ASE Practice Test (B5: Mechanical & Electrical Components) Flashcards

After a collision repair, a vehicle's steering pulls to the right. The technician checks the front alignment and finds the right front caster is significantly less than the left. The MOST likely cause is:

Answer: A damaged or displaced strut tower or control arm mounting point

Caster angle is determined by the geometry of the strut tower and lower control arm pivot points. If a collision has shifted or damaged these mounting points, caster will be altered on that corner. Unequal caster side-to-side causes the vehicle to pull toward the side with less positive caster.

A refrigerant recovery/recycling/recharging machine must be used when servicing an A/C system after a collision because:

Answer: Federal law prohibits venting refrigerants into the atmosphere

Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibits the intentional venting of refrigerants (R-134a, R-1234yf) into the atmosphere. Technicians must use certified recovery equipment before opening any A/C system. Violators face significant EPA fines.

After repairing a vehicle involved in a frontal collision, the technician notices the electric power steering (EPS) warning light is on. The MOST likely cause is:

Answer: A damaged or misaligned steering angle sensor

The steering angle sensor (SAS) is a critical input for EPS, stability control, and other ADAS systems. If the sensor was damaged in the collision or the steering column was disturbed, the SAS will be out of calibration and trigger a warning light. The SAS must be recalibrated after any alignment or steering repair.

A SRS (airbag) system clock spring must be replaced if:

Answer: The steering wheel was removed during the repair

The clock spring (or spiral cable) is a rotating electrical connector in the steering column. It must be replaced if the steering wheel was removed without proper locking procedures to prevent over-rotation and ribbon cable damage. It is a standard required replacement when removing the wheel.

A technician is replacing a damaged radiator after a collision. After installation, the cooling system should be:

Answer: Vacuum-filled using a cooling system refill tool to purge air pockets

Modern cooling systems, especially those with complex passages and multiple heater circuits, are best refilled using a vacuum fill tool. This method evacuates air from the system and draws coolant in without air pockets, preventing overheating caused by trapped air. The correct OEM coolant specification must always be used.

After completing a collision repair involving deployment of side curtain airbags, which of the following must be performed before returning the vehicle to the customer?

Answer: SRS system scan, replacement of all deployed modules, and verification of no stored fault codes

After any airbag deployment, all deployed modules (airbags, pretensioners) must be replaced. A full SRS system scan must be performed to identify any damaged sensors, wiring, or control modules. The system must be verified fault-code free before delivery to ensure it will function in a future collision.