!B!

About Show Me Tell Me

During your practical driving test your examiner will ask you to answer two Show
me Tell me questions.
These questions are intended to check that you understand how to perform various
essential checks and routine maintenance on your vehicle, checks that will keep
it roadworthy and safe.
Some of the questions require only a verbal answer (tell me) but some of them wi
ll require you to actually carry out the check fully (show me).
The examiner can only ask you certain combinations of questions; each possible c
ombination is listed here

The question combinations that you can be asked are as follows:

!B!Combination 1:
Q1 Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine oil level and tell
me how you would check that the engine has sufficient oil.
Q2 Show me / explain how you would check that the power assisted steering is wor
king before starting a journey.

!B!Combination 2:
Q1 Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine coolant level and
tell me how you would check that the engine has the correct level.
Q2 Show me how you would check the parking brake for excessive wear.

!B!Combination 3:
Q1 Identify where the windscreen washer reservoir is and tell me how you would c
heck the windscreen washer level.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the horn is working (off road only).

!B!Combination 4:
Q1 Open the bonnet, identify where the brake fluid reservoir is and tell me how
you would check that you have a safe level of hydraulic brake fluid.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the direction indicators are working.

!B!Combination 5:
Q1 Tell me how you would check that the brake lights are working on this car.
Q2 Show me how you would check the parking brake for excessive wear.

!B!Combination 6:
Q1 Tell me how you would check that the brakes are working before starting a jou
rney.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the headlights & tail lights are working.
!B!Combination 7:
Q1 Tell me where you would find the information for the recommended tyre pressur
es for this car and how tyre pressures should be checked.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the direction indicators are working.

!B!Combination 8:
Q1 Tell me how you would check the tyres to ensure that they have sufficient tre
ad depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the headlights & tail lights are working.

!B!Combination 9:
Q1 Tell me how you would check the tyres to ensure that they have sufficient tre
ad depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the horn is working (off road only).

!B!Combination 10:
Q1 Open the bonnet, identify where the brake fluid reservoir is and tell me how
you would check that you have a safe level of hydraulic brake fluid.
Q2 Show me / explain how you would check that the power assisted steering is wor
king before starting a journey.

!B!Combination 11:
Q1 Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine oil level and tell
me how you would check that the engine has sufficient oil.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the headlights & tail lights are working.

!B!Combination 12:
Q1 Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine coolant level and
tell me how you would check that the engine has the correct level.
Q2 Show me how you would check that the headlights & tail lights are working.
!N!
!B!Ideal Answers:
!B!Checking the oil level
Q. Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine oil level and tell
me how you would check that the engine has sufficient oil.
A. Before carrying out the check, ensure that the car is on level ground and tha
t the oil has had time to settle.
Locate and pull the bonnet release handle, raise and support the bonnet with the
strut. Identify the dipstick / oil level indicator. Remove the dipstick and wi
pe. Replace dipstick fully, remove a second time and observe oil level relative
to the maximum and minimum markings. Replace the dipstick securely.

!B!Checking the power assisted steering

Q. Show me / explain how you would check that the power assisted steering is wor
king before starting a journey.
A. If the steering becomes heavy the system may not be working properly. Before
starting a journey two simple checks can be made. Gentle pressure on the steerin
g wheel, maintained while the engine is started, should result in a slight but n
oticeable movement as the system begins to operate. Alternatively turning the st
eering wheel just after moving off will give an immediate indication that the po
wer assistance is functioning. If the steering is very heavy - then the system
has failed.

!B!Checking the brake fluid

Q. Open the bonnet, identify where the brake fluid reservoir is and tell me how
you would check that you have a safe level of hydraulic brake fluid.
A. Open the bonnet and secure it with the strut. Locate / identify the reservoi
r (it is usually a small plastic container attached to the engine bulkhead, and
will contain an oil-coloured fluid). Check the fluid level in the bottle is bet
ween the high and low markings on the side of the translucent bottle.

!B!Checking the brake lights

Q. Tell me how you would check that the brake lights are working on this car.
A. Press the brake pedal and either make use of reflections in windows, garage d
oors, or another parked vehicle, or ask someone to help by standing behind the c
ar as you press the pedal. Note that the brake lights of some cars do not work
unless the ignition switch is on.

!B!Checking the brakes

Q. Tell me how you would check that the brakes are working before starting a jou
rney.
A. Before starting the engine, press the pedal: The brakes should not feel spon
gy or slack. After starting, and immediately after setting off and finding a saf
e place to do so, the brakes should be tested by applying them firmly. The vehi
cle should pull up smartly without pulling to one side.

!B!Checking the headlights and tail-lights

Q. Show me how you would check that the headlights & tail-lights are working.
A. Operate the light switch (you may need to turn on the ignition on some cars),
walk around the vehicle checking that the front headlights and rear tail-lights
are all illuminated as expected.

!B!Checking the horn is working

Q. Show me how you would check that the horn is working (off road only).
A. Check is carried out by locating the horn button and pressing it. Note that
you should only carry out this check if it is legal for you to do so. Some cars
do not allow the horn to operate unless the ignition is in the on position.

!B!Checking the indicators / hazard warning lights

Q. Show me how you would check that the direction indicators are working.
A. Turn on the hazard warning lights and walk around the car to check that all o
f the indicator bulbs are operating. This test can also be carried out by using
 the indicator switch - but for this, the ignition must usually be on - and it i
s not recommended that you turn on the ignition unless you are sitting in the dr
iver's seat.

!B!Checking the tyre tread depth

Q. Tell me how you would check the tyres to ensure that they have sufficient tre
ad depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road.
A. There should be no cuts or bulges anywhere in the tread or in the sidewall an
d a minimum of 1.6mm of tread depth across the central 3/4 of the breadth of the
tyre and around the entire outer circumference. A simple and cheap depth gauge
can give an accurate measure of the tread depth.

!B!Checking the parking brake

Q. Show me how you would check the parking brake for excessive wear.
A. Demonstrate by applying the parking brake that when it is fully applied it se
cures itself and is not at the end of its working travel. i.e. the cable that t
he handbrake operates should be tight enough to prevent the car from rolling, be
fore the handbrake mechanism reaches the stop that prevents it from being moved
any further.

!B!Checking the engine coolant

Q. Open the bonnet, identify where you would check the engine coolant level and
tell me how you would check that the engine has the correct level.
A. Identify the high/low level markings on the header tank (where fitted) or sho
w how you would remove the radiator filler cap. Describe how you would top up to
the correct level using either water or radiator coolant diluted to the correct
level with water.

!B!Checking the tyre pressures

Q. Tell me where you would find the information for the recommended tyre pressur
es for this car and how tyre pressures should be checked.
A. The correct tyre pressures can be found in the manufacturer's guide (or in th
e vehicle hand book). Often they are printed on the inside of the fuel filler l
id or inside one of the front door-frames. You should use a reliable pressure g
auge, checking and adjusting the pressures when the tyres are cold. Don't forget
to check and adjust the spare tyre s pressure and remember to refit all of the va
lve caps.

!B!Checking the windscreen washer fluid

Q. Identify where the windscreen washer reservoir is and tell me how you would c
heck the windscreen washer level.
A. Identify the windscreen washer reservoir and explain how to check the level b
y looking through the lid or spotting the level through the plastic of the conta
iner. The windscreen washer bottle will usually have a lid that is marked with
a windscreen symbol. The fluid in the bottle will usually be brightly coloured
(Green, Yellow, Blue and Pink are all common colours for washer fluid).