings where protection to different levels is specified).
• Requirements for test conditioning, repeatability and confirmation that enclosures comply with declared degrees of protection.

Notes on vehicle‑specific extensions and high‑pressure wash (9K) testing and how ISO 20653 relates to the general IEC IP framework.

Typical use and users

Used by automotive OEMs, Tier‑1 and Tier‑2 suppliers, component and enclosure designers, test laboratories, certification bodies and procurement/specification engineers to specify, design, test and verify the ingress‑protection performance of electrical and electronic equipment intended for road‑vehicle applications.

Related standards

ISO 20653 is vehicle‑focused and aligns with the IP‑code principles in IEC 60529 (general IP definitions). It replaces earlier vehicle/industry documents (for example DIN 40050‑9 and the previous ISO 20653:2013 edition) and is commonly used alongside environmental and durability standards such as ISO 16750 (environmental conditions for electrical/electronic equipment in road vehicles).

Keywords

IP code, ingress protection, IP6K9K, IPx9K, dust‑tight, waterproof, enclosure protection, road vehicles, electrical equipment, IP testing, high‑pressure wash.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 20653:2023 is an International Standard that defines degrees of protection (IP codes) for enclosures of electrical equipment fitted to road vehicles, covering protection against foreign objects, access to hazardous parts and water ingress.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the notation and definitions of IP codes for vehicle electrical enclosures, the requirements for each protection level and the test procedures (drips, sprays, jets, immersion, high‑pressure/high‑temperature wash) used to demonstrate compliance.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Automotive manufacturers, suppliers, design and test engineers, conformity assessment bodies and procurement/specification teams use the standard to specify and verify enclosure protection for vehicle electrical and electronic components.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: Current. The 2023 edition (Edition 3) is published and replaces ISO 20653:2013. Publication and lifecycle details are published by ISO.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is a standalone ISO standard focused on IP protection for road vehicles but is normally used in conjunction with other automotive environmental standards (for example ISO 16750 series) and the general IEC IP framework (IEC 60529).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: IP code, ingress protection, IP6K9K, IPx9K, dust, water ingress, enclosure testing, road vehicles, electrical equipment.