Show Me, Tell Me Questions 2026: All 21 DVSA Answers
Free study guide · Updated for 2026
Show Me, Tell Me Questions 2026: all 21 DVSA answers
Every official DVSA ‘show me, tell me’ vehicle safety question for the UK car driving test — with clear, plain-English model answers, simple diagrams and examiner-approved tips so you walk in confident.
21questions in total
14‘tell me’ questions
7‘show me’ questions
2asked on the day
How the show me, tell me questions work
On your practical driving test you’ll be asked two vehicle safety questions. One ‘tell me’ question at the start, before you drive, where you explain how you’d do a safety check. And one ‘show me’ question while you’re driving, where you actually carry out the action.
Good news: getting one or both wrong is only one driving fault (a ‘minor’) — you can still pass. The only way these questions fail you is if your driving becomes dangerous while you do the ‘show me’ task. So stay relaxed and keep your eyes on the road.
Asked at the start of your test. You explain the check out loud — for the light questions you don’t need to get out of the car.
1Brakes
Tell me how you’d check the brakes are working before starting a journey.
Press the brake pedal before setting off — it should feel firm, not spongy or slack. As you move away, test them gently: the car should slow evenly and not pull to one side.
Pro tip: mention both the pedal feel and the roll-away test — examiners like to hear both parts.
2Tyres
Tell me where you’d find the recommended tyre pressures and how you’d check them.
They’re in the owner’s manual, and usually on a sticker inside the driver’s door frame or the fuel-filler flap. Check with a reliable gauge when the tyres are cold, adjust to the recommended figure, don’t forget the spare, and refit the valve caps.
Pro tip: the words “cold tyres” and “reliable gauge” are exactly what the examiner is listening for.
3Safety
Tell me how you make sure your head restraint is correctly adjusted.
Set it so the solid part is at least as high as your eyes or the top of your ears, and as close to the back of your head as is comfortable. This cuts whiplash in a crash. Some head restraints are fixed and can’t be adjusted.
4Tyres
Tell me how you’d check the tyres have enough tread and are safe to use.
Check for no cuts or bulges, and at least 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, all the way around.
Pro tip: a 20p coin is a quick check — if the outer band is hidden when you insert it, you’re likely above the legal limit.
5Lights
Tell me how you’d check the headlights and tail lights are working.
Turn the ignition on if needed, operate the light switch, then walk around the car to check the front and rear lights. As this is a ‘tell me’ you only describe it — you don’t get out.
6ABS
Tell me how you’d know if there was a problem with the anti-lock braking system.
A warning light on the dashboard lights up (and stays on) if there’s a fault with the ABS.
7Lights
Tell me how you’d check the direction indicators are working.
Turn the ignition on if needed and operate the indicator switch (or the hazard-warning button), then walk around the car to check they flash. Describe only — no need to get out.
8Lights
Tell me how you’d check the brake lights are working.
Press the brake pedal and check the reflection in a window, garage door or wall behind the car — or ask someone to confirm they come on.
9Steering
Tell me how you’d check the power-assisted steering is working before a journey.
If the steering feels heavy the assistance may not be working. Two quick checks: hold light pressure on the wheel as you start the engine — it should give a slight movement as the system kicks in; or turn the wheel just after moving off to feel the assistance.
10Lights
Tell me how you’d switch on the rear fog light(s) and when you’d use them.
Turn on the ignition and dipped headlights if needed, operate the rear fog-light switch and check the warning light comes on. Use them when visibility drops below 100 metres (e.g. thick fog), and switch them off when it clears so you don’t dazzle drivers behind.
11Lights
Tell me how you switch from dipped to main beam and how you’d know it’s on.
Operate the main-beam switch (usually push or pull the indicator stalk) with the ignition on — you’ll know it’s on by the blue main-beam warning light on the dashboard.
12Under bonnet
Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check the engine has enough oil.
Open the bonnet, find the dipstick, pull it out and wipe it clean, reinsert it fully, then pull it out again to read the level — it should sit between the minimum and maximum marks.
Pro tip: for questions 12–14 you actually open the bonnet and point things out, so know where they live in your car.
13Under bonnet
Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check the engine has enough coolant.
Find the coolant header tank and check the level sits between the low and high marks. If it needs topping up, do it only when the engine is cold, to the correct level.
14Under bonnet
Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check you have a safe level of brake fluid.
Find the brake-fluid reservoir and check the level is between the minimum and maximum markings.
The 7 ‘show me’ questions & answers
Asked while you’re driving. Do the action safely without taking your attention off the road — if you’re not sure it’s safe yet, wait until it is.
1Show me
Show me how you’d wash and clean the rear windscreen.
Operate the rear washer-and-wiper control (usually a twist or push on the wiper stalk) to spray and wipe the rear screen.
2Show me
Show me how you’d wash and clean the front windscreen.
Pull or press the washer control to spray the screen and run the wipers.
3Show me
Show me how you’d switch on your dipped headlights.
Turn the light switch to the dipped-beam (headlight) symbol.
4Show me
Show me how you’d set the rear demister.
Press the heated-rear-window / rear-demister button (the icon of a rectangle with three wavy lines through it).
5Show me
Show me how you’d operate the horn.
Press the centre of the steering wheel (or the horn symbol) to sound it — only when it’s safe and appropriate to do so.
6Show me
Show me how you’d demist the front windscreen.
Set the fan and temperature, direct the airflow to the windscreen, and turn on the air-con or heated windscreen if fitted.
7Show me
Show me how you’d open and close the side window.
Use the window switch on the door to lower and then raise the driver’s window.
5 tips to nail your show me, tell me questions
1. Learn them in your own car. The wording is standard, but buttons and dipsticks live in different places on every car. Practise on the car you’ll test in.
2. Say it out loud. Rehearse the ‘tell me’ answers as full sentences so they come out smoothly under pressure.
3. ‘Show me’ = eyes on the road. A wrong button is one minor; drifting or not looking is a serious fault. Safety first, button second.
4. It’s only ever one minor. Even if you blank completely, it can’t fail you by itself — so don’t let it rattle the rest of your drive.
5. Know the three bonnet checks. Oil, coolant and brake fluid (Q12–14) mean actually opening the bonnet — be ready to point to each reservoir.
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How many show me, tell me questions are asked on the test?
Two — one ‘tell me’ question at the start before you drive, and one ‘show me’ question while you’re driving.
What happens if I get a show me, tell me question wrong?
You get one driving fault (a ‘minor’). Getting one or both wrong is still just a single minor, and you can pass your test with it.
Can show me, tell me questions fail my driving test?
Only indirectly. The questions themselves are worth one minor. But if your driving becomes dangerous or potentially dangerous while you carry out the ‘show me’ action, that can be a serious or dangerous fault — which is a fail.
How many show me, tell me questions are there in total?
21 — 14 ‘tell me’ questions and 7 ‘show me’ questions. You’ll be asked one of each on the day.
Are the questions the same for an automatic car?
Yes. The same official DVSA questions apply to both manual and automatic car tests.
Do I have to get out of the car for the light questions?
No. For the ‘tell me’ light questions you just explain what you’d do — you don’t physically get out and check. You only open the bonnet for the oil, coolant and brake-fluid questions.
