ASE G1 Course Notes

This is the largest G1 content area. Expect symptom-to-test questions, but do not jump directly to alignment or parts replacement. Verify tire pressure/condition, inspect for looseness or structural damage, follow the manufacturer’s specified inspection method, correct mechanical faults before alignment, and complete any required steering-angle/ADAS procedures after service.

• Aligning a vehicle before correcting loose or damaged components.

• On G1, measured evidence beats a guess: compare play, ride height, alignment angles, tire pressure, and runout/balance results with service information.

Brake questions are measurement- and procedure-heavy. Start with the complaint and base-system condition, inspect hydraulic integrity, compare drum/rotor/friction measurements with manufacturer limits, repair the identified fault, then complete final pedal, wheel-torque, and road-test/burnish checks as specified.

• Replacing parts before confirming the cause of a pull, drag, low pedal, or leak.

• Read every brake measurement against the manufacturer limit given or implied by the question.

Engine Systems emphasizes routine maintenance, visual/functional diagnosis, and safe light repair. Preserve diagnostic evidence, verify fluid/specification requirements, use pressure and dye tests correctly, and stop/escalate when warning evidence indicates a risk of damage beyond a normal maintenance procedure.

• Clearing codes before recording them.

• Separate observation from diagnosis: leak location, warning indicators, pressure-test results, and scan data are stronger than assumptions.

Electrical questions reward correct meter connection, circuit state, and interpretation. Verify the concern and battery condition, use wiring/service information, test the loaded circuit where appropriate, isolate excessive voltage drop or current draw, and repair the measured fault rather than replacing the component that happens to show the symptom.

• Confusing voltage drop with extra voltage.

• Ask: Is the circuit powered? Is it loaded? Where are the meter leads? Those three details usually determine the meaning of the reading.

This domain is evidence-driven: isolate the component that actually shows wear, leakage, looseness, roughness, or binding. Use the correct lubricant and service method, repair the source of contamination or leakage, preserve 4WD/AWD diagnostic data, and verify operation after service.

• Assuming every clunk or rumble is a clutch or U-joint fault.

• Use the stem’s strongest physical evidence: play, roughness, torn boot, rust powder, leak source, or fluid condition.

Automatic Transmission/Transaxle is only 7%, but the task list is specific. Follow the manufacturer’s fluid-level procedure and exact fluid specification, preserve DTCs, trace external leaks, inspect cooling lines/mounts/driveline components, and perform fluid/filter service without using additives or universal-fluid assumptions as a shortcut.

• Clearing DTCs before recording them.

• Transmission fluid questions are application-specific: read every stated temperature, gear-position, engine-state, and fluid-spec clue.

The 2026 G1 task list explicitly includes identifying A/C refrigerant type and recovering/recharging the system to manufacturer specifications. That exam task does not replace legal requirements: technicians servicing MVAC systems for compensation must be Section 609 certified and use approved equipment. Diagnose airflow and control faults before assuming low charge.

• Assuming all poor A/C performance is low refrigerant.

• First classify the complaint: airflow, air routing, temperature, compressor engagement, condenser airflow, leak evidence, or refrigerant service.