ASE BRAKES A5 EXAM PREP TEST BANK
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
●● The driver of a vehicle with power disc/drum brakes says that the
brake pedal moved slowly to the floor while maintaining pedal pressure
at a stoplight. What could cause this problem?
A. Leaking primary piston cup in master cylinder
B. Leaking power brake booster
C. Leaking residual check valve in master cylinder
D. Internal leak in the combination valve
Answer: The correct answer is A. if the primary piston cup in the master
cylinder is leaking, pressure will not build up ahead of the primary
piston to increase pressure to the rear brakes. The piston will then move
forward until the spring is compressed enough to move the secondary
piston. Consequently, this internal leak will cause the brake pedal to
slowly drop to the floor.
●● What is the purpose of the master cylinder residual check valve(s) on
vehicles equipped with drum brakes?
A. Allowed the driver to pump up the brakes
B. Prevents air from entering the hydraulic system
C. Prevents wheel lockup by reducing the hydraulic pressure
D. Reduces pedal pulsation by controlling hydraulic pressure
,Answer: The correct answer is B. Residual check valve(s) are used on
drum brakes to keep residual low pressure (slight static pressure) in the
brake system at all times even when the brake pedal is released. This
pressure (5-20 psi) keeps the lips of the wheel cylinder piston cups tight
against the cylinder walls to prevent air from entering the system when
at rest (brakes released).
●● A technician has just overhauled the front brakes on a vehicle with
front disc and rear drum brakes. However, when he attaches a pressure
bleeder (pressurized to about 25 psi) to the master cylinder, he cannot
get any fluid to come out of the disc brake caliper bleeder screws. Which
of the following is MOST LIKELY the cause?
A. Bad proportioning valve
B. Bad pressure differential valve
C. proportioning valve release button not activated
D. Metering valve release button not activated
Answer: The correct answer is D. A metering valve requires a minimum
pressure (typically 75-125 psi) to open. At this point pressurized fluid
flows to the front calipers. Since the bleeder tank is only pressurized to
25 psi, fluid pressure is too low to open the metering valve during this
procedure, Therefore, when you use a pressure bleeder on a system with
a metering valve, you must manually keep the valve open by either
pushing the button in the end of the valve, or pulling the stem outward
on the end of the valve.
●● On a vehicle with single piston floating caliper front disc brakes, the
brake pads on the left side of the vehicle are almost completely worn
,while the right side is almost new. Tech A says that too much rotor
runout could be the cause. Tech B says that a binding caliper piston
could be the cause. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B
Answer: The correct answer is B. Excessive rotor runout would cause a
pulsating brake pedal, but not uneven side-to-side pad wear. A frozen
caliper piston on the other hand, will keep both inner and outer brake
pads equally applied against the rotor even when the brake pedal is
released. This constant friction will cause rapid pad wear in the affected
caliper as well as the front-end pull
●● A hydraulic brake line is leaking. Which of the following is the
correct repair procedure?
A. Cut out the bad section and replace with new steel tubing using
compression fittings.
B. Replace the leaking line with double-flared, seamless copper tubing.
C. Cut out the bad section and replaced with single-flared steel tubing
using flare nuts and unions.
D. Replace the leaking line with double-flared steel tubing.
Answer: The correct answer is D. Steel tubing of the same size, type,
and length with double flared ends must be used when replacing a
traditional SAE double inverted flair style hydraulic brake line.
, ●● Which of the following problems would be caused by using a
residual check valve in a disc brake master cylinder?
A. Reduced brake pedal travel
B. Reduced brake system pressure
C. Increased brake pad wear
D. Increased rotor runout.
Answer: The correct answer is C. If a residual check valve was installed
in a disc brake master cylinder, it would cause increased brake pad wear
since the residual brake pressure would cause the caliper pistons to keep
the pads applied even when the brake pedal is released.
●● A customer complains that their vehicle pulls to the right when the
brakes are applied. Technician A says a restricted brake line to the left
caliper can cause this problem. Technician B says a malfunctioning
proportioning valve is probably the cause. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B
Answer: The correct answer is A. A restriction in the brake line will
cause a drop in fluid pressure to the affected caliper. This will cause the
caliper to be unable to exert the same force against the pads as the
unrestricted side. because of this, the vehicle will pull to the side where
VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
●● The driver of a vehicle with power disc/drum brakes says that the
brake pedal moved slowly to the floor while maintaining pedal pressure
at a stoplight. What could cause this problem?
A. Leaking primary piston cup in master cylinder
B. Leaking power brake booster
C. Leaking residual check valve in master cylinder
D. Internal leak in the combination valve
Answer: The correct answer is A. if the primary piston cup in the master
cylinder is leaking, pressure will not build up ahead of the primary
piston to increase pressure to the rear brakes. The piston will then move
forward until the spring is compressed enough to move the secondary
piston. Consequently, this internal leak will cause the brake pedal to
slowly drop to the floor.
●● What is the purpose of the master cylinder residual check valve(s) on
vehicles equipped with drum brakes?
A. Allowed the driver to pump up the brakes
B. Prevents air from entering the hydraulic system
C. Prevents wheel lockup by reducing the hydraulic pressure
D. Reduces pedal pulsation by controlling hydraulic pressure
,Answer: The correct answer is B. Residual check valve(s) are used on
drum brakes to keep residual low pressure (slight static pressure) in the
brake system at all times even when the brake pedal is released. This
pressure (5-20 psi) keeps the lips of the wheel cylinder piston cups tight
against the cylinder walls to prevent air from entering the system when
at rest (brakes released).
●● A technician has just overhauled the front brakes on a vehicle with
front disc and rear drum brakes. However, when he attaches a pressure
bleeder (pressurized to about 25 psi) to the master cylinder, he cannot
get any fluid to come out of the disc brake caliper bleeder screws. Which
of the following is MOST LIKELY the cause?
A. Bad proportioning valve
B. Bad pressure differential valve
C. proportioning valve release button not activated
D. Metering valve release button not activated
Answer: The correct answer is D. A metering valve requires a minimum
pressure (typically 75-125 psi) to open. At this point pressurized fluid
flows to the front calipers. Since the bleeder tank is only pressurized to
25 psi, fluid pressure is too low to open the metering valve during this
procedure, Therefore, when you use a pressure bleeder on a system with
a metering valve, you must manually keep the valve open by either
pushing the button in the end of the valve, or pulling the stem outward
on the end of the valve.
●● On a vehicle with single piston floating caliper front disc brakes, the
brake pads on the left side of the vehicle are almost completely worn
,while the right side is almost new. Tech A says that too much rotor
runout could be the cause. Tech B says that a binding caliper piston
could be the cause. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B
Answer: The correct answer is B. Excessive rotor runout would cause a
pulsating brake pedal, but not uneven side-to-side pad wear. A frozen
caliper piston on the other hand, will keep both inner and outer brake
pads equally applied against the rotor even when the brake pedal is
released. This constant friction will cause rapid pad wear in the affected
caliper as well as the front-end pull
●● A hydraulic brake line is leaking. Which of the following is the
correct repair procedure?
A. Cut out the bad section and replace with new steel tubing using
compression fittings.
B. Replace the leaking line with double-flared, seamless copper tubing.
C. Cut out the bad section and replaced with single-flared steel tubing
using flare nuts and unions.
D. Replace the leaking line with double-flared steel tubing.
Answer: The correct answer is D. Steel tubing of the same size, type,
and length with double flared ends must be used when replacing a
traditional SAE double inverted flair style hydraulic brake line.
, ●● Which of the following problems would be caused by using a
residual check valve in a disc brake master cylinder?
A. Reduced brake pedal travel
B. Reduced brake system pressure
C. Increased brake pad wear
D. Increased rotor runout.
Answer: The correct answer is C. If a residual check valve was installed
in a disc brake master cylinder, it would cause increased brake pad wear
since the residual brake pressure would cause the caliper pistons to keep
the pads applied even when the brake pedal is released.
●● A customer complains that their vehicle pulls to the right when the
brakes are applied. Technician A says a restricted brake line to the left
caliper can cause this problem. Technician B says a malfunctioning
proportioning valve is probably the cause. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B
Answer: The correct answer is A. A restriction in the brake line will
cause a drop in fluid pressure to the affected caliper. This will cause the
caliper to be unable to exert the same force against the pads as the
unrestricted side. because of this, the vehicle will pull to the side where
