ASE study guides, free and paid

The free official guides

For the series on this site, one guide covers every test in the series. The 2026 editions:

• Automobile and Light Truck, A1–A9: Automobile Study Guide 2026, also published in Spanish.
• Maintenance and Light Repair, G1: G1 Study Guide 2026.
• Medium-Heavy Truck, T1–T8: Medium/Heavy Truck Study Guide.

Each one holds three things. The test specifications give the number of questions in each content area. The task list names the jobs the questions come from: per the Need to Know guide, every question relates to a task on the list, and any task on the list could appear. The sample questions show the formats, including the “Technician A says… Technician B says…” type.

The Advanced Level tests work differently: per the Need to Know guide, L1, L2 and L4 come with a Composite Vehicle reference document you consult during the test, and L3 has its own study guide with a test reference.

What each test looks like

Study guide by test

• T-Series (T1–T8) study guide →one PDF for eight tests; T2 is the largest at 55 scored
• G1 study guide →heaviest area: suspension and steering, 24%
• A5 Brakes study guide →hydraulics, power assist and parking brakes: 43%
• A6 Electrical study guide →body electrical: 34%
• A1 Engine Repair study guide →general engine diagnosis: 40%
• A8 Engine Performance study guide →computerized engine controls: 26%

Turning a task list into a plan

1. Rate every task. Go down the task list and mark each line: done it often, done it once, never done it. The FAQ's own advice after a failed test is the same honest self-assessment against the task list.
2. Weight by the specifications. A content area worth a third of the score deserves a third of your time. On A5, hydraulics, power assist and parking brakes are 43%; drum brakes are 11%.
3. Practice in the test's shape. Per the Need to Know guide, each question tests a specific diagnostic or repair problem and has one correct answer. Read the explanation of every wrong option, not just the key.
4. Mind the clock. A1 gives 75 min for 55 questions. Unscored research questions are mixed in unmarked, so answer everything.

Each test's own page has its plan; this page doesn't repeat them.

Books and paid study guides

The test owner runs an Officially Licensed ASE Test Prep Partner program: per its A1–A9 test page, partner material goes through a content and style review against the current task lists. For the A series the page lists Motor Age Training study guides (checked Oct 23, 2026). Other publishers sell books for these tests too; before you buy any book, check that it matches the 2026 question counts, especially for A1 and A2.

There are also paid official practice tests, about half the length of the real test: 25 questions for A1 (English only, with one fixed set of questions per test), with no price shown on ASE's page. For the truck series they exist for T2, T4, T6, T8 only.

More guides

• ASE certification →Every ASE test series, the requirements and the steps from myASE to certificate
• Master Technician →The eight tests A1–A8, Master truck T2–T8, and how to keep the status
• ASE test cost →Registration, test, retake and recertification fees for each test, as of Oct 2026
• Diesel certification →Which diesel test to take: T2 for trucks, A9 for light vehicles, L2 above them
• ASE recertification →Recertification tests, remote testing and the Renewal App: when, how and what each costs
• How to become a mechanic →School or on-the-job, then the ASE tests: the path from first job to certified technician
• Mechanic certification →ASE certification, school certificates, OEM programs and state licenses: what each one is