A4 Suspension and Steering Practice Tests

A4 Suspension and Steering – What the Test Covers

The A4 test is 40 scored questions in 60 minutes. Steering and suspension split the first 60 percent almost evenly, but the area people lose points in is alignment — 11 questions on measuring and adjusting angles, reading what each one does, and knowing which are adjustable on which design.

Content areas and their weighting below come straight from the 2026 Official ASE Study Guide task list. Every question on this site was written against one of these tasks, and the four tests in this subject are weighted to match.

Content Areas on the A1 Test:

• Steering Systems Diagnosis and Repair30% OF TEST
  12 questions. Steering column noise and effort including manual and electronic tilt and telescoping columns, column shafts, U-joints, flexible couplings and collapsible columns, disabling and enabling airbag systems correctly during service, electronic power steering motors, sensors, switches and modules, steering gear diagnosis for both rack and pinion and non-rack designs — noise, binding, vibration, freeplay and effort — power steering fluid type, level and condition, pump belts, tensioners and pulleys, pump noise and leakage, pressure and flow testing, hoses, fittings, O-rings, coolers and filters, gear removal and replacement, and steering linkage, tie rods and ends.
• Suspension Systems Diagnosis and Repair30% OF TEST
  12 questions across front and rear. Diagnosing noise, handling, ride height and ride quality, control arms, bushings and shafts, rebound and jounce bumpers, track bars, strut rods and radius arms, upper and lower ball joints, solid front axle damage and misalignment, steering knuckles, spindles and steering arms, coil springs and insulators, struts, strut bearings and mounts, torsion bars, stabilizer bars, bushings, brackets and links, shock absorbers and mounts, wheel bearings and hub assemblies, leaf springs and bushings, and electronically controlled suspension sensors, switches, actuators and modules.
• Wheel Alignment Diagnosis, Adjustment, and Repair28% OF TEST
  11 questions, and this is where the test is usually won or lost. Diagnosing wander, drift, pull, hard steering, bump steer, memory steer and torque steer, measuring ride height, camber and caster and adjusting each where the design allows, front and rear toe, centering the steering wheel, toe-out-on-turns, steering axis inclination, included angle, thrust angle, and wheelbase setback. Knowing which angle causes which tire wear pattern, and which angles are adjustable on a given suspension, is the heart of this area.
• Wheel and Tire Diagnosis and Service12% OF TEST
  5 questions. Tire wear patterns and what each one means, tire condition, size, load and speed ratings, inflation, vibration, shimmy and noise diagnosis, rotation and fastener torque, radial and lateral runout on wheels, tires, axle flanges and hubs, tire pull and lead, dismounting and mounting, balancing, and testing both direct and indirect tire pressure monitoring systems.