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The SSW automobile maintenance practical test: what it is and how to prepare

Many people hear “practical test” (実技（じつぎ）) and imagine working on a car in front of an examiner. In the SSW (i) automobile maintenance test the practical part is also taken on a computer: you look at a figure or a work situation and pick one of two answers.

Last updated: 2026-10-12

At a glance

What the practical part is

The 自動車整備分野特定技能1号評価試験 has two parts: theory (学科) and practical (実技). According to the JASPA test page, the practical part is an identification and judgement test using figures: 3 tasks, 20 minutes, pass at 60% of the total score. Each task opens with a job, for example "removing and refitting disc brake pads" or "measuring battery voltage with a circuit tester", followed by two-choice items about that job. The two choices can be two sentences, two pictures, or a point on a picture.

The official scope of the practical part is: basic work; simple removal, refitting, inspection and adjustment; simple repairs; and using testers and measuring instruments. As in the theory part, the subject is the engine and the chassis.

The three task types

The app's 20 papers contain 60 different practical tasks. They fall into three groups, and you should practise all three:

1. Removal and refitting

Examples: clutch, strut (ストラット), starter motor, oil filter, road wheel, timing belt, water pump. Items ask which step comes first, which parts must be renewed on reassembly (gaskets and seals), aligning marks, tightening in a diagonal pattern and to the specified torque. The general rule: refit in the reverse order of removal.

2. Measuring

Examples: crankshaft journal diameter with a micrometer, brake disc runout with a dial gauge, valve clearance with a feeler gauge, oil clearance with Plastigage (プラスチ・ゲージ), compression pressure with a compression gauge. Items often show a gauge face and ask for the reading, or give a measured value and a limit and ask whether the part can be reused. See reading a caliper, micrometer and dial gauge.

3. Electrical checks

Examples: checking a fuse, relay, stop lamp switch, coolant temperature sensor or ignition coil with a circuit tester (サーキット・テスタ); measuring battery voltage while cranking. Remember: choose the right range, red lead to positive, measure resistance with the power off, and know what "continuity / no continuity" means for the part.

How to prepare

  1. Learn the safety rules first. Support the car on stands, disconnect the battery negative terminal before electrical work (and reconnect it last), never open a hot radiator cap. Many items set a safe choice against a risky one.
  2. Study by job, not by sentence. For each job ask: what to prepare, the removal order, what to check, how to refit.
  3. Read gauges every day. Ten minutes reading micrometer and caliper faces is enough to become quick and sure.
  4. Compare readings with specifications. When an item gives a standard value or a limit, the question is a judgement ("reuse or replace"), not just a reading.
  5. Manage time. 20 minutes for 9 items is about 2 minutes each. Read the job description once for all three items of a task.

To try one now, see the sample practical task with answers.

Practical training in the app

Every mock paper in Gino 1 Seibi has 3 practical tasks × 3 items, with redrawn figures you can zoom on a phone. A wrong answer stops and explains why. The result shows each part separately, so you see at once whether your practical score clears 60%.

VIP unlocks papers 4 to 20 and the detailed explanations for missed items. VIP is bought inside the iOS app with Apple payment, and Apple shows the price. The App Store version is coming soon. You can try the free exams on the web now.

Sources checked: the JASPA specified skills test page (2024 test summary), the MLIT implementation rules and acceptance handbook (MLIT page) and the Prometric booking page. Rules can change, so check the latest version at these sources.

FAQ

Do I work on a real car in the practical test?

No. JASPA describes the practical part as an identification and judgement test using figures (図などを使った判別・判断試験), taken on a computer (CBT).

How many items are in the practical part?

3 tasks (課題) in 20 minutes. The JASPA test summary gives 9 items in total. You pass with 60% or more of the total score.

Can a strong practical score make up for theory?

No. The parts are scored separately: you need 65% in theory and 60% in the practical part.

How can I prepare without a workshop?

Learn the work order and safety rules, practise reading gauges from pictures, and do the practical tasks in mock papers. The Gino 1 Seibi app has 60 different practical tasks across its 20 papers.

Take a mock exam and see right away which items you missed and why.

Try it free now

3 free papers with furigana. Opens in your browser, no sign-up.

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