ASE A6 Electrical practice test: free drill and what to know

The ASE A6 Electrical/Electronic Systems test is 60 questions (50 scored) in 90 minutes, the longest A-series test, on general electrical diagnosis, batteries, starting and charging, lighting, gauges, accessories and body electronics. The free drill below is 12 original A6-style questions at the real pace, then the circuit rules and tests the A6 asks most.

60
questions, 50 scored: 90 min
the longest A test: E = I × R
the rule behind A6: 12
free drill questions

Last checked 22 October 2026 · Test length from ASE's Automobile study guide (2026); rules from standard service practice

Free drill: 12 original ASE-style A6 questions at the real test's pace, then every answer explained. No sign-up.

12
questions
18 min
time limit
Free
every answer explained

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 22 October 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on the ASE A6 Electrical/Electronic Systems test?

General electrical diagnosis; battery; starting and charging systems; lighting; gauges and driver information; horn, wiper and accessories; body electronics and networks. The real test is 60 questions (50 scored) in 90 minutes.

The A6 content areas and what the questions ask
Area	What the questions ask
General electrical diagnosis	Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, meters, voltage drop, opens, shorts and high resistance, wiring diagrams, parasitic draw
Battery	State of charge, load and conductance tests, charging, jump starting, and module memory
Starting system	Cranking current and voltage tests, starter and solenoid diagnosis, cable voltage drop
Charging system	Output tests, regulator operation, diodes and AC ripple, belt and connection faults
Lighting, gauges and accessories	Lamps and switches, instrument panels and warning lights, horns, wipers, power windows, locks and mirrors
Body electronics and networks	Modules, network communication faults, and the scan tool checks that go with them

A6 is the test where method matters most. Most questions can be answered by asking what a meter would read in a working circuit and then what the fault would change. A voltage drop test with the circuit under load finds resistance that a resistance check with the circuit off can miss.

Wiring diagram questions show a simplified circuit with switches, loads and grounds. Trace power from the fuse to ground before you read the options.

Which A6 rules and tests do I need to know?

Ohm's law in series and parallel circuits, the voltage drop test, the battery tests, and the starting and charging checks, each with what a good reading looks like.

Ohm's law: E = I × R. In series, resistances add and the same current flows through each part. In parallel, each branch has full voltage, and two branches give R1 × R2 ÷ (R1 + R2).
Voltage drop: measured with the circuit on. A good wire or connection drops very little (often 0.2 V or less per connection; the maker sets the limit). A large drop means resistance.
Battery: a fully charged battery reads about 12.6 V at rest. A load test applies half the CCA rating for 15 seconds, and a good battery holds at least 9.6 V at about 70°F.
Parasitic draw: measured with an ammeter in series after the modules go to sleep, compared with the maker's limit (often tens of milliamps).
Charging: output voltage with the engine running is typically about 13.5 to 14.5 V; excessive AC ripple points to a bad diode.

An open circuit stops current; a short to ground blows the fuse; high resistance dims a lamp or slows a motor. Most A6 symptoms are one of those three, so name which one fits before you choose.

The formulas our A6 questions use
Rule	How it works
Ohm's law	E = I × R; series resistances add; two in parallel give R1 × R2 ÷ (R1 + R2)
Battery load test	Half the CCA rating for 15 seconds; at least 9.6 V at about 70°F

What do ASE A6 questions look like?

Short shop situations with four options: a reading, a measurement against a limit or a symptom to match to its cause. Try it before you open the working below.

ASE-style question 1 · Circuit basics
A 12-volt circuit has a 2 Ω resistor in series with two 6 Ω resistors that are in parallel with each other. What current flows from the battery?
1. A2.4 A
2. B0.86 A
3. C6 A
4. D1.5 A
Worked answer
A: 2.4 A. The two 6 Ω resistors in parallel give (6 × 6) ÷ (6 + 6) = 3 Ω. Add the 2 Ω in series: 5 Ω. I = E ÷ R = 12 ÷ 5 = 2.4 A.
1. Parallel pair: 36 ÷ 12 = 3 Ω.
2. Total: 3 + 2 = 5 Ω.
3. Current: 12 ÷ 5 = 2.4 A.
The trap: Adding all three resistors (14 Ω, 0.86 A). Only resistors in series add.

These were written for this page and are not in any mock or drill. More are on ASE practice questions.

More A6 practice

Four A6 drills of 12 and A6 in each of eight full mocks, every answer explained like the ones on this page.

The ASE Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 20 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The ASE Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the ASE Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 20
topic drills: 1
score predictor

How do I answer "Technician A says, Technician B says" questions on the ASE A6 test?

Judge each technician's statement on its own, as true or false, before you look at the four options. Then the answer is mechanical: only A true, only B, both or neither.

Read the situation once and note the symptom or the reading.
Cover B. Is A's statement true for this situation? Write T or F.
Cover A. Is B's statement true? Write T or F.
Pick the option that matches: T and F is "A only", F and T is "B only", T and T is "Both", F and F is "Neither".

The trap is letting one statement colour the other. Two technicians can both be right about different causes, and a statement can be true in general but wrong for the situation in the question. Words like "always", "only" and "proves" usually make a statement false, because diagnosis rarely works that way.

"Neither" is a real answer, not a trick. On our tests the four keys come up about equally often, so do not avoid one because you picked it last time.

ASE-style question 1 · Voltage drop
With the starter cranking, a voltmeter between the battery negative post and the engine block reads 0.9 V. Technician A says the ground side has too much resistance. Technician B says the reading proves the starter draws too much current. Who is right?
1. AA only
2. BB only
3. CBoth A and B
4. DNeither A nor B
Worked answer
A: A only. A ground-side voltage drop under load should be small (typically 0.2 to 0.3 V at most; follow the maker's limit). 0.9 V means resistance in the ground cable or its connections. A voltage drop reading on a cable says nothing on its own about how much current the starter draws; that needs a current test.
1. The meter spans the ground path under load.
2. 0.9 V is well over a typical limit: resistance in that path.
3. Starter draw is measured with an ammeter, so B is wrong.
The trap: Reading a high drop as a starter fault. The drop is across the cable, so the fault is in the cable or its ends.

Where do people lose points on the ASE A6 test?

On rules they half-remember and on statements that are true in general but wrong for the situation. These are the ones our explanations correct most often.

Adding parallel resistances. Parallel resistance is always less than the smallest branch.
Measuring resistance on a circuit that is powered, or testing voltage drop with the circuit off.
Load testing a discharged battery. Charge it first, or the test says nothing about its condition.
Reading mA as A on a parasitic draw: 0.045 A is 45 mA.
Replacing a module before checking its powers and grounds.

How long is the ASE A6 test, and how is it scored?

The ASE A6 test is 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, 50 of them scored and 10 unscored research questions. ASE publishes no fixed passing percentage; you get pass or fail, with a breakdown by content area.

The real A-series tests, with where each fact comes from
Who gives it	The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), by appointment at Prometric test centersPublished by the ownerASE, "Testing": registration and Prometric test centers
How it is split	One test per system (A1 Engine Repair to A9 Light Vehicle Diesel). Each test is booked, timed and scored on its ownPublished by the ownerASE, "Automobile & Light Truck Certification Tests, A Series: A1-A9"
Questions	40 to 50 scored multiple-choice questions per test, plus 10 unscored research questions you cannot tell apartPublished by the ownerASE, "The Official ASE Study Guide: ASE Automobile Tests" (2026)
Time	60 to 90 minutes per test, depending on the testPublished by the ownerASE, "The Official ASE Study Guide: ASE Automobile Tests" (2026)
Passing score	Not published as a percentage. A panel sets the standard for each test, and you get pass or fail with a breakdown by content areaPublished by the ownerASE, "The Official ASE Study Guide: ASE Automobile Tests" (2026)
Cost	A $34 registration fee plus a fee for each test; 2026 guides quote about $62 per standard test. Check ase.com before you bookSourcedTorquePrep, "ASE Certification Cost 2026: Test Fees & Renewals"
Certification	A pass plus 2 years of hands-on work experience (a two-year automotive degree can count for one). Certifications last 5 yearsSourcedUniversal Technical Institute, "ASE Certification: How To Become ASE Certified"

Our free A6 drill is 12 questions at the real test's pace, and each full mock has 20 A6 questions on the same pace. Because ASE does not publish a percentage, we use 70% as a practice target with a margin, and say so on every result. More on that is in ASE passing score.

Which ASE test should I take after A6?

The one closest to the work you do. Most technicians pair tests by system, and each one below has its own free drill.

ASE A1 Engine Repair
General engine diagnosis; cylinder head and valve train; engine block; lubrication and cooling systems; fuel, electrical, ignition and exhaust checks an engine repair needs
ASE A4 Suspension and Steering
Steering systems (columns, gears, power steering, linkage, electric steering); suspension systems; wheel alignment diagnosis and adjustment; wheels and tires
ASE A5 Brakes
Hydraulic system; drum brakes; disc brakes; power assist; parking brakes, wheel bearings and electrical; ABS and electronic brake control
ASE A8 Engine Performance
General engine diagnosis; ignition system; fuel, air induction and exhaust; emission control; computerized engine controls and OBD II

Or take the free ASE practice test, which scores all five tests in one sitting, and see the whole path in the ASE certification test guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is A6 harder than the other A tests?

Many technicians find it the hardest, because it leans on circuit theory and meter use. It is also the longest, at 90 minutes.

How many questions are on the ASE A6 test?

60: 50 scored and 10 unscored research questions, in 90 minutes.

What score do I need to pass A6?

ASE does not publish a percentage; a panel sets the standard. We use 70% as a practice target.

Is this drill the real ASE test?

No. It is ASE-style practice with original questions. LifeScore is not affiliated with ASE.

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