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2026 Edition

ASE A3 Practice Test

Take this free ASE A3 Practice Test to study for your ASE A3 certification exam. Our ASE A3 test prep is written by John Kershaw, an ASE test question developer and ASE Certified Master Technician. To prepare for the ASE A3 exam, use our  ASE A3 Practice Test.  See the links below for free ASE A3 flash cards. To prepare for additional ASE A Series certifications, use our Complete A1-A8 Practice Test Kit with 800 questions.

Clutch Diagnosis and Repair 

1 Which of the following are the three critical clutch pedal measurements?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
There is no apply pressure adjustment, operating range adjustment or kickback adjustment.

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2 Clutch slippage may be caused by which of the following?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
A leaking rear main seal will wet the friction surface of the clutch and cause slippage.
3 Which of the following must be replaced during the service of a hydraulically controlled clutch?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Clutch fluid is the only maintenance item listed. All other choices must be defective for replacement.
4 A vehicle comes in with hard shifting concerns, particularly into first gear. Technician A says the first speed blocking ring is the MOST likely cause. Technician B says the clutch could be out of adjustment. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Technician B is correct because the clutch being out of adjustment will cause shifting problems particularly in the lower range gears. Technician A is wrong because a defective blocking ring generally does not cause shifting problems into first gear.

Transmission Diagnosis and Repair 

5 If a transmission can be shifted into two gears at the same time, which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Interlocks prevent engaging more than one gear at a time.

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6 What would be the MOST likely customer complaint for a damaged transmission case, center adapter plate or rear extension housing mating surface?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Oil leaks will result from a damaged transmission case, center adapter plate or rear extension housing mating surface.
7 What disassembly operation is being performed in the photo below?
 
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
The operation shown in the photo is the removing of the snap ring that retains the input shaft bearing.
8 The manual transmission fluid is being checked during a routine maintenance. Technician A says gold-colored particles in the fluid can be from worn blocking rings. Technician B says aluminum colored shavings can be from the gear wear. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Both technicians are correct.

Transaxle Diagnosis and Repair 

9 What is being checked in the illustration below?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
An inch pound torque wrench is being used to check differential side bearing preload.
10 This question has the word EXCEPT.  Read the question carefully before choosing your answer. All of these components can be removed from a transmission/transaxle before removing it from the vehicle, EXCEPT:
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
The front bearing retainer component cannot be removed from a transmission/transaxle before removing it from the vehicle.
11 Two technicians are discussing snap rings used in manual transaxles. Technician A says snap rings are used as a selective fit on some main shafts. Technician B says snap rings have a "right side" that should always face up so that the snap ring pliers can be applied. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Both technicians are correct.
12 A transaxle jumps out of gear under load. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Shift linkage that is maladjusted, worn or loose will cause a transaxle to jump out of gear. A and B cause hard shifting and D will cause a noise in reverse.

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Drive Shaft and Joints Diagnosis and Repair 

13 Technician A says u-joints must be in phase to prevent vibration. Technician B says when re-assembling a drive shaft the u-joints do not have to be in alignment for proper operation provided they are greased with the proper lubricant. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Technician A is correct because u-joints must be in phase to avoid vibration because they will not cancel each other out. Technician B is wrong because they must be in alignment or a vibration will result.
14 Technician A says a vibration at high speed can be caused by an incorrect rear "U" joint operating angle. Technician B says a squeaking noise in reverse is caused by a worn cross shaft bearing surface. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Both technicians are right.
15 Technician A says the drive shafts on a FWD (front wheel drive) vehicle are usually removed with a pry bar or special puller. Technician B says the axle nuts on a FWD vehicle are NOT reusable. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Both technicians are correct.

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16 Two technicians are discussing axle drive shaft removal on a vehicle with a transaxle. Technician A says that, when removing the axle, drive shafts match marks should be made to prevent a vibration after reassembly. Technician B says the front wheel bearings could be damaged if the vehicle is moved while the drive shafts are removed. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Technician B is correct because when the axle drive shafts are removed from the front axles, the bearings are not supported. Technician A is wrong because match marks are not necessary because the axles are not timed.

Rear Wheel Drive Axle Diagnosis and Repair 

17 A growling sound is heard from the rear of a rear-wheel-drive vehicle during cornering only. Technician A says incorrect drive pinion bearing preload could be the cause. Technician B says defective rear axle bearings may be the cause. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Technician B is correct because rear wheel bearing noise is heard while cornering. Technician A is wrong because a preload problem would be heard going straight not cornering.
18 What rear axle measurement is being performed in the photo?
 
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Checking the backlash is shown in the photo.
19 What rear axle measurement is being performed in the photo?
 
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Checking the tooth pattern is shown in the photo.
20 The ring gear to pinion backlash is less than specifications (too low). This will cause the ring gear tooth pattern to show contact in which of the following areas of the ring gear?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
When the pinion is set to the correct depth and there is too little clearance between the pinion and ring gear the ring gear tooth pattern will show toe contact on both concave and convex sides.

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Four-Wheel and All-Wheel Component Diagnosis and Repair 

21 The owner of an older 4WD (four-wheel-drive) truck that uses Cardan U-joints to drive the front wheels complains that whenever turning sharply and accelerating rapidly a severe vibration is created. Technician A says the rear drive shaft may be out-of-balance. Technician B says this is a normal condition for Cardan U-joints used on early 4WD vehicles. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Technician B is correct because this is normal if conventional Cardan U-joints are used to drive the front wheels. Technician A is wrong because a rear drive shaft imbalance will not cause an out of balance driveshaft, which would vibrate all of the time.
22 Two technicians are discussing the correct way to tow a 4WD (Four-Wheel Drive) or AWD (All-Wheel-Drive) vehicle. Technician A says to place the vehicle on a roll-back, which keeps all 4 wheels off the ground and is the safest way for transporting a 4WD or AWD vehicle without doing any harm. Technician B says some AWD vehicles do not have low range and use a center (interaxle) differential or viscous coupling or an electronically controlled clutch to control the center differential or viscous coupling. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Technician A is correct because the major difference between 4WD (4-Wheel Drive) and AWD (All-Wheel Drive) is that the 4WD vehicle uses a transfer case with a low range.  If any of the drive wheels are on the ground, the wheels are turning the axles. Depending on type of 4WD being towed, this rotation of the wheels can cause severe wear; therefore, most suggest the following options:
  • Placing the vehicle on a flatbed or trailer. This keeps all four wheels off the ground and is the safest method for transporting a 4WD (4-Wheel Drive)  or AWD vehicle without doing any harm.
  • If equipped place the 4WD OR AWD vehicle in the Neutral Flat Tow position. Shifting the transfer case to its neutral position for neutral flat towing may allow the vehicle to be able to roll even if the transmission is in park.
  • Lift  the front wheels off the ground and placing the rear wheels on a dolly will keep all wheels off the ground and prevents any damage done to the drivetrain because of towing. Always check with vehicle-specific information for exact towing procedures.
Technician B is also correct because some AWD vehicles do not have low range and are in high 4WD most of the time. Some use a center (interaxle) differential, viscous coupling, or electronically controlled clutch to control the drivetrain. Most use a RDU (Rear Drive Unit) with electronic clutches on the rear axle and a PTU (Power Transfer Unit) for the front axle with electronically controlled clutches to disconnect the drivetrain.

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23 A transfer case is extremely noisy in all selections except neutral (N) whenever the vehicle is moving. Technician A says the drive chain may be worn and loose causing the noise as it hits the inside of the case. Technician B says a transfer case bearing could be defective. Who is right?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Both technicians are correct.
24 A transfer case will not shift from the low gear ratio up to direct drive or 1:1 ratio. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Incorrect. Please choose another answer.
Of the answer options, a broken shift shaft is the MOST likely cause if a transfer case will not shift from the low gear ratio up to direct drive or a 1:1 ratio.
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Related Links

Quality starts with who wrote the material. Our writers:

John Kershaw, ASE Test Prep Expert, is an ASE Certified Master Technician, an auto industry technical instructor and is an ASE Test Question Developer. He is among the first certified by the ASE in 1972.

How should I study for the ASE A3 exam?

Practice tests and flash cards are an effective way to study for the ASE A3 exam. They help you learn the subject matter and practice your test taking skills. The ASE A3 exam is taken on a computer, so practicing with online practice tests can boost your chance of success.

What is on the ASE A3 Exam?

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) identifies Manual Drive Train and Axles as an individual service area for certification (A3). The diagnosis and repair of the following subjects are covered:
  • Clutch
  • Transmission
  • Drive Shaft/Half Shaft/Universal Joint
  • Drive Axle
  • Four Wheel/All Wheel Drive Components
There are 50 questions on the exam, 40 of which are scored, and 60 minutes is given to complete it.
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