Pre-drive check & vehicle technology
What the examiner may ask before driving
First impressions count
Before driving comes the technical preparation: you adjust seat, steering wheel and mirrors and show that your car is roadworthy. The examiner picks individual items – such as lights, tyres or fluid levels. Small uncertainties rarely cause a fail on their own, but confident answers give you calm for the drive.
Typical exam topics
- Lights: dipped, main beam, brake, reversing, rear fog light
- Indicators, hazard lights and horn
- Tyres: tread depth, pressure, damage
- Engine bay: oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid
- Dashboard warning lights: red and yellow
- Warning triangle, first-aid kit, hi-vis vest
- HU sticker and fuel cap or charging flap
Adjust correctly – in this order
- Seat distance: press the clutch fully, leg stays slightly bent.
- Backrest: wrists rest on top of the wheel, shoulders on the backrest.
- Head restraint: top edge at least at eye level, close to the head.
- Steering wheel: about 25 cm from the airbag.
- Interior mirror: whole rear window visible.
- Door mirrors: own car visible only at the inner edge.
- Belt: over mid-shoulder and low across the pelvis, tight.
Warning lights: red or yellow?
Red – act immediately
- Brake (fluid/parking brake)
- Oil pressure
- Charging (battery)
- Coolant temperature
- Airbag (on many models)
Yellow – have it checked soon
- Engine management
- ABS
- ESP (flashes while intervening)
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Rear fog light on
Engine bay: safety first
Check the coolant level only with a cold engine – the hot system is under pressure and can scald you when opened. Measure the oil level with the engine off on level ground and wait a few minutes. If the brake fluid is below MIN, don't drive on – go to a workshop: the cause may be a leak or worn pads.
Checking brake lights alone
No helper around? Reverse up to a shop window or garage wall and watch the reflection in the mirror while braking. In the exam car the instructor often helps – you can say: “I would ask a second person to check behind the car.”
Practise interactively now
In the interactive pre-drive check you tap on the headlights, wheels, bonnet or dashboard of a car seen from above. For each item you learn how to check, what is correct – and answer the question the examiner might ask.
Limits you should know
- Tread depth at least 1.6 mm – recommended 3 mm summer, 4 mm winter
- Winter tyres in wintry conditions: Alpine symbol (3PMSF) required
- Tyre pressure as per sticker, check when tyres are cold
- Warning triangle: about 50 m in town, about 100 m out of town
- Motorway: at least 200 m
- First-aid kit to DIN 13164, mind expiry dates
- HU: new car after 3 years, then every 2 years
While driving, the red oil pressure warning light comes on. What is the right thing to do?
- Keep driving to the next workshop.
- Stop as soon as it is safe and switch off the engine.
- Have the oil level checked at the next service.
Check answer
Stop as soon as it is safe and switch off the engine.
Red means: act immediately. Without oil pressure the engine can be badly damaged within a short time. Stop safely, engine off, check the oil level and get help.