Morning ladies and gents, I recently failed the driver fault finding test and I’m looking to resit the test in the new year, what’s the best advice that you can give me, bare in mind the reason why i also failed was because I thought that if the power of the train was low in the real test it would be a fault like the practice papers that they sent out which had me confused.
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Failed dfft any advice please?
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Applepie356
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By the sounds of it you failed it because you didn’t understand the question. It’s extremely important to read & understand the question so you can answer it correctly.
The examiners are usually more than happy to help you understand the question, if you ask.
The examiners are usually more than happy to help you understand the question, if you ask.
Thanks for the replies, and yeah I actually read everything properly, i was even one of the first to finish the practice questions before the test in less then 2mins with no mistakes but when the actual test started i got stuck on prioritising the power of the train as i did on the practice papers when it’s completely different
To echo the above; make sure you fully understand everything before the test is started. If you don’t understand, ask questions before the test, as you aren’t generally allowed to during it. Also, make use of ghe practice questions on the day. Make sure you utilise these and take on board any feedback given on incorrect answers to the practice questions.
There's no prize for finishing the practice material first. Take your time, read everything carefully and make sure you 100% understand what you need to do before you start is my best advice.
Grafter1900
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I did this test back in 2013 and I still remember that u check solar panel first and it had like a gauge, fault, low, medium, high..if the gauge was in fault then it's a fault and u find the fault code, if it's in low med or high it's all good and u move onto the next thing , was a very straightforward test.
iwasyoungonce
Member
I completed this test earlier this year I was shocked when I got all 3 practice questiion's wrong but the OPC person explained what I had done and I went on to pass the actual test.
The DFFT is a stand alone test only used by certain companies, it will not reflect on your 2 lives
The DFFT is a stand alone test only used by certain companies, it will not reflect on your 2 lives
CreamNCookies
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Are you sure about this? I'm sure you would still lose a life for failing this. At the very least for companies that require this test.
YingYing
Member
Which companies don't use DFFT? I thought it was part of the standard set of tests.
iwasyoungonce
Member
As I recall it was the one with the solar powered train, I asked the OPC person if it would overwrite my current scores and they said NO its a stand alone test which only certain companies use (enhanced) which doesn't count in the 2 strikes system
grantos3000
Member
Do you know which part you failed - I assume it was part 1 (where you had a picture of a train with solar panels, battery, brakes etc then a carriage with windows and lighting system), or was it part 2 (the cables and dials bit)?
As previously stated by others, It is important that you firstly understand exactly what to do (and how to prioritise which 2 faults to focus on when there are more than 2 faults- some of the diagrams have 3 faults on them so its important you fully read the train diagram to find all the faults rather than just stopping once you have found 2 faults) - It is also VERY easy to start looking at the wrong train diagram as I discovered twice! My advice is cover up the diagram with the scrap paper they give you which does not apply to the question you are answering. Fortunately I noticed I had started looking at the wrong diagram (Twice!) and was able to correct the answers. Just remember to move the scrap paper for the next question or you will be looking at the wrong train diagram!
Also accuracy is more important than actually finishing all the questions - I only completed 10 of the question, as I mucked up on 2 questions as I started referencing the wrong picture so that took me time to rub out answers and correct - even so with only 10 (of a total of 20 questions to answer) completed, I still passed. I am pretty confident that I got those 10 questions correct but no way of knowing for sure as they dont tell you what your score was so that no one can work out what the pass mark is!
Also dont try to remember what the practice papers were like as they were only to give you an idea of what to expect and were not a representation of the actual test you would sit - use only the information given on the day of the real test to complete your answers!
Luckyflames
Member
Excellent advice above. I also filled in the wrong answers on 3 and had to run out and start again. The scrap paper is gold dust advice. Think I got to question 10/11 also. After having a mare. And make sure you understand. The solar can be mistaken with power.
I was told you will lose a life for any TOCs/FOCs that use the enhanced standard.
This is where their information is inconsistent. I was told the complete opposite by them.
I dont think the advice is inconsistent. If you are required to resit a test then the new score over writes the previous score for that test only. If a TOC doesnt require the DFFT the DFFT score is irrelevant. What can happen is if you failed the DFFT for a TOC is 1 life lost for TOCs that use the DFFT, however if you passed all the other test to national standards/scores you have not lost a life for those companies
YingYing
Member
Sat it this morning and what they said seems to agree with what you've put. It has a twice-fail rule just like the other tests but because only some companies use it, it is only relevant to those companies.
Nevergiveup
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Anyone know if the actual DFFT is same procedure as the practice material on email prior to assessment day? I.e use the fault finding guide to know what fault to prioritise and how to find the fault code.
also i assume the fault finding guide would be present throughout the test or can only use it to make notes before starting the test?
also i assume the fault finding guide would be present throughout the test or can only use it to make notes before starting the test?
YingYing
Member
It's very similar. And yes you can keep referring back to the key/guide during the test to check what you need to prioritise.
Nevergiveup
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That’s great, thank you very much
Dragging the thread back up again, sorry.
I just completed the DFFT this week and I went with @grantos3000 advice of covering the unrelated question up, I did manage to miss the top box on the answer sheet but I realised before I moved on, I circled the train number (2ZJ etc) and matched it to question booklet before answering which helped me.
The test itself was very much the same as the practice logic wise but was like two/three practice questions rolled into one, you had to refer to other panels like in the practice but there were just more steps to follow.
Someone on my day did 6/7 and he passed so concentrate on accuracy.
I just completed the DFFT this week and I went with @grantos3000 advice of covering the unrelated question up, I did manage to miss the top box on the answer sheet but I realised before I moved on, I circled the train number (2ZJ etc) and matched it to question booklet before answering which helped me.
The test itself was very much the same as the practice logic wise but was like two/three practice questions rolled into one, you had to refer to other panels like in the practice but there were just more steps to follow.
Someone on my day did 6/7 and he passed so concentrate on accuracy.
This was me! I completed 7 questions and pretty sure one was wrong and passed. Definitely concentrate on accuracy for this one. Someone else passed and completed 6. I found this the hardest of the paper tests
You can buy the practice materials from OPC’s website. It is not exactly like the actual test, but it is a similar principle.
I think it really comes down to taking the time to understand the instructions and sort of memorising it.
As the instructions were being read I wrote down the priority of things into a piece of paper so I was able to refer back to it when I was doing the questions which made it faster for me so I did not have to re-read the instructions again and did not have to rely on my memory either.
I completed 9 and passed
I think it really comes down to taking the time to understand the instructions and sort of memorising it.
As the instructions were being read I wrote down the priority of things into a piece of paper so I was able to refer back to it when I was doing the questions which made it faster for me so I did not have to re-read the instructions again and did not have to rely on my memory either.
I completed 9 and passed
SLee
Member
The key with this is understanding what is involved. If at a test centre ask questions, if it’s an online test carefully read the instructions.
Remember that these tests are there to separate those that have the ability to pass them from those that don’t.
Not everyone will pass them and not everyone is suitable for the role.
Remember that these tests are there to separate those that have the ability to pass them from those that don’t.
Not everyone will pass them and not everyone is suitable for the role.
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