From the start of your driving test when your name is called out, you will be asked two questions by the Examiner about vehicle safety checks. One question will be the “tell me ” at the start of the test. The other is a “show me” during the actual driving test. If you get either or both questions incorrect, you usually just get one driving fault but it is possible to fail the test on this section if you lose control of the car as you are performing the checks.

Do not turn the car engine on unless the examiner is sitting in the passenger seat. Turning the engine on while you are alone in the car counts as driving without a licence. Many cars now have a diagnostic system which shows you any problems with the vehicle lit up on the dashboard. In a recent change to the MOT law, reversing lights must be working and if the engine management light is on when first turning the engine on, the test will not go ahead. If the engine management light (or equivalent light) lights up during the test and there is no compromise on safety, the test will finish as normal and the examiner will offer advice. Dashboard lights must not be hidden or covered up to mislead the examiner.

You are not allowed to just say that the car would just tell you of any problems because the system may be faulty whereas a manual check is more reliable.

For the most up-to-date set of Show Me / Tell Me questions, refer to the Government website [click here].