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ASE A5 BRAKES EXAM | ACTUAL EXAM WITH COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS | LATEST UPDATE
2026/2027 | GRADED A+ | EXCELLENT PASS.
On a car with disc/drum brakes, the front brakes grab quickly when light pedal
pressure is applied. This problem could be caused by a bad:
A. Proportioning valve
B. Pressure safety switch
C. Metering valve
D. Residual check valve - CORRECT-ANSWER-The correct answer is C. The
metering valve delays the flow of brake fluid to the front calipers until the
pressure in the system rises to a point where the wheel cylinder can overcome
the tension of the brake shoe returning spring.
The purpose is to have both front and rear brakes apply simultaneously. This
prevents the front brakes from locking up during light brake applications.
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
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B. Leaking power brake booster
C. Leaking residual check valve in master cylinder
D. Internal leak in the combination valve - CORRECT-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 - CORRECT-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).
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A vehicle's brake pedal is pumped rapidly 20 times and then held down. The
master cylinder cover is then removed and when the pedal is released, a geyser is
seen coming from the reservoir. Tech A says that this indicates that air is trapped
in the system. Tech B says that this means that fluid is being forced out of the
cylinder bore through the compensating ports and is normal master cylinder
operation. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B - CORRECT-ANSWER-The correct answer is A. Pumping the
brakes compresses the air an d when the pedal is released, the compressed air
pushes the hydraulic fluid back through the lines, causing it to squirt.
Technician B is wrong because a small squirt of fluid should appear over the
reservoir, indicating that fluid is being forced out of the cylinder bore through
the compensating ports, only when the pedal is applied.
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
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D. Metering valve release button not activated - CORRECT-ANSWERThe 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.
To determine the serviceability of a brake drum, all of the following should be
checked EXCEPT:
A. diameter
B. minimum thickness
C. out-of-roundness
D. tape wear - CORRECT-ANSWER-The correct answer is B. Minimum thickness is
checked when inspecting a disc brake rotor. All of the other measurements
mentioned should be made when inspecting a brake drum.
Technician A says that RWAL ABS systems must be diagnosed using a scan tool.
Technician B says that the abs arming light will only come on when there is a fault
in the system. Who is right?
ASE A5 BRAKES EXAM | ACTUAL EXAM WITH COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS | LATEST UPDATE
2026/2027 | GRADED A+ | EXCELLENT PASS.
On a car with disc/drum brakes, the front brakes grab quickly when light pedal
pressure is applied. This problem could be caused by a bad:
A. Proportioning valve
B. Pressure safety switch
C. Metering valve
D. Residual check valve - CORRECT-ANSWER-The correct answer is C. The
metering valve delays the flow of brake fluid to the front calipers until the
pressure in the system rises to a point where the wheel cylinder can overcome
the tension of the brake shoe returning spring.
The purpose is to have both front and rear brakes apply simultaneously. This
prevents the front brakes from locking up during light brake applications.
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
, Page|2
B. Leaking power brake booster
C. Leaking residual check valve in master cylinder
D. Internal leak in the combination valve - CORRECT-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 - CORRECT-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).
, Page|3
A vehicle's brake pedal is pumped rapidly 20 times and then held down. The
master cylinder cover is then removed and when the pedal is released, a geyser is
seen coming from the reservoir. Tech A says that this indicates that air is trapped
in the system. Tech B says that this means that fluid is being forced out of the
cylinder bore through the compensating ports and is normal master cylinder
operation. Who is right?
A. Technician A only
B. Technician B only
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A or B - CORRECT-ANSWER-The correct answer is A. Pumping the
brakes compresses the air an d when the pedal is released, the compressed air
pushes the hydraulic fluid back through the lines, causing it to squirt.
Technician B is wrong because a small squirt of fluid should appear over the
reservoir, indicating that fluid is being forced out of the cylinder bore through
the compensating ports, only when the pedal is applied.
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
, Page|4
D. Metering valve release button not activated - CORRECT-ANSWERThe 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.
To determine the serviceability of a brake drum, all of the following should be
checked EXCEPT:
A. diameter
B. minimum thickness
C. out-of-roundness
D. tape wear - CORRECT-ANSWER-The correct answer is B. Minimum thickness is
checked when inspecting a disc brake rotor. All of the other measurements
mentioned should be made when inspecting a brake drum.
Technician A says that RWAL ABS systems must be diagnosed using a scan tool.
Technician B says that the abs arming light will only come on when there is a fault
in the system. Who is right?
