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ASE Automobile & Light Truck (A1–A8) — Practice Exam

A5 Disc brakes: practice questions

Our ASE A1–A8 bank has 13 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

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Question 1 · A5 Brakes

What does a brake pad wear indicator tab do?

  1. Holds the pad in the caliper
  2. Prevents noise permanently
  3. Squeals against the rotor when pads are nearly worn out
  4. Measures rotor temperature and warns the driver of brake fade
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C. Squeals against the rotor when pads are nearly worn out — Some vehicles use electronic wear sensors instead.

Question 2 · A5 Brakes

What causes brake fade during repeated hard stops?

  1. New tires
  2. Correct pad bedding
  3. Cold brake fluid that thickens and slows caliper response
  4. Overheated pads and rotors, or boiling fluid
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D. Overheated pads and rotors, or boiling fluid — Fluid with water in it boils at a lower temperature.

Question 3 · A5 Brakes

Why should lug nuts be torqued to specification after brake work?

  1. It bleeds the brakes
  2. It centers the caliper over the rotor and sets pad clearance
  3. Uneven torque can distort the rotor and cause pulsation
  4. It changes the brake ratio
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C. Uneven torque can distort the rotor and cause pulsation — Use a torque wrench in a star pattern.

Question 4 · A5 Brakes

How do many rear caliper pistons with integral parking brakes retract?

  1. By pushing straight in with a large C-clamp or piston spreader
  2. By pumping the pedal
  3. By turning (screwing) them in with a special tool
  4. By removing the piston
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C. By turning (screwing) them in with a special tool — Forcing them straight in damages the mechanism.

Question 5 · A5 Brakes

When retracting a caliper piston on an ABS vehicle, what is often recommended?

  1. Push it in with the bleeder closed so that air can't enter the caliper
  2. Open the bleeder so old fluid doesn't push back into the ABS unit
  3. Remove the master cylinder cap and pry hard
  4. Disconnect the ABS module
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B. Open the bleeder so old fluid doesn't push back into the ABS unit — Pushing contaminated fluid back can harm ABS valves.

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