Free ASE Automobile & Light Truck Suspension and Steering (A4) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the ASE Automobile & Light Truck Suspension and Steering (A4) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1On a manually adjustable steering column, which wheel movement is telescoping rather than tilting?

   1. A. Moving the wheel up or down
   2. B. Moving the wheel in or out
   3. C. Turning the wheel left or right
   4. D. Locking the wheel in place

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The Honda steering column instructions say to "Move the steering wheel in or out to the distance you want" for telescope adjustment. Up and down is the separate tilt adjustment; turning and locking do not change the telescoping position.

   Reference: Honda Steering Column Controls — Steering Column Controls, p. 61, telescope adjustment

2. 2A front suspension has acceptable ride height at rest but bottoms out on bumps when loaded. What spring condition does Monroe identify as a possible cause?

   1. A. Worn coil springs that lack load support
   2. B. Coil springs with a higher than specified rate
   3. C. Correct-rate springs with only worn strut mounts
   4. D. Coil springs with increased free length

   Answer: A

   Explanation: Monroe says a vehicle with acceptable static height may bottom out under load and "The cause of such dynamic ride height issues is often worn or damaged coil springs." Sound or new springs do not describe the cited loss of load support.

   Reference: Looking Beyond Static Ride Height When Diagnosing Bad Coil Springs — p. 1, Challenge, dynamic ride height

3. 3Which wheel-alignment angle describes inward or outward tilt of the top of a wheel when viewed from the front?

   1. A. Camber
   2. B. Caster
   3. C. Toe
   4. D. Thrust angle

   Answer: A

   Explanation: Hunter defines camber as "The angle formed by the inward or outward tilt of the top of the wheel, referenced to a vertical line as viewed from the front." The other angles use different reference directions or planes.

   Reference: WinAlign Alignment Software Operation Manual — p. 312, Glossary, Camber

4. 4When setting a passenger vehicle's tire pressure, where should a technician find the vehicle manufacturer's recommended inflation value?

   1. A. The vehicle placard or owner's manual
   2. B. The sidewall's maximum-pressure mark
   3. C. A generic pressure chart for tire size alone
   4. D. The tire's previous measured pressure

   Answer: A

   Explanation: NHTSA identifies the "Tire and Loading Information Label on the driver's side door edge or in your owner's manual" for proper vehicle inflation. Sidewall maxima, generic tables or prior readings do not supply the maker's setting.

   Reference: Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness — Tire Pressure

5. 5After adjusting this Honda steering column's tilt and telescope levers, how should the technician verify the wheel is locked?

   1. A. Try moving the wheel up, down, in, and out
   2. B. Turn the wheel from lock to lock twice
   3. C. Check only that the tilt lever has returned
   4. D. Check only that the telescope lever has returned

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The manual directs the user to "Make sure you have securely locked the steering wheel in place by trying to move it up, down, in, and out." Checking only one lever does not test both adjustment directions; rotating the steering wheel tests steering, not the column locks.

   Reference: Honda Steering Column Controls — Steering Column Controls, p. 61, step 5

6. 6During diagnosis of a front coil-spring ride-height complaint, which bumper-related sign does Monroe list as evidence to inspect?

   1. A. A worn, crushed, or missing jounce bumper
   2. B. A worn rebound bumper with intact jounce stop
   3. C. A jounce bumper compressed normally but intact
   4. D. A jounce bumper fully seated with no wear

   Answer: A

   Explanation: Monroe lists "Worn, smashed or missing jounce bumpers" as an inspection sign. The other options describe intact bumpers, not damage evidence.

   Reference: Looking Beyond Static Ride Height When Diagnosing Bad Coil Springs — p. 1, Warning Signs of Worn Springs

7. 7The top of a front wheel's steering axis tilts rearward when viewed from the side. What caster sign does Hunter assign?

   1. A. Positive caster
   2. B. Negative caster
   3. C. Zero caster
   4. D. Positive camber

   Answer: A

   Explanation: In Hunter's caster glossary entry, the definition says the angle "is positive when the top of the steering axis is tilted" and continues on the next printed page with "rearward and is negative when the top of the steering axis is tilted forward." Together, these adjacent lines assign positive caster to rearward steering-axis tilt.

   Reference: WinAlign Alignment Software Operation Manual — pp. 312–313, Glossary, Caster definition across page break

8. 8For NHTSA's tire-pressure check, when is a tire considered cold after the vehicle has been parked?

   1. A. After at least three hours without driving
   2. B. After only thirty minutes without driving
   3. C. After only one hour without driving
   4. D. After only two hours without driving

   Answer: A

   Explanation: NHTSA defines cold for this check as when "the car hasn't been driven for at least three hours." Shorter parking durations do not meet the stated time.

   Reference: Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness — Tire Pressure

9. 9A 2022 RAM 2500 with adaptive steering, built within the range covered by TSB 19-005-23, clicks or creaks through the steering column as the wheel turns. Which cause does the bulletin identify?

   1. A. High preload in the upper intermediate shaft U-joint bearings
   2. B. Low preload in the upper intermediate shaft U-joint bearings
   3. C. High preload in the lower steering gear rack support
   4. D. Low preload in the lower steering gear rack support

   Answer: A

   Explanation: For the specified vehicles, the Stellantis bulletin lists the symptom as "Clicking or creaking noise coming through the steering column when turning the steering wheel" and identifies "High preload in the upper intermediate shaft U-joint bearings." The other answers change the preload direction or locate the cause in the gear instead of the column shaft.

   Reference: Steering Column Intermediate Shaft Noise — PDF p. 1

10. 10For a vehicle with worn front coil springs and a strut replacement planned, what replacement approach does Monroe recommend to restore static and moving ride height?

    1. A. Replace the complete strut assembly including springs
    2. B. Retain the worn springs and replace only the strut damper
    3. C. Replace only the jounce bumper and keep the worn springs
    4. D. Replace only the upper mount and keep the worn springs

    Answer: A

    Explanation: Monroe says the best way to ensure proper height "is to always replace the complete strut assembly, springs included." In the stated worn-spring case, replacing only a damper or other hardware leaves the spring issue unresolved.

    Reference: Looking Beyond Static Ride Height When Diagnosing Bad Coil Springs — p. 1, Solution, Complete Replacement