20 Steering Systems & Linkage Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A technician is inspecting the steering linkage on a light truck with a parallelogram design. How is an idler arm judged unserviceable?

   • A.Load the arm with the specified force and compare its movement to the play specification.✓ Answer
   • B.Watch it while a helper turns the steering wheel with the vehicle's weight on the tyres.
   • C.Replace it whenever its grease boot shows surface cracking, hardening or discolouration.
   • D.Rotate it on its own axis until the centre link touches the frame rail and note the effort.

   An idler arm supports the centre link, and its wear is measured rather than eyeballed: the arm is loaded with the force the service information calls out and the resulting movement is compared with the published play limit. A cracked grease boot is a separate finding, and swinging the arm against the frame proves nothing about wear inside the pivot.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — steering linkage inspectionReport a problem with this question

2. 2. While checking an outer tie rod end, the technician finds the ball stud can be moved up and down in its socket by hand. What does this call for?

   • A.Setting toe to specification, which loads the linkage and takes up the play in the socket.
   • B.Packing the joint with chassis grease through its nipple and rechecking the stud for play.
   • C.Replacing the tie rod end, because play in the ball socket is neither adjustable nor repairable.✓ Answer
   • D.Tightening the castellated nut further until the vertical play in the ball stud disappears.

   A tie rod end is a sealed ball socket; once the stud moves within the socket the joint is worn out, and no amount of nut torque or grease restores the fit. The castellated nut only clamps the stud taper into the steering knuckle, so tightening it cannot remove socket play, and a toe setting does not compensate for a loose joint.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — inspecting and replacing tie rods and tie rod endsReport a problem with this question

3. 3. All of the following steering repairs require a wheel alignment afterward EXCEPT:

   • A.replacing a steering damper mounted between the centre link and the frame.✓ Answer
   • B.replacing a worn centre link and idler arm on a parallelogram steering linkage.
   • C.replacing both outer tie rod ends on a vehicle with rack and pinion steering.
   • D.replacing an inner tie rod socket that threads into the end of the steering rack.

   A steering damper only damps motion in the linkage; it carries no adjustment and its length does not set any wheel angle, so replacing it leaves toe where it was. Every other part listed sits in the toe adjustment path, so disturbing it changes toe and the vehicle must be aligned before it is released.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — steering linkage service and when alignment is requiredReport a problem with this question

4. 4. After an alignment the vehicle tracks straight but the steering wheel sits off centre. How is this corrected at the linkage?

   • A.Lengthen both tie rods by the same amount until the steering wheel returns to centre.
   • B.Turn only the left tie rod adjuster until the steering wheel spokes come out level.
   • C.Shorten one tie rod and lengthen the other by an equal amount so total toe is unchanged.✓ Answer
   • D.Pull the steering wheel from the shaft and reinstall it one spline toward the centre.

   Centring the wheel is done by moving the two tie rods in opposite directions: shortening one and lengthening the other by the same amount swings the steering wheel without changing the total toe setting. Adjusting one side alone, or both in the same direction, alters toe as well and undoes the alignment that was just set.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — tie rod sleeves, adjusters and centring the steering wheelReport a problem with this question

5. 5. A technician has just set toe using the tie rod adjusting sleeves. What must be done with the sleeve clamps before the vehicle is released?

   • A.Turn their bolts to face rearward and snug them by hand so the sleeve can still turn.
   • B.Leave them loose so the sleeve can settle into its own position during the road test.
   • C.Slide them to the very ends of the sleeve and stake the sleeve over with a punch.
   • D.Position them clear of the sleeve slot and tighten them to the specified torque.✓ Answer

   The adjusting sleeve is slotted so that the clamps can squeeze it onto the tie rod threads. A clamp sitting over that slot cannot close it, so the clamps are rotated clear of the slot and then tightened to the published torque; loose or hand-snug clamps let the sleeve rotate in service and the toe setting drifts.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — tie rod sleeves, clamps and adjustersReport a problem with this question

6. 6. The reservoir of a hydraulic power steering system is low. Which practice is correct?

   • A.Use any fluid sold as universal, as long as it is not mixed with the old fluid.
   • B.Top it up with the lightest engine oil available until it reaches the full mark.
   • C.Use automatic transmission fluid, which suits every hydraulic power steering pump.
   • D.Use only the fluid that the vehicle's service information specifies for that system.✓ Answer

   Power steering fluids differ in viscosity, additive package and seal compatibility; some systems call for a specific transmission fluid while others require a dedicated power steering fluid. The service information names the one the pump and gear seals were designed around, and a substitute can swell or shrink those seals and produce leaks, noise or lost assist.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — inspecting power steering fluid level and conditionReport a problem with this question

7. 7. The power steering fluid is milky with fine bubbles and the reservoir level rises after the engine is shut off. What should the technician inspect?

   • A.The low-pressure return hose and its clamps, where air can be drawn into the system.✓ Answer
   • B.The fluid grade, and refill with a heavier one so the foaming is suppressed.
   • C.The steering gear itself, since aerated fluid always means the rack seals have let go.
   • D.The level alone, since foam in the reservoir simply means the system is low.

   Air enters a hydraulic power steering system on the suction and return side, so a loose clamp or a cracked low-pressure hose is the usual entry point and is what gets inspected first. Aerated fluid expands, which is why the level appears to climb once the pump stops, and changing to a heavier fluid does nothing about the leak letting air in.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — power steering fluid condition and leak inspectionReport a problem with this question

8. 8. A hydraulic power steering system has been refilled after a hose was replaced. What is the correct way to remove the air?

   • A.Hold the steering hard against a stop for several minutes so pressure forces air out.
   • B.Simply drive the vehicle, since the air works its way out with no bleed procedure.
   • C.Follow the maker's bleed procedure, cycling the steering and rechecking the level.✓ Answer
   • D.Crack the high-pressure line at the gear and let the pump push fluid out until clear.

   Trapped air is removed by the manufacturer's published bleed routine, which typically has the steering cycled slowly with the level rechecked and topped up until the fluid is clear and the pump is quiet; some systems specify a vacuum bleed instead. Holding the steering against a stop loads the pump's relief valve and overheats the fluid rather than purging it.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — flush, fill and bleed a hydraulic power steering systemReport a problem with this question

9. 9. A vehicle is equipped with electric power steering. Technician A says there is no fluid reservoir to check and no hydraulic bleeding procedure to perform. Technician B says lost assist can be restored by adding the specified power steering fluid at the column. Who is right?

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

   Electric power steering produces its assist with an electric motor driving the column or the rack, so the system holds no hydraulic fluid, no pump, no hoses and nothing to bleed. There is no place to add fluid anywhere on it, and reduced assist on such a vehicle is an electrical, mechanical or module concern rather than a fluid level concern.

   Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — electric power steering service considerationsReport a problem with this question

10. 10. A steering component has been replaced on a vehicle with electric power steering and a steering angle sensor. What is required before the vehicle is released?

    • A.Disconnect the battery for the stated time so the module clears its stored codes.
    • B.Nothing further, since the sensor learns its centre by itself during the road test.
    • C.Perform the specified steering angle sensor calibration and verify codes are gone.✓ Answer
    • D.Cycle the steering lock to lock five times, which the module accepts as a relearn.

    The steering angle sensor reports wheel position to the stability control system and, on many vehicles, to the steering assist module, so its centre reference must be re-established with the calibration routine in the service information whenever steering or alignment work moves it. Disconnecting the battery calibrates nothing, and an uncalibrated sensor leaves stability control codes stored and its warning lamp on.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — steering angle sensor calibration after steering serviceReport a problem with this question

11. 11. A vehicle with an electronically controlled air suspension is about to be raised on a hoist for a steering linkage inspection. What must be done first?

    • A.Switch the air suspension off at the control the service information identifies.✓ Answer
    • B.Start the engine and let the compressor fill the springs to their travel limit.
    • C.Open a fitting at each air spring to release the pressure stored in the system.
    • D.Raise the vehicle first and shut the suspension off once the wheels hang free.

    With the system still live, the height control sees the suspension extend as the vehicle leaves the ground and commands the compressor or exhaust valve to correct it, which can damage air springs, height sensors and their links. The service information identifies a service switch or disable procedure to be used before lifting, and the system is re-enabled once the vehicle is back down.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — disabling an air suspension system before serviceReport a problem with this question

12. 12. Inspecting the ride height sensors on an electronically controlled suspension includes all of the following EXCEPT:

    • A.checking the connector and harness for chafing, corrosion or a backed-out pin.
    • B.checking the sensor link and its bushing for wear, bending or a loose connection.
    • C.checking the air pressure at the sensor port with the vehicle at curb height.✓ Answer
    • D.checking the sensor bracket and its fasteners for looseness, damage or corrosion.

    A ride height sensor is a mechanical position sensor: an arm and link tie it to the suspension and it reports that position electrically through a connector, so the inspection covers the link, the bushing, the bracket and the wiring. The sensor has no air port and holds no pressure, so there is nothing there for a gauge to read.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — inspecting electronic suspension components including ride height sensorsReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A high-pressure power steering hose is seeping at its crimped fitting. What is the correct repair?

    • A.Tighten the crimped fitting with a flare nut wrench until the seepage stops.
    • B.Replace the hose assembly with its fittings and route it clear of hot and moving parts.✓ Answer
    • C.Coat the crimp with a sealant and retorque the tube nut at the gear to specification.
    • D.Cut out the wet section and join the ends with a barbed splice and two worm clamps.

    A crimped hose end is formed at manufacture and cannot be re-crimped, tightened or sealed in the field, and the pressures a power steering high-pressure line carries are far beyond what a barbed splice and worm clamps will hold. The assembly is replaced complete and then routed and secured so it cannot chafe on a bracket or rest against the exhaust.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — inspecting and replacing power steering hoses, lines and fittingsReport a problem with this question

14. 14. Inspection of a rack and pinion gear finds one bellows boot torn and power steering fluid inside it. What does this finding call for?

    • A.Draining the boot, taping the tear closed and rechecking it at the next service.
    • B.Fitting a new boot only, since the fluid entered through the tear from outside.
    • C.Topping up the reservoir and adding a wider clamp so the boot cannot shift.
    • D.Replacing the boot and the gear or its inner seal per the service information.✓ Answer

    The bellows keeps road dirt and water out of the inner tie rod socket and off the rack seal, and fluid pooled inside it comes from a leaking inner rack seal, which is internal to the gear. Fitting a new boot alone hides the leak instead of correcting it, so the gear is repaired or replaced along with the boot as the service information directs.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — inspecting and servicing the steering gear and its bootsReport a problem with this question

15. 15. A rack and pinion steering gear is being inspected at its mountings. Which finding makes the mounting unserviceable?

    • A.A crushed or split bushing that lets the gear housing shift under steering load.✓ Answer
    • B.Surface rust on the mounting bracket where it meets the vehicle's crossmember.
    • C.A gear housing that is warm to the touch after the vehicle has been driven.
    • D.Mounting bolts that must be turned with a wrench rather than backed out by hand.

    The gear must be held rigidly to the structure so that everything the driver puts into the steering wheel goes into moving the tie rods. A collapsed or split insulator lets the housing shift, which shows up as lost motion at the wheel and a clunk on turns, while surface rust, normal operating warmth and bolts that need a wrench are all expected conditions.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — steering gear mountings and bushingsReport a problem with this question

16. 16. A pitman arm is being replaced on a recirculating ball steering gear. Which statement describes correct practice?

    • A.Heat the arm with a torch to free it, then reuse the original nut and its lock washer.
    • B.Set the arm at whatever spline position centres the steering wheel during the road test.
    • C.Drive the old arm off the sector shaft with a hammer and pull the new one on with its nut.
    • D.Pull it off with a puller, index the master spline and torque the nut to specification.✓ Answer

    The pitman arm is a press fit on a tapered, splined sector shaft and comes off with a puller; hammering or heating distorts the arm and can damage the sector shaft and its seal. The shaft and arm carry a master spline or index marks so the arm can only go back in one position, and the retaining nut is then tightened to the published torque value.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — pitman arm inspection and replacementReport a problem with this question

17. 17. During a linkage inspection, what makes a steering linkage damper unserviceable?

    • A.Steering that returns to centre on its own after the driver completes a turn.
    • B.Resistance felt when its rod is stroked by hand with the unit off the vehicle.
    • C.A body that is warm to the touch after the vehicle has been driven on rough road.
    • D.Fluid loss at the rod seal, a bent rod, or loose and worn mounting bushings.✓ Answer

    A steering linkage damper is a small shock absorber built into the linkage, so it fails the way a shock fails: it leaks at the rod seal, the rod bends, or the mounting bushings wear out and let it move. Resistance to hand stroking is exactly the damping it is meant to produce, and warmth after driving is the normal result of it absorbing motion.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — steering linkage damper inspectionReport a problem with this question

18. 18. Technician A says a power steering reservoir often carries separate hot and cold level marks and the correct one depends on fluid temperature. Technician B says a level found above the full mark should be corrected by adding more fluid until the foaming stops. Who is right?

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

    Fluid expands as it warms, so reservoirs are marked for a cold check and for a check at operating temperature and the level is read against the mark that matches the fluid's condition. Adding fluid to a reservoir already above full only makes matters worse, because an overfilled system whips air into the fluid and pushes it out the cap vent.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — checking power steering fluid level and conditionReport a problem with this question

19. 19. A steering warning lamp is on. Technician A says the stored trouble codes should be retrieved and written down before any parts are disturbed. Technician B says the recorded codes and the customer's description of the concern both belong on the repair order. Who is right?

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

    Stored codes are perishable evidence: unplugging a connector or disconnecting the battery can clear them or set new ones, so they are read and written down first, while the vehicle is still in the condition the customer delivered it in. Recording both the codes and the customer's own account of the concern documents the starting condition, so the finished repair can be verified against it.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — retrieving and recording diagnostic trouble codesReport a problem with this question

20. 20. The steering wheel must come off for column work on an air-bag-equipped vehicle. Technician A says disconnecting the battery negative cable is by itself all the preparation the air bag requires. Technician B says a removed air bag module may be set on the bench with its trim cover facing down. Who is right?

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

    The service information gives a full disarm procedure and a specified waiting period, because the restraint system holds a reserve energy supply that can still deploy the air bag for a time after battery power is removed. A removed module is also laid with its trim cover facing up, so that an unintended deployment drives the module down into the bench rather than launching it across the shop.

    Source: Official ASE Study Guide, Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) — disarming the supplemental restraint system before steering column serviceReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the Test Specification and Task List published in the Official ASE Study Guide for the Automobile Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) test. ASE is a mark of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASE. ASE certification requires passing the test and documenting relevant work experience, and appropriate vocational training may count toward that experience — confirm current requirements with ASE before testing. No question here keys a manufacturer specification: torque values, clearances, pressures and capacities differ by vehicle, so any figure a question needs is given in the question itself, exactly as you would read it off a service manual on the job. About the ASE G1 test →