Red Seal Automotive Service Technician Exam (Interprovincial)
F. Steering, suspension, brakes, tires and wheel bearings: practice questions
Our Red Seal Automotive Service Technician bank has 42 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
Which shop tool does the RSOS list for refinishing brake rotors and drums?
- Tire changer
- Brake lathe
- Wheel balancer
- Hydraulic press
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B. Brake lathe — Shop tools include brake lathe, tire changing machine and wheel balancer.
Question 2
Why is the electronic parking brake often put into a service mode before rear pad replacement?
- To bleed the ABS hydraulic unit before the rear pads are removed
- To relearn TPMS
- To reset the oil life
- To retract the caliper motor so the piston can be pushed back
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D. To retract the caliper motor so the piston can be pushed back — Electric parking brakes must be retracted with a scan tool or service procedure before the piston can be pushed back.
Question 3
A vehicle pulls to one side only when braking. A likely cause is:
- Low tire pressure on all four tires and worn rear shock absorbers
- Worn rear shocks
- A seized caliper or contaminated lining on one side
- A loose steering wheel nut
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C. A seized caliper or contaminated lining on one side — Unequal braking force side to side pulls the vehicle; check calipers, linings and hoses.
Question 4
Why do drum brakes need less hydraulic pressure than disc brakes for the same stopping force?
- Drums are larger in diameter than rotors
- Drum linings have no friction coefficient limit
- Drum brakes are self-energizing (servo action)
- Drum brakes use no hydraulics
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C. Drum brakes are self-energizing (servo action) — Drum shoes are wedged into the drum by rotation (self-energizing and servo action); discs lack this effect.
Question 5
A vehicle continues to bounce several times after passing over a bump. What is the likely cause?
- Low power-steering fluid
- Worn shock absorbers or struts
- Loose wheel bearing
- Incorrect toe
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B. Worn shock absorbers or struts — Shock absorbers damp spring oscillation; worn ones let the body keep bouncing.