The ASE G1 Auto Maintenance & Light Repair test has 55 scored questions in seven content areas, plus 10 unscored questions, and you get 90 minutes for all 65. Suspension and steering is the biggest area at 13 questions (23.6%), then brakes at 11 questions (20.0%), engine systems at 9 questions (16.4%), electrical at 8 questions (14.5%), manual drive train and axles at 6 questions (10.9%), and automatic transmission and HVAC at 4 each (7.3%). The task list is about inspection, routine service and part replacement across the whole vehicle rather than deep diagnosis. Questions are four-option multiple choice, including procedure items, a Technician A / Technician B item and an EXCEPT item. A pass plus documented work experience certifies you for 5 years.
01The test specification
The ASE test specification for ASE G1 Auto Maintenance & Light Repair splits the 55 scored questions across seven content areas. ASE adds 10 unscored questions for research, and you have 90 minutes for all of them. Each area links to five free questions.
| Area | Content area | Scored questions |
|---|---|---|
| A | Engine Systems | 9 (16.4%) |
| B | Automatic Transmission/Transaxle | 4 (7.3%) |
| C | Manual Drive Train and Axles | 6 (10.9%) |
| D | Suspension and Steering | 13 (23.6%) |
| E | Brakes | 11 (20%) |
| F | Electrical | 8 (14.5%) |
| G | Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning | 4 (7.3%) |
| Total | 55 |
02What is the ASE G1 Auto Maintenance & Light Repair test?
The ASE G1 Auto Maintenance & Light Repair test is one of ASE's certification tests for cars and light trucks. It covers the maintenance and light repair work done across the whole vehicle: engine service, transmission and driveline checks, suspension, steering, alignment, tires, brakes, electrical and HVAC. Where the A-series tests go deep on one system, G1 goes wide.
It has 55 scored questions and 10 unscored ones, 65 in all, and you get 90 minutes. Every question is multiple choice with four options, (A) to (D). The unscored questions are there so ASE can gather statistics for future tests, and you cannot tell which ones they are, so treat every question as if it counts.
Passing is one half of certification. ASE also asks you to document relevant work experience, and its study guide says suitable vocational training can be credited toward it; the details are at workexp.ase.com. The study guide does not publish a passing score. Once certified, you hold the certification for 5 years, and you renew it with a shorter recertification test, which for G1 is 28 questions in 45 minutes.
G1 is not one of the eight tests (A1 to A8) that ASE lists for Master Automobile Technician. The study guide adds a special route for students: someone enrolled in an ASE-accredited training program can be awarded G1 without sitting the G1 test, once they have passed eight specific ASE entry-level Automobile tests. For how G1 and the A-series compare, see G1 or the A-series: which test first.
The test-length table in the G1 study guide prints 45 scored questions; this page uses 55, the sum of the guide's seven content areas and the scored count ase.com gives for G1.
03What does each content area cover?
Area A: Engine Systems (9 questions)
Twenty-two tasks cover engine maintenance. You verify the concern using service manuals and bulletins, look for leaks and abnormal noises, replace pans and covers, change oil and filter and reset the oil life monitor, and service the cooling system: pressure and dye tests, radiator, heater core, cap and overflow tank, hoses, thermostat, coolant replacement and bleeding, belt-driven water pumps, and fan operation. The rest covers belts and tensioners, engine warning lights, throttle body service, air filters and intake parts, crankcase ventilation, the exhaust system and its hangers and heat shields, reading and recording trouble codes, spark plugs and secondary ignition parts, the fuel tank, cap, lines and external filter, the EVAP system, and topping up diesel exhaust fluid.
Area B: Automatic Transmission/Transaxle (4 questions)
Seven tasks cover automatic transmissions at the service level: road testing and reading codes, checking fluid type, level and condition, finding leaks and replacing external seals, CV boots, axles, drive shafts and U-joints, a visual check of the cooler lines, powertrain mounts, and fluid and filter changes.
Area C: Manual Drive Train and Axles (6 questions)
Twenty-two tasks in four groups. The first covers the hydraulic clutch's external parts and bleeding, mounts, the shifter and linkage, external seals and fluid level. Drive shafts and CV joints covers road testing for noise and vibration, shafts, boots and joints and their phasing, center support bearings, and wheel bearings that are not press-fit. The rear axle group covers leaks, lubricant changes, wheel studs, and the housing and vent. The four-wheel and all-wheel drive group covers transfer case linkage and fluid, front shafts and axle joints, seals and vents, front bearings, tire size and wear, codes, and checking that the system works.
Area D: Suspension and Steering (13 questions)
This area lists 59 tasks, by far the longest list, in six groups. General steering service comes first: disarming the airbag, power steering fluid and identifying whether the system is electric or hydraulic, pump belts, noise, leaks and replacement, hoses, rack boots, flushing and bleeding, codes, and electronic suspension parts. The steering linkage and front and rear suspension groups are inspection and replacement of arms, bushings, ball joints, springs (coil, leaf, air and torsion bar), sway bars, struts, shocks and wheel bearings, plus disabling air suspension before service and identifying driver assist systems. The alignment group covers alignment symptoms, the pre-alignment inspection, camber, caster, front and rear toe, centering the steering wheel, thrust angle and calibrating the steering angle sensor. The wheel and tire group covers wear patterns, tread depth, size and ratings, inflation from the placard, vibration, rotation and torque, mounting, balancing, TPMS testing and relearn, and repairing a tire to the tire maker's standards.
Area E: Brakes (11 questions)
Thirty-four tasks cover brake service. The general group checks for stopping and pedal complaints, master cylinder fluid level and leaks, lines and hoses, the brake and ABS warning lights, the parking brake indicator, bleeding and flushing, and brake fluid. The drum group covers measuring and machining drums, shoes and hardware (using proper safety procedures), lubrication, wheel cylinders, adjustment and the parking brake. The disc group covers retracting integral parking brake pistons, calipers and slides, pads, measuring rotors with a dial indicator and micrometer, machining on or off the car, installation, refilling and resetting, torquing wheels, and burnishing pads. The power assist group covers pedal travel tests, vacuum supply, the booster and check valve, and electro-hydraulic and hydro-boost units.
Area F: Electrical (8 questions)
Twenty-two tasks cover electrical service: disarming and re-enabling airbags, voltage, ground and voltage drop checks, current, continuity and resistance readings, battery load and capacitance tests, keeping memory alive, battery service, charging and cables, jump-starting, starter current draw, the starter control circuit and starter replacement, charging output tests, the alternator belt and replacement, headlights and their aim, other lamps and lenses, gauges, warning lights and maintenance reminders, the horn, and wipers and washers.
Area G: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (4 questions)
Seven tasks cover HVAC at the service level: checking vent temperature, the blower and condenser fan, compressor engagement and door operation; identifying the refrigerant and recovering and recharging to spec; looking for leak signs; condenser airflow; the cabin filter; the drive belt; and evaporator drains.
04What kind of questions are on it?
ASE's G1 study guide has six sample questions, and they lean toward procedure. Two ask what the technician should do during a routine job, one on installing an oil filter and one on how far to pressurize a cooling system during a test. One asks why unused brake fluid belongs in a closed container. The right answer in these is the correct service practice, so know the reasons behind routine procedures, not just the steps.
One sample shows a tire wear pattern and asks what caused it, so learn the classic wear patterns and their causes. One is a Technician A / Technician B item about a TPMS warning light on a direct system. See how to answer Technician A / B questions.
Reading traps
One G1 sample is an EXCEPT question about what a tire sidewall shows, flagged by a warning line. Read EXCEPT questions twice: three options are true and you pick the one that is not. G1 covers so many systems that the stem's first words (which system, which type) matter; a TPMS question about a direct system, for example, behaves differently from one about an indirect system.
05Where should your study time go?
Area D is 13 of the 55 scored questions (23.6%) and area E is 11 (20.0%): 24 of 55 (43.6%) between suspension, steering and brakes. Add engine systems (area A, 9) and you reach 33 of 55 (60.0%). Automatic transmission and HVAC are the smallest at 4 each.
The task list has 173 tasks for 55 questions, so most tasks will not appear on any one version of the test. Area D alone has 59 tasks for 13 questions, and its alignment and wheel and tire groups hold 18 of those on their own. Cover every area for breadth: for each task, know what you are checking, what a good result looks like, and what you would replace.
Use the task list as a checklist and mark each task you could explain. ASE says every question represents one or more tasks. Pace: 65 questions in 90 minutes is about 1 minute 23 seconds each.
06Registering, retesting and recertifying
You register and pay through ase.com. ASE charges a $34 registration fee per order plus $62 for each test, so G1 on its own comes to $96. Each extra test in the same order adds $62, not another $96. ASE sets the registration and scheduling dates, so check ase.com for the current dates and fees before you book. The full breakdown is in ASE test fees and registration.
The test is delivered on screen. ASE offers a free demo of its testing platform at ase.com/free-test-drive, and the study guide notes two language aids: a Leer en español button that shows each question and its options side by side in Spanish and English, with no separate registration, and a Spanish/English pop-up glossary available during all ASE tests. More on the format: how ASE tests work.
If you do not pass, ASE makes you wait 30 days before you can take the test again. Use the month on suspension, steering and brakes first, since they carry the most questions.
After you pass, the certification runs for 5 years. To renew it you take the G1 recertification test, 28 questions in 45 minutes; you are eligible for it only after passing the full certification test once.
07Questions people ask
- How many questions are on the ASE G1 test?
- 65 questions in 90 minutes: 55 scored and 10 unscored. The 55 scored questions are spread over seven content areas, from 13 on suspension and steering to 4 each on automatic transmission and HVAC. You cannot tell which 10 are unscored, so answer all 65.
- What is the biggest content area on ASE G1?
- Suspension and Steering, with 13 questions (23.6% of the 55 scored questions), then Brakes with 11. Engine systems has 9, electrical 8, manual drive train and axles 6, and automatic transmission and HVAC 4 each.
- What score do you need to pass ASE G1?
- ASE's study guide does not publish a passing score for G1. It publishes the content areas, the question counts and the task list. Check ase.com for how results are reported.
- How long does ASE G1 certification last?
- 5 years. To renew it you take the G1 recertification test (G1R), 28 questions in 45 minutes, which you can take only after passing the full G1 certification test once.
- How much does the ASE G1 test cost?
- ASE charges $62 per test plus a $34 registration fee per order, so G1 on its own is $96. A second test in the same order adds $62. Check ase.com before you book, since fees can change.
- Is ToolboxPrep affiliated with ASE?
- ToolboxPrep is an independent study site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASE (the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence). Our questions are original practice questions written to the published ASE test specifications; they are not actual test questions.
08Sources
- ASE Auto Maintenance and Light Repair (G1) Study Guide, 2026: test specification, question counts, testing time, the task list this page paraphrases, and the sample-question formats
- ASE (ase.com): the $34 registration fee per order, the $62 fee per test, the 5-year certification period and the 30-day retest wait
The content areas and question counts were checked against ASE's published study guide on October 11, 2026, and the task descriptions paraphrase its task list. ASE's study guide is the final word. If you find one of ours out of date, tell us.
Related: free practice questions · ten free G1 questions · how to answer Technician A / B questions · G1 or the A-series
09Practice for this test
ToolboxPrep G1 practice tests are weighted to the specification above, area by area, and every answer is explained, all four options. You can try five sample questions with no account.
Ten free questions per test, no account: free practice questions. How our questions are written and checked: how our questions are made.
ToolboxPrep is an independent study site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by ASE (the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence). Our questions are original practice questions written to the published ASE test specifications; they are not actual test questions.