The A2 is the automatic transmission test, and it's one of the harder ones for a lot of techs. You need to know how the hydraulics work, how power flows through the gears, and how the computer controls shifting.
These questions cover symptoms and diagnosis, pressure tests, power flow, electronic controls, and in-vehicle service. Think about what the transmission is actually doing in each gear before you answer.
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Question 1 of 15
During teardown, only the direct clutch's friction plates are burnt and glazed; every other clutch looks good. What should be checked before reassembly?
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Answer: B. The direct clutch apply circuit
When only one clutch has burnt, the likely cause is low apply pressure to that clutch: a leaking piston seal, worn sealing rings, a missing check ball or a damaged passage. Finding and fixing it prevents the new plates from burning too. An air test of the circuit helps.
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Question 2 of 15
Technician A says some hybrid transaxles use a planetary gearset and motor-generators to vary the ratio instead of shifting clutches. Technician B says high-voltage safety procedures must be followed before servicing an electrified transaxle's electrical components. Who is correct?
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Answer: C. Both A and B
Power-split hybrid transaxles blend engine and motor-generator power through a planetary gearset, so the ratio changes without conventional shift clutches. Technician A is right. Electrified transaxles carry high-voltage circuits, so the manufacturer's disable procedure and protective equipment are required before working on them. Technician B is right too.
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Question 3 of 15
Technician A says the torque converter clutch normally applies in 1st gear as soon as drive is engaged. Technician B says any slip speed above zero while the converter clutch is applied means the clutch is failing. Who is correct?
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Answer: D. Neither A nor B
Applying the converter clutch at a stop would lock the engine to the stopped wheels and stall it, so it applies at cruise and other conditions the module chooses. Technician A is wrong. Many transmissions run a controlled slip of some tens of rpm for smoothness, so slip speed is judged against the manufacturer's specification. Technician B is wrong too.
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Question 4 of 15
The transmission control module has stored a code for lost communication with the engine control module. The scan tool communicates normally with the engine module and the other modules, and none of them report lost communication with the engine module. What should be checked first?
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Answer: B. The TCM's network wiring, power and ground
Every other module, and the scan tool, can talk with the engine module, so the engine module and most of the bus are working. The fault is most likely where only the TCM is affected: its own network wiring and connector, or its power and ground.
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Question 5 of 15
Transmission fluid is found inside the transmission's external harness connector, and the terminals are corroded. What is the most likely cause?
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Answer: A. A leaking seal at the case connector
The case connector passes wires through the case and is sealed against the internal fluid. When that seal fails, fluid seeps or wicks into the connector and corrodes the terminals. The connector seal is replaced and the terminals cleaned or repaired; a harness that has wicked fluid along its length may need replacing.
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Question 6 of 15
During overhaul, an air test of the forward clutch passage in the case gives a weak apply, and air is heard escaping from the next passage over. With the valve body and shaft removed, a hairline crack is found in the case web between the two passages. What is the correct repair?
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Answer: A. Replace the case or repair it as approved
A crack between two passages lets fluid cross from one circuit to the other, so the forward clutch loses apply pressure and the other circuit may be pressurized when it shouldn't be. The case is replaced, or repaired only by a method the manufacturer approves. All passages and sealing surfaces are inspected, and the circuits are air tested again after assembly.
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Question 7 of 15
A vehicle engages drive harshly from park at idle. Technician A says harsh engagement is usually caused by low line pressure. Technician B says a higher-than-specified idle speed makes engagement softer, not harsher. Who is correct?
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Answer: D. Neither A nor B
Low line pressure typically lets a clutch apply softly or slip, so it more often shows up as delayed or slipping engagement. Harsh engagement points more often to high idle speed, high line pressure, an accumulator or servo problem, or a broken mount, so Technician A is wrong. A higher idle speed means the converter is transmitting more torque at the moment drive engages, so engagement gets harsher, not softer. Technician B is wrong too.
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Question 8 of 15
Which scan data best confirms that the torque converter clutch has actually applied?
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Answer: A. Slip speed near zero while apply is commanded
Slip speed is the difference between engine speed and turbine (input) speed. When the clutch is applied, they turn together and slip drops near zero, or to the small controlled slip some designs specify. A commanded percentage only shows the request.
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Question 9 of 15
On this vehicle the transmission module receives vehicle speed from the ABS module over the network. The vehicle shifts erratically, the speedometer drops out intermittently, the ABS warning lamp is on, and the ABS module has a code for one wheel speed sensor. What is the most likely cause?
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Answer: B. A faulty wheel speed sensor input
This transmission module relies on the ABS module for vehicle speed. A faulty wheel speed sensor corrupts that value, so the speedometer and the shift schedule both act up while the ABS sets its own code. Repairing the wheel speed sensor circuit fixes the shifting.
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Question 10 of 15
A transmission pan gasket was replaced, and the leak returned. The pan's sealing flange is dimpled and bent around each bolt hole. What should be done?
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Answer: A. Straighten or replace the distorted pan
Overtightening dimples the flange around each bolt, so the gasket can't seal between holes. The flange is straightened on a flat surface, or the pan replaced, and a new gasket is installed with the bolts tightened to specification in the specified pattern.
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Question 11 of 15
Before a transmission is bolted to the engine, how is it confirmed that the torque converter is fully engaged with the pump?
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Answer: B. Measure its depth from the bell housing face
A converter fully engaged with the input shaft, stator support and pump drive sits a specified distance below the bell housing face. Measuring that distance confirms it is seated. The transmission should then slide against the engine by hand, with no bolts pulling it in.
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Question 12 of 15
Technician A says clearing DTCs resets monitor readiness, so the monitors must run again before readiness shows complete. Technician B says freeze frame data is kept when DTCs are cleared, so it can still be reviewed afterward. Who is correct?
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Answer: A. A only
Clearing codes resets readiness, so each monitor must run again under its enable criteria. Technician A is right. Clearing codes also erases freeze frame data, the record of conditions when the code set, so it should be saved before clearing. Technician B is wrong.
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Question 13 of 15
With the fluid at operating temperature, line pressure tests below specification in every range. All of these could cause it **EXCEPT**:
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Answer: A. A regulator valve that can't exhaust
Low pressure in every range points to the supply: a starved pump (low level or clogged filter) or a worn pump. The regulator valve exhausts fluid to hold line pressure down; if it sticks so it can't exhaust, pressure rises above specification instead of falling.
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Question 14 of 15
After a battery replacement, a vehicle with a battery management system sets intermittent low-voltage codes in the transmission module, and stop/start no longer works. Technician A says any battery of the same group size will work, because the charging system adapts to whatever battery is installed. Technician B says the new battery should be registered with a scan tool, as service information requires, so the charging strategy matches it. Who is correct?
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Answer: B. B only
On vehicles with battery management, the module tracks the battery's type, capacity and age to set charging voltage and decide when stop/start may run. A battery of the wrong type, or a new battery that hasn't been registered, can leave it undercharged, setting low-voltage codes and disabling stop/start. Technician A is wrong. Registering the correct battery with a scan tool, as service information directs, resets that strategy. Technician B is right.
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Question 15 of 15
A transmission overheats at highway speed. The cooler and lines have been flushed and flow-tested off the vehicle and are clear. This transmission has a thermal bypass valve that sends fluid around the cooler until the fluid is warm. What is the most likely cause?
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Answer: B. A thermal bypass valve stuck in bypass
The bypass valve keeps fluid out of the cooler while cold so it warms quickly, then opens the path to the cooler. If it sticks in bypass, hot fluid never reaches the cooler and the transmission overheats under load, even though the cooler itself is clear.
Want more? ASE Pro has 2,100+ practice questions with explanations.
Power flow questions get a lot easier once you know which clutches and bands are applied in each range. Make yourself a simple chart and drill it.
For electronic control questions, separate a wiring problem from a hydraulic problem first. That cuts the answer choices in half.
Want more questions like these?
ASE Pro has 2,100+ practice questions with explanations, timed practice exams, and weak-area drills.