22 A4 — Suspension & Steering Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A vehicle with hydraulic power steering has heavy effort at both stops. A gauge with a shutoff valve is installed between the pump and the gear. With the engine warm at idle, pressure is low when the wheel is held at each stop, but rises to the value listed in the service information when the valve is briefly closed. What does this indicate?

   • A.The supply hose ahead of the pump is collapsed, so the pump is starved of fluid at both stops.
   • B.The pump can produce specified pressure, so the gear is leaking internally past its seals.✓ Answer
   • C.The drive belt is glazed and slipping, so pump speed drops whenever a steering load is applied.
   • D.The pump's flow control and relief valve is stuck open, so it cannot build pressure at any time.

   Closing the shutoff valve dead-heads the pump. If pressure then reaches specification, the pump and its relief valve are capable of full output, so the low pressure seen at the stops means fluid is escaping inside the gear, past the spool valve or piston seals. The valve must not be held closed longer than the few seconds the manufacturer allows.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Steering Units: power steering pump pressure and flow testingReport a problem with this question

2. 2. An alignment printout for a vehicle that pulls to the right shows left front camber +0.2 degrees and right front camber +0.9 degrees, caster +3.5 degrees on both sides, and total toe within specification. Which reading best explains the pull?

   • A.Right front camber is more positive than left, and a vehicle pulls toward the more positive camber.✓ Answer
   • B.Right front caster is less positive than left, and a vehicle pulls toward the more positive caster.
   • C.Total toe sits within its range, and a vehicle pulls toward whichever side carries more toe-in.
   • D.Left front camber is less positive than right, and a vehicle pulls toward the less positive camber.

   A wheel that leans outward at the top rolls like a cone and steers the vehicle toward that lean, so the vehicle pulls toward the side with the more positive camber. Caster is equal side to side here, so cross-caster is not the cause; had it differed, the pull would go the other way, toward the side with the less positive caster.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel Alignment Diagnosis: diagnosing vehicle pull and camber/caster split rulesReport a problem with this question

3. 3. A short/long arm front suspension carries its coil spring on the lower control arm. The lower ball joint is to be measured for axial and radial play. How should the vehicle be supported?

   • A.On the crossmember centre, so both lower joints stay loaded while a bar lifts each wheel.
   • B.On the frame rail behind the arm, so the suspension hangs free and wheel weight opens the joint.
   • C.Under the knuckle at the strut flange, so the joint stays loaded while the wheel is rocked.
   • D.Under the lower control arm near the joint, so the stand carries the spring load instead of the joint.✓ Answer

   Wherever the spring sits, that control arm's ball joint is the load-carrying joint, and spring force must be removed before play can be measured. With the spring on the lower arm, supporting the arm itself near the joint transfers the spring load into the stand, so the measured movement is true joint wear rather than spring preload. If the spring or torsion bar acted on the upper arm, the vehicle would instead be supported at the frame.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Front Suspensions: inspecting upper and lower ball joints for wearReport a problem with this question

4. 4. A vehicle with a column-mounted electric power steering system has lost assist and the steering warning lamp is on. Which approach is correct for diagnosing it?

   • A.Check the reservoir level and condition, then bleed trapped air by cycling the wheel lock to lock.
   • B.Replace the torque sensor first, since it is the only part that can shut the assist system down.
   • C.Install a pressure gauge between the pump and the rack and compare it against the service information.
   • D.Retrieve the stored codes with a scan tool, then test the motor, torque sensor and control circuits.✓ Answer

   An electric power steering system has no pump, hoses or fluid, so there is nothing to pressure test or bleed. Assist is produced by a motor commanded from torque and position sensor inputs, and the fault is found by reading codes and then measuring the power, ground and signal circuits for the motor and sensors against the service information.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Steering Columns: diagnosing electronically controlled steering assist systemsReport a problem with this question

5. 5. A recirculating-ball steering gear has excessive lash and is being adjusted with the linkage disconnected. Which sequence is correct?

   • A.Set sector lash first, then set worm bearing preload, since lash is what the driver notices most.
   • B.Set worm bearing preload first, then set sector lash with the gear centred, where lash is tightest.✓ Answer
   • C.Set sector lash with the gear at full lock, then check worm bearing preload only if noise remains.
   • D.Set worm bearing preload at full lock, then set sector lash at full lock, so both are set off centre.

   Worm bearing preload positions the wormshaft in the housing, and any change in it alters the sector-to-ball-nut relationship, so it must be established before lash is set. Sector lash is then adjusted with the gear on centre, because the gear teeth are cut so that engagement is tightest in the straight-ahead position that the vehicle uses most.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Steering Units: adjusting non-rack steering gear worm bearing preload and sector lashReport a problem with this question

6. 6. A vehicle steers easily but the steering wheel does not return to centre after a turn. Technician A says too little positive caster can cause poor return. Technician B says a binding upper strut bearing or a seized steering shaft joint can cause it. Who is correct?

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

   Positive caster places the steering axis ahead of the tire contact patch so the wheel trails and self-centres; reduce it and the centring force disappears. Friction in the path the steering takes back to centre does the same thing from the other direction, so a dragging strut bearing, ball joint or intermediate shaft joint also leaves the wheel where the driver put it.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel Alignment Diagnosis: diagnosing poor steering return with alignment and binding causesReport a problem with this question

7. 7. At highway speed a vehicle develops a vibration felt as an up-and-down tramp through the seat and steering wheel, with no side-to-side shimmy. Which condition matches this description?

   • A.Lateral runout of the wheel, where the rim wobbles from side to side as the assembly turns.
   • B.A worn idler arm, where linkage looseness lets the front wheels shimmy above highway speed.
   • C.Dynamic imbalance, where heavy spots on opposite sides make the assembly wobble sideways.
   • D.Static imbalance, where a heavy spot on the wheel centreline makes the assembly hop vertically.✓ Answer

   Static imbalance is a single heavy spot lying in the wheel's centre plane. As it rotates it throws the assembly upward once per revolution, which the driver feels as vertical tramp or wheel hop. A heavy spot offset from the centre plane creates a couple instead and shakes the assembly laterally, which is the shimmy of dynamic imbalance.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel and Tire Diagnosis: diagnosing tire and wheel vibration, static and dynamic balanceReport a problem with this question

8. 8. A vehicle tracks straight during normal driving but pulls sharply to the right whenever the brakes are applied. All alignment angles read within specification. What is the most likely cause?

   • A.A restricted hose or seized caliper at the left front, cutting braking effort on that side only.✓ Answer
   • B.A worn right front strut, letting that corner dive further and steer the vehicle as it settles.
   • C.Too little positive caster at the right front, which reduces stability while the vehicle slows.
   • D.Too little positive camber at the left front wheel, which unloads that tire while braking.

   A pull that appears only while the brakes are applied is a braking force imbalance, not an alignment problem, and the vehicle turns toward the side that is still braking normally. A collapsed hose or a seized caliper piston on the left front reduces or delays clamping there, so the right front does more of the work and steers the vehicle right.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel Alignment Diagnosis: diagnosing vehicle pull, drift and related non-alignment causesReport a problem with this question

9. 9. A vehicle dives heavily under braking and measured ride height is below the value given in the service information at all four corners. What is the most likely cause?

   • A.Worn shock absorbers, which let the body keep oscillating after a bump has been passed.
   • B.Worn upper strut mounts, which let the suspension shift as braking torque is applied.
   • C.Worn springs that have sagged, so they no longer hold ride height or resist weight transfer.✓ Answer
   • D.Worn stabilizer bar bushings and links, which no longer control body movement front to rear.

   Springs carry the vehicle's weight and set ride height, so a height reading below specification at every corner points to springs that have lost free length or rate. Those same weakened springs cannot resist the forward weight transfer of braking, which is why the nose dives. Shocks damp oscillation and a stabilizer bar controls roll, so neither one sets ride height.

   Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Front Suspensions: diagnosing ride height and ride quality concernsReport a problem with this question

10. 10. A vehicle dog tracks and its steering wheel sits off centre while the vehicle is going straight, yet front toe and camber are within specification. Which measurement explains this?

    • A.Thrust angle, the direction of the rear axle centreline compared with the geometric centreline.✓ Answer
    • B.Included angle, the sum of steering axis inclination and camber taken at the same wheel.
    • C.Setback, the difference in fore-and-aft position between the two wheels on the same axle.
    • D.Turning radius, the difference in steering angle between the inner and outer wheel in a turn.

    The rear wheels decide where the vehicle actually travels. When the rear axle points away from the geometric centreline, the body walks at an angle to its direction of travel and the driver must hold the front wheels off straight to keep going where the road goes, which leaves the steering wheel off centre. A four-wheel alignment corrects this by setting front toe to the thrust line after the rear is brought back to specification.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel Alignment Diagnosis: thrust angle and four-wheel alignmentReport a problem with this question

11. 11. Passing a hand sideways across a front tire reveals a feathered, saw-tooth edge on the tread ribs. Which angle is out of specification?

    • A.Steering axis inclination, because a wrong angle scrubs the tire each time it is turned.
    • B.Caster, because an incorrect caster setting drags the tire and scuffs the tread pattern.
    • C.Toe, because a wheel that rolls at an angle to its travel scrubs the tread sideways.✓ Answer
    • D.Camber, because a leaning wheel concentrates the load on one shoulder of the tread.

    Incorrect toe makes the tire roll slightly sideways for every foot the vehicle travels. That sideways scrub wears one side of each tread rib faster than the other and leaves the sharp-and-smooth saw-tooth pattern felt when a hand is swept across the tread. Camber wears a shoulder evenly smooth, and caster produces no tire wear at all.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel and Tire Diagnosis: interpreting tire wear patternsReport a problem with this question

12. 12. An inner tie rod on a rack-and-pinion gear has just been replaced. How should the toe setting be completed?

    • A.Set toe with the front wheels hanging free, then lower the vehicle and recheck the steering wheel.
    • B.Lock the steering wheel centred, split total toe evenly between the two sides, then tighten the clamps.✓ Answer
    • C.Put the whole correction into the replaced side, then turn the wheel until it looks level on the road.
    • D.Set total toe with the wheel wherever it rests, since column splines correct the wheel position later.

    Toe is measured with the vehicle at curb height and the steering held straight ahead, because moving the steering wheel changes the reading. Holding it centred with a lock and then taking half of the total toe change at each tie rod keeps the steering wheel level while the total ends up in specification, and the clamps and boot are secured last so the boot is not left twisted.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Steering Linkage: inspecting and adjusting tie rods, sleeves and clampsReport a problem with this question

13. 13. All of the following are correct when removing a steering wheel that carries an airbag module EXCEPT:

    • A.Place the removed module face up on a clean bench, away from heat sources and solvents.
    • B.Recentre and hold the clockspring at its centred position with the front wheels straight ahead.
    • C.Measure the inflator circuit with an ohmmeter to confirm the squib is intact before removal.✓ Answer
    • D.Disable the system and wait the time the manufacturer specifies before unplugging the module.

    An ohmmeter applies its own current to the circuit it measures, and that current can be enough to fire an inflator squib, so a meter is never connected to the deployment loop. Circuit testing on that loop is done only with the tools and procedure the manufacturer specifies. The other three steps, waiting out the reserve energy, storing the module face up and keeping the clockspring centred, are standard practice.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Steering Columns: disabling and enabling supplemental restraint systems before column serviceReport a problem with this question

14. 14. A growl from the front of a vehicle gets louder during a gentle left turn at steady speed and quieter in a right turn. What does this most likely indicate?

    • A.A failing power steering pump, since any steering input raises pump pressure and noise.
    • B.A dry lower ball joint, since steering makes a worn joint move across its dry surfaces.
    • C.A worn right front wheel bearing, since a left turn shifts vehicle weight onto the right side.✓ Answer
    • D.A worn left front wheel bearing, since a left turn puts more load on the inside wheel.

    Cornering transfers weight to the outside of the turn, so a left turn loads the right side of the vehicle. A worn bearing gets noticeably louder as its load increases and quieter as it is unloaded, so noise that rises in a left turn points to the right side bearing. The noise is speed related rather than steering related, which separates it from a pump or joint complaint.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Front Suspensions: diagnosing wheel bearing and hub noiseReport a problem with this question

15. 15. Technician A says a direct tire pressure monitoring system uses a pressure sensor at each wheel and that many vehicles need a relearn after sensors are replaced or tires are rotated. Technician B says an indirect system measures pressure with a sensor inside each valve stem and never has to be reset. Who is correct?

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

    A direct system reads actual pressure at each wheel and reports it by radio with a sensor identification code, so the module must be taught which sensor sits at which corner after replacement or rotation. An indirect system has no wheel sensors at all: it infers a low tire from wheel speed differences at the antilock brake sensors, and it must be reset by the driver or a tool once the tires are set to the placard pressure.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel and Tire Diagnosis: tire pressure monitoring system operation and relearnReport a problem with this question

16. 16. With the vehicle's weight on its wheels, a helper rocks the steering wheel a few degrees each way while the technician watches the linkage. What does this check show that a raised-wheel inspection can miss?

    • A.Lost motion in loaded joints such as tie rod ends, the idler arm and the steering gear.✓ Answer
    • B.Vertical play in a load-carrying ball joint, which only appears once spring load is removed.
    • C.Radial and lateral runout, which is read with a dial indicator as the assembly is turned.
    • D.Roughness in the hub bearing, which is felt as the wheel is spun by hand off the ground.

    This is the dry park test. Keeping the tires on the ground holds the steering joints in the same loaded position they occupy while driving, so small rocking inputs show up as motion at one end of a part that does not appear at the other. Raising the vehicle unloads those joints and lets the whole linkage move together, which can hide the very looseness that causes wander and clunk.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Steering Linkage: inspecting steering linkage for wear and lost motionReport a problem with this question

17. 17. Rubber-bonded bushings in a front control arm and a rear trailing arm have been replaced. When should the through-bolts receive their final torque?

    • A.With the suspension hanging at full rebound, so the arm is at the end of travel and accessible.
    • B.With the suspension loaded at curb height, so the bushing is relaxed at normal ride height.✓ Answer
    • C.With the arm compressed to full jounce, so the bushing is preloaded against body roll forces.
    • D.With the vehicle raised, as soon as the bolt is started, so the sleeve cannot shift while tightening.

    A bonded bushing has no bearing surface: the rubber is vulcanized to its inner sleeve and outer shell, and suspension travel is absorbed by twisting the rubber. Clamping the sleeve at full droop leaves the rubber permanently wound up once the vehicle is lowered, which shortens bushing life and can alter ride height and alignment. Final torque is therefore applied with the suspension loaded at curb height.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Front and Rear Suspensions: control arm and trailing arm bushing serviceReport a problem with this question

18. 18. A leaf-sprung vehicle dog tracks and pulls to one side. Rear thrust angle is out of specification while every front angle reads within specification. What is the most likely cause?

    • A.A bent front steering arm, changing toe-out on turns and steering the vehicle to one side.
    • B.A broken spring centre bolt or worn shackle bushings, letting the axle shift out of square.✓ Answer
    • C.Unequal rear tire pressures, letting the body lean and drift toward the softer of the tires.
    • D.Worn rear shock absorbers, letting the axle move fore and aft as the springs wind up.

    On a leaf-spring axle the centre bolt locates the axle on the spring, and the shackle and eye bushings hold each spring's length and position. If the centre bolt shears or a bushing collapses, one end of the axle moves fore or aft, the axle is no longer square to the body, and its thrust line no longer matches the geometric centreline. Front angles can be perfect and the vehicle will still track crooked until the rear locating parts are repaired.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Rear Suspensions: inspecting leaf springs, centre pins, shackles and bushingsReport a problem with this question

19. 19. A hydraulic power steering system whines and the fluid in the reservoir is foamy and milky looking. What should be suspected first?

    • A.An internally worn gear, letting pressure bleed past the spool valve and churning the fluid.
    • B.A slipping drive belt, letting pump speed fall so the vanes rattle inside the pump housing.
    • C.A restricted pressure hose, forcing the pump relief valve to bypass fluid on every turn.
    • D.Air drawn in on the suction side, at the reservoir feed hose, its clamp or the pump inlet seal.✓ Answer

    Foam is air suspended in the fluid, and air enters where the system is below atmospheric pressure, which is the low pressure line running from the reservoir to the pump inlet. A loose clamp, a cracked feed hose, a low fluid level or a leaking inlet seal lets the pump draw air along with fluid; the aerated fluid is compressible, so the pump loses output and whines. A pressure side leak drips fluid out instead of drawing air in.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Steering Units: diagnosing power steering fluid condition, noise and leaksReport a problem with this question

20. 20. A wheel assembly is balanced correctly, but the highway speed vibration returns within a few hundred miles and the assembly reads out of balance again. What should be inspected?

    • A.The rotation interval, since an assembly left in one position takes a permanent set in the tread.
    • B.The cold pressure against the sidewall maximum, since a soft tire cannot hold a balance.
    • C.The hub and wheel mounting faces for corrosion or damage, and the assembly for excessive runout.✓ Answer
    • D.The total mass of the weights against the speed rating, since heavy weights fly off at speed.

    A balance is only valid if the assembly runs true on the hub it is mounted to. Rust scale or a raised nick on the mounting face tips the wheel a fraction of a degree, and excessive radial or lateral runout in the wheel or tire creates a force the balancer cannot cancel with weight. Cleaning the mating surfaces and measuring runout against specification comes before adding more weight, and index-matching the tire on the rim can bring runout back into range.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel and Tire Diagnosis: measuring wheel and tire runout and correcting persistent vibrationReport a problem with this question

21. 21. All four alignment angles are now within specification on a vehicle with electric power steering and a forward-facing camera. What still has to be done before the vehicle is released?

    • A.Reset the tire pressure monitoring system, because moving the tie rods changes the sensor codes.
    • B.Add caster on both sides beyond the specified range so the steering wheel centres more strongly.
    • C.Adjust sector lash in the steering gear so the wheel returns firmly to centre after the alignment.
    • D.Perform the steering angle sensor relearn and the camera aiming procedure the maker specifies.✓ Answer

    Changing toe changes where the steering wheel and the steering angle sensor sit when the vehicle is going straight, and driver assistance functions compare that sensor to the camera's view of the road. Both the sensor zero point and the camera aim therefore have to be re-established with the procedure in the service information, or the vehicle may steer or brake itself incorrectly even though every alignment angle is correct.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel Alignment Diagnosis: steering angle sensor and driver assistance system calibration after alignmentReport a problem with this question

22. 22. Caster, camber, toe and steering axis inclination all read within specification, but a turning angle check shows toe-out on turns is wrong on the left side only. What does this indicate?

    • A.A shifted engine cradle, since it moves both lower control arms and changes inclination on both sides.
    • B.A bent steering arm on that side, since it changes the turning angle without moving the others.✓ Answer
    • C.A worn idler arm, since looseness in the linkage lets the wheels change toe as they are turned.
    • D.A bent strut on that side, since it alters camber and included angle before the turning angle.

    Toe-out on turns comes from the angle at which the steering arms point inward toward the rear axle, so it is the one reading that a bent steering arm changes on its own. A bent strut or knuckle would push camber and included angle out of range as well, and a shifted cradle would move steering axis inclination on both sides, so specification readings everywhere else point to the arm. Toe-out on turns is not adjustable and the bent part must be replaced.

    Source: ASE A4 Suspension and Steering Task List, Wheel Alignment Diagnosis: non-adjustable angles including toe-out on turns and included angleReport 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 →