The answer options
- Every time you plan to drive
- When the engine is hot
- First thing in the morning
- Before a long journeyCorrect
Why that is the answer
DVSA guidance recommends carrying out routine maintenance checks, including your engine oil level, regularly and before a long journey. Running out of oil can cause severe engine damage or a breakdown. You must check the dipstick when the engine is cold and on level ground. Checking when the engine is hot gives an inaccurate reading and carries a risk of burns, whilst checking before every single drive is unnecessary.
How this comes up in the real test
Questions from safety and your vehicle appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.
The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.
More safety and your vehicle questions
- A vehicle MOT test will include an exhaust emissions test. What is the reason for this?
- Before leaving your vehicle unattended, what should you remove from it?
- How can drivers help the environment?
- How can driving in a fuel-efficient manner help protect the environment?
- How can the volume of traffic on roads be reduced?
- How can you avoid wasting fuel?