Practical - Tell Me Flashcards
Tell me how you’d check that the brakes are working before starting a journey.
Brakes should not feel spongy or slack. Brakes should be tested as you set off. Vehicle should not pull to one side.
Tell the examiner that you would drive forward slowly, press the foot brake, it shouldn’t feel spongy or slack and the car shouldn’t pull to one side.
Tell me where you’d find the information for the recommended tyre pressures for this car and how tyre pressures should be checked.
Manufacturer’s guide, use a reliable pressure gauge, check and adjust pressures when tyres are cold, don’t forget spare tyre, remember to refit valve caps.
Tell the examiner that you would check and adjust all the tyres including the spare tyre when they’re cold with an air pressure guage. Don’t forget to refit the valve caps after. Tyre pressure information can be found in the car manual or sometimes there’s a sticker on either the drivers or passengers door pillar.
Tell me how you make sure your head restraint is correctly adjusted so it provides the best protection in the event of a crash.
The head restraint should be adjusted so the rigid part of the head restraint is at least as high as the eye or top of the ears, and as close to the back of the head as is comfortable. Note: Some restraints might not be adjustable.
The head restraint should be adjusted so the rigid part is at least as high as your eye or top of the ears and as close to the back of your head as comfortable. If you do need to adjust it, there’s a little button at the base of the head restraint that you can press and then move the head restraint up or down.
Tell me how you’d check the tyres to ensure that they have sufficient tread depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road.
No cuts and bulges, 1.6mm of tread depth across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre, and around the entire outer circumference of the tyre.
You would check all the tyres with a tread depth gauge. The tread depth should be no less than 1.6mm across the central three quarters breadth of the tyre and you’d check this all the way round the tyre. There also shouldn’t be any cuts or bulges on the outside of the tyre wall.
Tell me how you’d check that the headlights and tail lights are working. You don’t need to exit the vehicle.
Explain you’d operate the switch (turn on ignition if necessary), then walk round vehicle (as this is a ‘tell me’ question, you don’t need to physically check the lights).
You’d turn the ignition on, turn the dipped headlights on and then walk round the car to check that the headlights and tail lights are working.
Tell me how you’d know if there was a problem with your anti-lock braking system.
Warning light should illuminate if there is a fault with the anti-lock braking system.
You’d tell the examiner that if there was a problem with the ABS then a ABS warning light would stay illuminated when you start the car.
Tell me how you’d check the direction indicators are working. You don’t need to exit the vehicle.
Explain you’d operate the switch (turn on ignition if necessary), and then walk round vehicle (as this is a ‘tell me’ question, you don’t need to physically check the lights).
Tell the examiner that you’d press the hazard warning lights button, it’s identified by a red triangle. Then you would walk around the car to make sure all six indicators are working (you don’t need to physically check on the driving test as it’s a ‘tell me’ question).
Tell me how you’d check the brake lights are working on this car.
Explain you’d operate the brake pedal, make use of reflections in windows or doors, or ask someone to help.
Tell the examiner that you’d turn the ignition on, press the foot brake and either see reflections in windows or a garage door for example or ask someone to help and check the brake lights are working.
Tell me how you’d check the power-assisted steering is working before starting a journey.
If the steering becomes heavy, the system may not be working properly. Before starting a journey, 2 simple checks can be made.
Gentle pressure on the steering wheel, maintained while the engine is started, should result in a slight but noticeable movement as the system begins to operate. Alternatively turning the steering wheel just after moving off will give an immediate indication that the power assistance is functioning.
To check it’s working, you can give the steering a little pressure as you start the engine. There should be slight movement as the power steering begins to operate. Also, as soon as you move off, you’ll feel the steering is light to turn and not heavy.
Tell me how you’d switch on the rear fog light(s) and explain when you’d use it/them. You don’t need to exit the vehicle.
Operate switch (turn on dipped headlights and ignition if necessary). Check warning light is on. Explain use.
Tell the examiner that you would use the rear fog light when you can’t see further than 100 metres. You would firstly need to turn on the ignition, turn on the dipped headlights and then press the button shown in the image for the rear fog light. You would tell the examiner that you know it’s on because you would see a warning light on the dashboard.
Tell me how you switch your headlight from dipped to main beam and explain how you’d know the main beam is on.
Operate switch (with ignition or engine on if necessary), check with main beam warning light.
Tell the examiner that you would have to turn on the ignition. Turn on the dipped headlights. Push the stalk on the left (in a Ford Fiesta) towards the dashboard. Explain to the examiner that this blue warning light on the dashboard shows the main beam is on.
Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that the engine has sufficient oil.
Identify dipstick/oil level indicator, describe check of oil level against the minimum and maximum markers.
Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that the engine has sufficient engine coolant.
Identify high and low level markings on header tank where fitted or radiator filler cap, and describe how to top up to correct level.
Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that you have a safe level of hydraulic brake fluid.
Identify reservoir, check level against high and low markings.
