Heavy Duty Equipment Technician - Exam Information
Table of Contents
Self-Assessment
This tool can be used to reflect on your own experience and knowledge in the trade compared with what is on the exam.
Exam Breakdown
Each Red Seal exam's questions are developed to assess the activities laid out in the Red Seal Occupational Standard. This trade's Red Seal exam has 135 questions Footnote *, which are distributed as follows:
MWA A – Performs common occupational skills - 10 questions
MWA B - Services, diagnoses and repairs engines and supporting systems - 20 questions
MWA C - Services, diagnoses and repairs steering, suspension, brake and undercarriage systems, and wheel assemblies - 16 questions
MWA D - Services, diagnoses and repairs electrical and electronic systems - 25 questions
MWA E - Services, diagnoses and repairs drivetrain systems - 17 questions
MWA F - Services, diagnoses and repairs environmental control systems - 9 questions
MWA G - Services, diagnoses and repairs hydraulic, hydrostatic and pneumatic systems - 25 questions
MWA H - Services, diagnoses and repairs structural components, operator stations, attachments and accessories - 9 questions
MWA I - Services, diagnoses and repairs hybrid and all-electric equipment - 4 questions
Types of Exam Questions
All Red Seal exam questions are written in multiple-choice format. A multiple-choice question consists of question followed by four possible responses (A, B, C, D). Every question has exactly one correct answer and three incorrect options. They are not misleading or trick questions, but the incorrect options are not always obvious.
There are three types of questions that you will see on Red Seal Exams:
- Knowledge and Recall
- Procedural and Application
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge and Recall
This type of question tests your ability to recall and understand definitions, facts and principles.
For this trade, between 5 and 15% of questions that are this type.
Example of a Knowledge and Recall Question:
What is meant by the viscosity of an oil?
- Point at which oil solidifies.
- Temperature at which oil vaporizes.
- Fluidity of oil.
- Classification of oil quality.
Answer: C
Procedural and Application
This type of question tests your ability to apply your knowledge of procedures to a situation.
For this trade, between 45 and 55% of questions are this type.
Example of a Procedural and Application Question:
When a hydraulic system malfunctions, what is checked first?
- Cycle time.
- Pump flow.
- Fluid level.
- System pressure.
Answer: C
Critical Thinking
This type of question tests your ability to interpret data, solve problems and arrive at valid conclusions.
For this trade, between 35 and 45% of questions are this type.
Example of a Critical Thinking Question:
What is the result of overfilling a powershift transmission?
- Low stall speed.
- No forced downshift.
- Low shift points at full throttle.
- Overheating.
Answer: D
Acronyms
The following acronyms used in this trade may be on its Red Seal exam. They will also be provided with the exam sitting.
- ABS
- anti-lock brake system
- AC
- alternating current
- A/C
- air conditioning
- AFR
- air-fuel ratio
- BCM
- body control module
- BEV
- battery electric vehicle
- CAN
- controller area network
- CCA
- cold cranking amperes
- CO
- carbon monoxide
- CPS
- crankshaft position sensor
- DC
- direct current
- DCV
- directional control valve
- DEF
- diesel exhaust fluid
- °C
- degree Celsius
- °F
- degree Fahrenheit
- DMM
- digital multimeter
- DOC
- diesel oxidation catalyst
- DPF
- diesel particulate filter
- ECM
- electronic control module
- EGR
- exhaust gas recirculation
- EPROM
- erasable programmable read-only memory
- FOPS
- falling object protective structure
- GPS
- global positioning system
- HMU
- hand metering unit
- hr
- hour
- HVAC
- heating, ventilation and air conditioning
- ICE
- internal combustion engine
- in.
- inch
- IR
- infrared
- JIC
- Joint Industrial Council
- kPa
- kilopascal
- kW
- kilowatt
- LED
- light-emitting diode
- LPG
- liquefied petroleum gas
- LOTO
- lock-out / tag-out
- MAP
- manifold absolute pressure
- min
- minute
- mm
- millimetre
- NOx
- nitrous oxide
- NPT
- National Pipe Taper Thread
- OEM
- original equipment manufacturer
- ppm
- parts per million
- psi
- pounds per square inch
- psia
- pounds per square inch absolute
- psig
- pounds per square inch gauge
- PTO
- power take-off
- ROPS
- roll-over protective structure
- rpm
- revolutions per minute
- s
- second
- SAE
- Society of Automotive Engineers
- SAHR
- spring-applied hydraulic released
- SCR
- selective catalytic reduction
- SDS
- safety data sheet
- TDC
- top dead centre
- TDG
- transportation of dangerous goods
- TPS
- throttle position sensor
- UV
- ultraviolet
- V
- volt
- VIN
- vehicle identification number
- VGT
- variable geometry turbo charger
- VVT
- variable valve timing
- WHMIS
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
- SAHR
- Spring Applied Hydraulic Release
Try more sample questions for this trade and check out the Exam Preparation Guide. It will give you practical insights on what goes into Red Seal exams, and how you can best prepare yourself to do well.
For more information about exam preparation materials contact your provincial/territorial apprenticeship office.