Vehicle Maintenance, Pre-Drive Inspections and Basic Mechanics
This domain tests the checks a competent Category B driver performs before and during a journey, and whether you can recognise common faults before they become breakdowns or crashes. Expect questions about tyres, fluids, lights and warning signs.
The pre-drive walk-round
Check tyres for visible damage and adequate tread (the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread); confirm pressures when cold, including the spare. Look for fluid leaks under the vehicle. Test lights, indicators, brake lights, horn and wipers. Check mirrors and number plates are clean and secure. Confirm you carry a jack, wheel spanner, warning triangle, first aid kit and a serviceable fire extinguisher.
Under the bonnet
- Engine oil: engine off, vehicle level, wipe the dipstick, insert fully, read between the marks. Do not overfill.
- Coolant: check the level at the expansion tank only when the engine is cold. Never open a hot radiator cap.
- Brake fluid: keep to the marked level; a falling level signals a leak or worn pads.
- Battery: clean, tight terminals; check the washer bottle and belts for cracks or glazing.
Warning signs
Pulling to one side suggests uneven tyre pressures or alignment; a spongy brake pedal suggests air or a leak; a squeal on braking suggests worn pads; blue exhaust smoke suggests burning oil.
Worked example
The steering wheel vibrates at 80 km/h and the car drifts left. The driver first checks tyre pressures and looks for a bulge or uneven wear, then has the wheel balance and alignment checked. That is the correct order - cheap checks first, then the workshop.
Traps
Checking oil with the engine running; opening a hot radiator; ignoring the tread wear indicator; and treating a brake warning light as something to deal with “later”.