Part 2 · Topic 11 of 13
Show me, tell me questions
The complete official DVSA vehicle safety questions for the ADI part 2 test — all 14 tell me questions with model answers and all 8 show me questions to practise, how many you are asked, and how wrong answers are marked.
Key facts
- On ADI part 2 you are asked 5 questions: 3 tell me before you drive, 2 show me while driving — not the 2 a learner gets
- You get a driving fault for EACH incorrect answer; answer all 5 wrong and it is a serious fault and a fail
- You also fail if you lose control of the car while answering a show me question
- Tread depth must be at least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around the entire outer circumference
These are the official DVSA vehicle safety questions for the ADI part 2 test. DVSA publishes a separate list for part 2, and it is not the same as the learner car test — check you are revising the right one:
| Learner car test | ADI part 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions asked | 2 | 5 |
| Tell me | 1, before driving | 3, before driving |
| Show me | 1, while driving | 2, while driving |
| Show me questions in the bank | 7 | 8 (adds cruise control) |
| Wrong answers | 1 driving fault however many you get wrong | a driving fault for each incorrect answer |
Two things can fail you outright here: answering all 5 questions incorrectly is recorded as a serious fault, and so is losing control of the car while answering a show me question.
Because each wrong answer is marked separately, the safety questions can eat a meaningful share of your six-driving-fault allowance before you have moved off. Work through the tell me answers until you can give them without hesitating, then practise every show me in your own car so the movements are second nature.
(Source: DVSA, gov.uk — the official part 2 list is linked above. Reproduced under the Open Government Licence.)
Tell me questions
Check the brakes before a journey. Brakes should not feel spongy or slack. Test them as you set off; the vehicle should not pull to one side.
Find the recommended tyre pressures and check them. Refer to the manufacturer's guide. Use a reliable pressure gauge to check and adjust when the tyres are cold. Don't forget the spare, and refit the valve caps.
Adjust the head restraint. Set it so the rigid part is at least as high as your eye level or the top of your ears, and as close to the back of your head as is comfortable.
Check the tyres for tread and condition. No cuts or bulges; tread depth at least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth and around the entire outer circumference.
Check the headlights and tail lights work. Operate the switch (turn on the ignition if needed), then walk around the vehicle to check.
Check for an anti-lock braking system (ABS) fault. The ABS warning light should illuminate if there is a fault.
Check the direction indicators work. Operate the switch (ignition on if needed), then walk around the vehicle to check.
Check the brake lights work. Operate the brake pedal and use reflections in windows or doors, or ask someone to help.
Check the power-assisted steering is working. Apply gentle pressure to the wheel as the engine starts — it should move slightly — or turn the wheel just after moving off.
Check the rear fog light works and know when to use it. Operate the switch (dipped headlights and ignition on if needed) and check the warning light. Use it only when visibility is seriously reduced, generally below 100 metres.
Check the headlight main beam works. Operate the switch (ignition or engine on if needed) and check the main-beam warning light comes on.
Check the engine oil level. Open the bonnet, identify the dipstick, and describe checking the level against the minimum and maximum markers.
Check the engine coolant level. Open the bonnet, identify the high and low markings on the header tank, and describe how you would top it up.
Check the brake fluid level. Open the bonnet, identify the reservoir, and check the level against the high and low markings.
Show me questions
Practise each one so you can do it smoothly while driving, eyes still on the road, when it is safe:
- Wash and clean the rear windscreen.
- Wash and clean the front windscreen.
- Switch on the dipped headlights.
- Set the rear demister.
- Operate the horn.
- Demist the front windscreen.
- Open and close a side window.
- Operate the cruise control.
That last one is on the ADI part 2 list but not on the learner list, so it is the one most often missed in revision. Know where the controls are in the car you will take to test, how to set a speed, how to resume, and how to cancel without braking.