Vehicle Controls, Pre-Drive Checks, and Basic Maintenance Awareness
What you must know
Candidates should know the purpose and correct use of primary controls: steering, accelerator, footbrake, clutch, gears, and parking brake. Understand pre-drive checks: doors closed, seat and mirrors adjusted, seatbelt on, fuel and fluid levels, tyre condition and pressure, lights working, and no obstructions. Know basic maintenance awareness: tyre tread depth and pressure checks when cold, checking engine oil and coolant, brake and clutch fluid, and warning lights on the dashboard. Understand what to do if a warning light appears and how to check tyre condition for cuts, bulges, and uneven wear.
Traps in questions
Questions may test the order of pre-drive checks: adjust seat and mirrors before starting, not after. Tyre pressure should be checked when tyres are cold; checking after a long drive gives a falsely high reading. A red warning light usually means stop and investigate; an amber light often means caution and check soon. Do not confuse the parking brake with the footbrake, and remember that the clutch is used to change gear, not to slow the vehicle on its own.
Worked example
You are about to drive and notice a red oil-pressure warning light stays on after starting. Should you drive to a garage? No: a red oil-pressure light means stop the engine safely and investigate, because continuing can cause serious damage. Rule of thumb: red means stop, amber means check soon, and green or blue means a system is on.
Rule of thumb
Set up before you start: seat, mirrors, belt, then check tyres, lights, and fluids.