22 A4 — Suspension & Steering Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A vehicle is on a power steering pressure/flow test. The gauge is installed between the pump outlet and the gear inlet. With the engine at idle and the wheels held at the stop, pressure reads well below specification. When the tester's shutoff valve is momentarily closed, pressure rises to specification. Which of these is the MOST likely cause?

   • A.A slipping drive belt
   • B.A worn power steering pump
   • C.Internal leakage in the steering gear✓ Answer
   • D.A restricted high-pressure hose

   Closing the shutoff valve isolates the pump from the gear. If pressure returns to specification with the valve closed, the pump can produce full pressure, so the loss must be downstream — internal leakage past the rack or spool valve in the gear. If pressure stayed low with the valve closed, the pump would be at fault. Never hold the valve closed or the wheels at a stop more than about 5 seconds.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area A (Steering Units) — power steering pressure/flow test interpretationReport a problem with this question

2. 2. Two technicians are discussing an alignment printout showing right-front camber out of specification, included angle out of specification by the same amount, and SAI within specification. Technician A says a bent steering knuckle (spindle) could be the cause. Technician B says the SAI should be adjusted back into specification first. Who is correct?

   • A.A only✓ Answer
   • B.B only
   • C.Neither A nor B
   • D.Both A and B

   Included angle equals SAI plus camber. When SAI is correct but camber and included angle are both off by the same amount, the steering axis itself is located correctly and only the spindle/knuckle geometry has moved, which points to a bent knuckle. Technician B is wrong because SAI is a diagnostic angle and is not adjustable — an out-of-spec SAI means a bent part must be replaced.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area C — SAI/included angle diagnosis (IA = SAI + camber)Report a problem with this question

3. 3. This question contains the word EXCEPT. Read the question carefully before choosing your answer. A customer complains of a steering pull to the right at highway speed. Any of these could be the cause EXCEPT:

   • A.Tire conicity in the right front tire
   • B.More positive caster on the right front wheel✓ Answer
   • C.More positive camber on the right front wheel
   • D.A dragging right front brake

   A vehicle pulls toward the side with MORE positive camber but toward the side with LESS positive caster. Extra positive caster on the right would therefore tend to pull the vehicle left, not right, so it cannot explain a right pull. Camber split, tire conicity and a dragging brake all can produce a pull.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area C — camber and caster pull directionReport a problem with this question

4. 4. A vehicle has a short/long arm (SLA) front suspension with the coil spring seated on the LOWER control arm. A technician needs to measure lower ball joint axial play with a dial indicator. To obtain a valid reading, the technician should:

   • A.Place the jack under the frame and let the suspension hang
   • B.Leave the full weight of the vehicle on the wheels
   • C.Place the jack under the lower control arm close to the ball joint✓ Answer
   • D.Place the jack under the upper control arm

   When the spring sits on the lower control arm, the lower ball joint is the loaded joint and spring force masks any wear. Jacking under the lower control arm near the joint transfers the spring load into the jack and unloads the joint so true axial and radial play can be measured. Wear-indicator ball joints are the exception — those are checked with full vehicle weight on the wheels.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area B (Front Suspensions) — loaded vs unloaded ball joint inspectionReport a problem with this question

5. 5. A vehicle with electric power steering (EPS) has a stored DTC for "EPS motor circuit voltage below threshold." Voltage at the motor connector is present but drops sharply under load, and the connector terminals show discoloration. The MOST likely cause is:

   • A.An open in the motor power feed circuit
   • B.A fault on the vehicle's serial data bus
   • C.High resistance in a connector in the motor power feed circuit✓ Answer
   • D.A shorted torque sensor signal wire

   High resistance passes voltage with no load but cannot carry current, so voltage collapses the moment the motor draws current — and the heat generated discolors the terminals. A true open would give no voltage at the motor and typically a different DTC, and a data bus fault sets communication codes, not a motor power circuit voltage code.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area A — electronic power steering circuit diagnosis (high resistance vs open vs bus fault)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. A technician is adjusting a recirculating-ball steering gear that has been removed from the vehicle and is on the bench. Which sequence is correct?

   • A.Set sector lash only; worm bearing preload is not adjustable
   • B.Set worm bearing preload first, then sector lash with the gear centered✓ Answer
   • C.Set both simultaneously with the gear turned to full lock
   • D.Set sector lash first, then worm bearing preload with the gear centered

   Worm bearing preload must be set first because it establishes the position of the worm shaft; sector (over-center) lash is then set with the gear at its center high point. Doing it in the reverse order means the later worm adjustment changes the lash that was just set, leaving the gear either tight on center or with excessive freeplay.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area A (Steering Units) — non-rack steering gear adjustment procedureReport a problem with this question

7. 7. A customer says the steering wheel does not return to center after a turn and seems to "remember" the last turn made. Which of these is the LEAST likely cause?

   • A.A rough front wheel bearing✓ Answer
   • B.A binding upper strut mount bearing
   • C.A binding steering shaft U-joint
   • D.A binding upper ball joint

   Memory steer is caused by something in the steering axis that binds and holds the suspension in the position it was last turned to — a strut bearing, ball joint, steering gear or column joint. A wheel bearing rotates on a different axis than the steering axis, so even a rough bearing produces noise and looseness rather than a resistance to returning to center.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area C1 — steering/handling driveability terms (memory steer)Report a problem with this question

8. 8. A vehicle vibrates at highway speed and the front end visibly moves up and down. The vibration is speed-sensitive and disappears below about 45 mph. Technician A says static imbalance of the front tires could cause this. Technician B says this symptom is typical of dynamic imbalance. Who is correct?

   • A.Both A and B
   • B.Neither A nor B
   • C.A only✓ Answer
   • D.B only

   Static imbalance is a heavy spot concentrated in one plane, which makes the assembly hop up and down — the tramp motion described. Dynamic imbalance is weight distributed unevenly across the wheel's width and produces a side-to-side shimmy felt in the steering wheel, not vertical tramp, so Technician B is wrong.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area D — static vs dynamic wheel balance symptomsReport a problem with this question

9. 9. A vehicle pulls to the right only when the brakes are applied; it tracks straight otherwise. Which of these is the MOST likely suspension-related cause?

   • A.A bent wheel on the right front
   • B.A weak rear leaf spring
   • C.A worn control arm or strut rod bushing allowing caster change under braking✓ Answer
   • D.A worn stabilizer bar link

   Braking loads the suspension rearward. A worn control arm or strut rod (radius arm) bushing lets that arm move under the load, changing caster on one side only while the brakes are applied, which creates a pull that appears and disappears with the brake pedal. A bent wheel causes vibration, not brake pull, and stabilizer links cause noise and roll complaints.

   Source: ASE A4 task list, Area B — control arm/strut rod bushing diagnosisReport a problem with this question

10. 10. A customer complains of excessive nose dive when braking and a low front ride height. Which of these is the MOST likely cause?

    • A.Weak front springs✓ Answer
    • B.A bent steering arm
    • C.Excessive positive caster
    • D.Worn stabilizer bar bushings

    Springs carry vehicle weight and control ride height, so weak or sagging springs both lower the vehicle and allow excessive weight transfer forward under braking. Stabilizer bushings only affect body roll, a bent steering arm affects toe-out-on-turns, and caster is a directional-stability angle. Ride height must be corrected before alignment because it changes camber, caster and toe.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area B — springs and ride height diagnosisReport a problem with this question

11. 11. A rear-wheel-drive vehicle "dog tracks" down the road and the steering wheel sits off-center even though front toe was set correctly. Which of these should the technician check FIRST?

    • A.Front caster split
    • B.Steering axis inclination
    • C.Toe-out-on-turns
    • D.Rear toe and thrust angle✓ Answer

    Unequal rear toe creates a thrust line that does not match the vehicle centerline, so the rear axle steers the vehicle and the driver must hold the wheel off-center to go straight — that is dog tracking. Correcting rear toe (or shimming a non-adjustable axle) restores the thrust angle, which is why a four-wheel/thrust-angle alignment is required rather than a front-only alignment.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area C — thrust angle and rear toeReport a problem with this question

12. 12. A front tire shows feathered, saw-tooth wear across the tread face. Camber readings are within specification. The MOST likely cause is:

    • A.A worn shock absorber
    • B.Incorrect toe✓ Answer
    • C.Over-inflation
    • D.Incorrect caster

    Toe error makes the tire scrub sideways as it rolls forward, shaving one side of each tread block and leaving the feathered saw-tooth edge. Caster produces no tire wear at all, worn shocks produce cupping, and over-inflation wears the center of the tread.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area D — tire wear pattern diagnosisReport a problem with this question

13. 13. After replacing an inner tie rod on a rack-and-pinion vehicle, a technician sets total toe to specification, but the steering wheel is now off-center to the left while driving straight. The correct action is to:

    • A.Increase total toe-in until the wheel centers
    • B.Adjust both tie rod sleeves in equal and opposite amounts to recenter the wheel✓ Answer
    • C.Adjust caster on the left front wheel
    • D.Remove and reindex the steering wheel on the shaft splines

    Correct total toe with a crooked wheel means the individual (per-wheel) toe values are unequal. Lengthening one tie rod and shortening the other by the same amount shifts the rack's centered position relative to the wheels, recentering the steering wheel while total toe stays unchanged. Repositioning the wheel on the splines hides the problem and misaligns the clockspring and steering angle sensor.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area A (Steering Linkage) / Area C — toe adjustment and steering wheel centeringReport a problem with this question

14. 14. Before servicing a steering column or removing a steering wheel, which of these is the correct practice?

    • A.Carry the removed airbag module with the trim cover facing the body
    • B.Use a powered test light to verify the airbag circuit is dead
    • C.Disable the SRS per the manufacturer's procedure and wait the specified time after disconnecting the battery✓ Answer
    • D.Drive the steering wheel off with a hammer if the puller will not release it

    SRS reserve capacitors hold enough energy to deploy an airbag for a specified time after the battery is disconnected, so the manufacturer's disable-and-wait procedure is required. A powered test light can itself deploy the module, hammering on a column collapses it and destroys the collapsible design, and a module must be carried facing away from the body so a deployment would travel away from the technician.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area A (Steering Columns) — SRS disable/enable and column service precautionsReport a problem with this question

15. 15. A vehicle has a growling noise from the front that gets louder during a left turn and quieter during a right turn. The MOST likely cause is:

    • A.A worn right front wheel bearing✓ Answer
    • B.A worn right front strut mount
    • C.A worn left front wheel bearing
    • D.Incorrect right front caster

    Cornering transfers weight to the outside wheel, and loading a worn bearing makes it noisier. In a left turn the load shifts to the right side, so a right front bearing gets louder. Because this noise closely resembles aggressive or cupped tread noise, the tires should be inspected to confirm the diagnosis.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area B — wheel bearing/hub noise diagnosisReport a problem with this question

16. 16. Two technicians discuss tire pressure monitoring systems. Technician A says an indirect TPMS uses the ABS wheel speed sensors and cannot display an actual pressure value for each tire. Technician B says a TPMS lamp that flashes at start-up and then stays on indicates simply that one tire is low. Who is correct?

    • A.A only✓ Answer
    • B.B only
    • C.Both A and B
    • D.Neither A nor B

    Indirect TPMS infers a low tire from rolling-radius and rotation-rate differences read by the wheel speed sensors, so it has no in-wheel sensors and no actual pressure data; it is reset rather than relearned after inflation or rotation. Technician B is wrong because a flashing lamp at start-up followed by a steady lamp indicates a system malfunction, while a steady lamp alone indicates low pressure.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area D10 — direct vs indirect TPMS operation and warning lamp indicationReport a problem with this question

17. 17. During a dry-park (steering linkage) test with the vehicle's weight on the wheels, an assistant rocks the steering wheel back and forth while the technician observes the linkage. Movement is seen at the idler arm. To determine the needed action, the technician should:

    • A.Adjust the tie rod sleeves to compensate for the movement
    • B.Tighten the idler arm pivot nut until movement stops
    • C.Replace the idler arm any time any movement at all is observed
    • D.Apply the specified vertical force up and down at the idler arm and measure movement against specification✓ Answer

    Idler arms are evaluated by applying a specified vertical force up and down at the arm and comparing the resulting movement to the manufacturer's allowable figure, because a small amount of movement is normal. Excess play lets toe change as the vehicle moves, producing wander and tire wear. Tightening the pivot or compensating with toe does not restore the arm's control of the center link.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area A (Steering Linkage) — idler arm inspection procedureReport a problem with this question

18. 18. A technician replaces both rear trailing arm bushings. To avoid premature bushing failure and a ride height change, the pivot bolts should be final-torqued:

    • A.With the suspension loaded at normal curb/ride height✓ Answer
    • B.With the springs removed from the vehicle
    • C.With the vehicle on a hoist and the suspension hanging free
    • D.In any position, as long as a torque wrench is used

    A rubber bushing is bonded to its inner sleeve, so it twists rather than rotates as the arm moves. Clamping the bolt with the suspension hanging locks the bushing in a pre-twisted state, so at normal ride height the rubber is permanently strained — it tears early and can also alter ride height and alignment. Torquing at curb height puts the bushing at its neutral point.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area B (Rear Suspensions) — bushing service and torque at ride heightReport a problem with this question

19. 19. A rear-wheel-drive vehicle with leaf-spring rear suspension has a rear-axle-caused pull and a thrust angle error, and one rear wheel appears set back in the wheel well. Which of these is the MOST likely cause?

    • A.A weak stabilizer bar bushing
    • B.A worn rear shock absorber
    • C.Excessive rear camber on one side
    • D.A broken leaf spring center bolt allowing the axle to shift✓ Answer

    The leaf spring center pin locates the axle on the spring. If it breaks, that side of the axle slides fore or aft, which cocks the axle, creates a thrust angle away from the vehicle centerline and produces both setback and a rear-caused pull. A worn shock affects ride control, not axle location.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area B (Rear Suspensions) / Area C — leaf spring center bolt and thrust angleReport a problem with this question

20. 20. A vehicle has a power steering whine that is loudest at idle, the fluid in the reservoir is foamy, and steering assist is erratic. Technician A says air is being drawn in on the suction side of the system. Technician B says the system should be topped off with any available automatic transmission fluid. Who is correct?

    • A.Both A and B
    • B.Neither A nor B
    • C.A only✓ Answer
    • D.B only

    Foamy fluid with a whine means air is entrained in the fluid, and air enters on the low-pressure suction side — a loose clamp, a cracked return hose or a low fluid level — because a pressure-side leak pushes fluid out rather than drawing air in. Technician B is wrong because ATF, conventional power steering fluid and synthetic hydraulic fluids are not interchangeable; the manufacturer-specified fluid must be used, and the system must be bled after service.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area A — power steering fluid condition, aeration and fluid typeReport a problem with this question

21. 21. A wheel assembly will not stay balanced and the vehicle still shimmies after two balance attempts. Which of these should the technician do NEXT?

    • A.Measure wheel, tire, hub and axle flange runout with a dial indicator against specification✓ Answer
    • B.Replace the wheel bearing
    • C.Increase tire pressure to the maximum molded on the sidewall
    • D.Add weight to the opposite side of the wheel until the shimmy stops

    Balancing corrects weight distribution, not geometry. Lateral runout causes shimmy and radial runout causes tramp regardless of how well the assembly is balanced, so runout of the wheel, tire, hub and axle flange must be measured before condemning parts or rebalancing again. Index/match-mounting the tire to the wheel or road-force balancing may then be required. Tire pressure is always set to the door placard value, not the sidewall maximum.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area D — radial and lateral runout measurement before rebalancingReport a problem with this question

22. 22. A vehicle's front-end alignment is complete and all angles are within specification. Which of these should the technician do before releasing the vehicle?

    • A.Perform a steering angle sensor zero/relearn and any required ADAS recalibration✓ Answer
    • B.Readjust caster to the high side of specification to improve return
    • C.Loosen and retorque the strut mount nuts with the suspension hanging
    • D.Reset the TPMS so the sensors relearn their new positions

    Changing toe or the steering wheel position changes what the steering angle sensor reports as straight ahead, and ADAS cameras and radar aim relative to the vehicle's thrust line and steering angle. Without a sensor zero/relearn and the required recalibration, lane keeping and stability systems can operate on false center and set DTCs. TPMS relearn relates to rotation or sensor replacement, not alignment.

    Source: ASE A4 task list, Area C16 — steering angle sensor relearn and ADAS recalibration after alignmentReport a problem with this question

Practice questions written to the ASE Automobile & Light Truck (A-series) task lists and standard automotive service principles. ASE is a mark of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASE. Always follow the vehicle manufacturer's service information for specifications and procedures on a real repair. About the ASE tests →