Your power steering suddenly fails while driving in Oregon. What's the recommended response?
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A.
Turn the headlight switch off and on, then try your high beams or hazard lights.
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B.
Grip firmly, slow down, and ease onto the shoulder. Correct
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C.
Shift to neutral and steer smoothly while braking.
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D.
Pump the brakes and slowly apply the parking brake.
The answer is "Grip firmly, slow down, and ease onto the shoulder."
When power steering fails, the vehicle is still steerable, just stiff. The manual tells you to grip the steering wheel firmly because steering will be difficult, then slow down and ease onto the shoulder. Reducing speed gradually keeps the stiff steering manageable and lets you stop safely. The trap is mixing up the manual's equipment-failure procedures: each wrong answer borrows steps from a different failure. Cycling the headlight switch and trying other lights belongs to headlights going out, shifting to neutral belongs to a stuck accelerator, and pumping the brakes while easing on the parking brake belongs to brake failure. None of those applies when only the power assist is gone. Memorize each procedure separately; the test checks whether you can keep them apart.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Turn the headlight switch off and on, then try your high beams or hazard lights.
Cycling the headlight switch and trying other lights is the manual's procedure for headlights going out, not for losing power steering. Lights do nothing for stiff steering; grip the wheel firmly, slow down, and ease onto the shoulder. Misreading: Applies the headlights-go-out procedure ('Turn the headlight switch off and on' and 'Try other lights') to a power steering failure; the manual lists those steps only for failed headlights.
C. Shift to neutral and steer smoothly while braking.
Shifting to neutral is the manual's procedure for a stuck accelerator, not a power steering failure. When power steering fails, the engine and brakes are working normally; you grip firmly, slow down, and ease onto the shoulder. Misreading: Applies the accelerator-sticks procedure ('Shift the vehicle to neutral' and 'Steer smoothly while braking') to a power steering failure; the manual lists neutral only for a stuck accelerator.
D. Pump the brakes and slowly apply the parking brake.
Pumping the brakes and easing on the parking brake is the manual's procedure for brake failure. Your brakes still work when power steering fails; slow down normally and ease onto the shoulder. Misreading: Misapplies the brake-failure procedure ('Pump the brakes' and 'Slowly apply the parking brake') to a power steering failure; that procedure is for failed brakes, not stiff steering.
This question tests your knowledge of Vehicle Equipment in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Safe & Responsible Driving, Vehicle Equipment Failures, Power Steering Fails," p.85..
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