AUTONET TV


On Board Diagnostics for Your Engine

Posted April 5, 2020 9:26 AM

Starting in 1996, Niel's Auto Service service technicians have been able to use a standardized diagnostic system to help determine what is wrong with a vehicle. This diagnostic system works in tandem with the Engine Control Modules for each vehicle's engine. The Engine Control Module is a computer that monitors and controls many engine functions.

Sensors throughout a vehicle send readings to the Engine Control Module. These readings help the computer make adjustments in various vehicle systems to allow for constantly changing driving conditions and even to compensate for minor problems. However, if the computer encounters a situation it can't adjust for, it turns on the Check Engine light. (The Check Engine light is called the “service engine soon” light on some vehicles.)

If the Check Engine light is burning steadily, it indicates a problem that needs to be taken care of soon. If it is flashing, however, the vehicle needs immediate attention at Niel's Auto Service. When the Check Engine light is flashing, the vehicle should not be driven at high speeds, haul heavy loads or tow a trailer. Thousand Oaks drivers need to understand that doing so can cause major damage.

When a vehicle is brought to Niel's Auto Service in Thousand Oaks because the Check Engine light is on, a technician will scan the Engine Control Module to learn why it turned the light on. The answer comes as a “trouble code.” The technician has access to software that allows him to enter the code and find out what it means. The software will also let your Niel's Auto Service technician know what might be causing the problem and how to diagnose it.

Notice that the trouble code does not tell your technician at Niel's Auto Service exactly what is wrong with the vehicle. It can only let him know where to start looking to find the problem.

Scanning a trouble code and determining what it means is fairly simple for the pros at Niel's Auto Service. But the ensuing process of actually diagnosing a vehicle's trouble can take a skilled technician some time. Sometimes this can add up to a significant repair bill. Some vehicle owners mistakenly believe  that the “trouble code” is all they need and think they can then fix their vehicles themselves. Some have tried to save money by purchasing an inexpensive scanner, or they take their vehicles to an auto parts store that offers the scan for little or no cost.

These options are often not the money-savers they seem for Thousand Oaks vehicle owners. They can end up costing the vehicle owner extra in unnecessary repairs and engine damage.

For example, the trouble code P0133 reads “Bank 1 sensor 1 circuit slow response.” Translated, that means the front oxygen sensor shows a slow response time in changing the mix of air to fuel. The seemingly obvious conclusion is that the sensor needs to be replaced. The vehicle owner purchases a sensor, installs it and happily goes on his way.

However, read the trouble again: a slow response time in changing the mix of air to fuel. Nowhere does this indicate that the sensor is bad. There are a lot of parts involved in changing the air-fuel mix, any of which could be causing a slow reaction time. Those include a bad or contaminated airflow sensor, an exhaust leak, a problem in the electrical system or a leak in the intake manifold. The sensor is merely relaying that the response time is slow; it doesn't indicate where the trouble is.

So the vehicle ends up with an oxygen sensor it did not need, and the delay in repairing the actual problem may have led to further damage to the engine. Both are added costs for the vehicle owner.

Cheap scanners also don't have the ability to read the history stored in an engine's computer. This operating history contains clues that can help in diagnosing engine trouble since it can indicate a developing problem. Niel's Auto Service invests a lot of money in high-end diagnostic equipment so that we have access not just to service codes but also to the operating history of the engine.

On-board diagnostics, then, are a tool to help diagnose what is wrong with a vehicle. They cannot specify what part needs to be fixed or replaced, and they cannot replace a well-trained and well-equipped service technician.

Unless you are a trained mechanic, it's good auto advice to use Niel's Auto Service for your car care. In the long run, it can save you time, unnecessary expense and frustration. Niel's Auto Service can also help you keep up with your scheduled preventive maintenance, which can also save you on repair bills by alerting you to potential problems before they get expensive.

Niel's Auto Service
49 Taylor Ct Ste B
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805-379-4040
http://www.nielsautoservice.net



Search



Archive

September 2018 (16)
October 2018 (4)
November 2018 (4)
December 2018 (5)
January 2019 (5)
February 2019 (4)
March 2019 (5)
April 2019 (4)
May 2019 (4)
June 2019 (5)
July 2019 (4)
August 2019 (4)
September 2019 (5)
October 2019 (4)
November 2019 (4)
December 2019 (5)
January 2020 (5)
February 2020 (4)
March 2020 (5)
April 2020 (4)
May 2020 (5)
June 2020 (4)
July 2020 (4)
August 2020 (5)
September 2020 (4)
October 2020 (4)
November 2020 (5)
December 2020 (4)
January 2021 (6)
February 2021 (4)
March 2021 (4)
April 2021 (4)
May 2021 (5)
June 2021 (4)
July 2021 (4)
August 2021 (5)
September 2021 (4)
October 2021 (5)
November 2021 (4)
December 2021 (4)
January 2022 (6)
February 2022 (4)
March 2022 (4)
April 2022 (4)
May 2022 (5)
June 2022 (4)
July 2022 (5)
August 2022 (4)
September 2022 (4)
October 2022 (5)
November 2022 (4)
December 2022 (4)
January 2023 (5)
February 2023 (4)
March 2023 (4)
April 2023 (5)
May 2023 (4)
June 2023 (4)
July 2023 (5)
August 2023 (4)
September 2023 (4)
October 2023 (5)
November 2023 (4)
December 2023 (5)
January 2024 (5)
February 2024 (4)
March 2024 (4)

Categories

Air Conditioning (5)Alignment (7)Alternator (2)Auto Safety (3)Automotive News (5)Battery (8)Brake Service (2)Brakes (10)Cabin Air Filter (4)Check Engine Light (1)Cooling System (11)Customer Detective Work (1)Dashboard (2)Diagnostics (1)Diesel Maintenance (1)Differential Service (1)Drive Train (6)Emergency Items (1)Engine Air Filter (1)Exhaust (8)Fluids (8)Fuel Economy (7)Fuel Saving Tip: Slow Down (1)Fuel System (27)Headlamps (3)Inspection (3)Keys to a long lasting vehicle (2)Maintenance (32)Monitoring System (3)Oil Change (2)Older Vehicles (3)Parts (4)Safe Driving (1)Safety (4)Serpentine Belt (2)Service Intervals (6)Service Standards (8)Shocks & Struts (3)Spark Plugs (1)Steering (5)Suspension (2)Timing Belt (4)Tire Rotation and Balancing (2)Tires (1)Tires and Wheels (29)TPMS (1)Transfer Case Service (1)Transmission (5)Trip Inspection (2)Warranty (1)Water Pump (1)What Customers Should Know (42)Wheel Bearings (1)Windshield Wipers (5)Winter Prep (2)

Partners

Auto Value CSC - Certified Service Center
BBB (Better Business Bureau)
ASE (Automotive Service Excellence)
SureCritic Reviews
ACDelco Professional Service Center
Bosch
Denso
Motorcraft
Car Care Aware

What our clients are saying about us

We have established longterm and stable partnerships with various clients thanks to our excellence in solving their automotive needs!

I totally trust Neil with all of my car repairs. He recently repaired a power motor that was not working. He is very efficient and fair. He doesn't do any repairs without first asking if you want it done. And his prices are very reasonable. quotes-image
, 03/01/2021
reviewiconHeating and Cooling Services, near Thousand Oaks, CA
Just the best. Trust them completely. If you live within 100 miles it's worth the trip to get them to take care of your auto.quotes-image
, 09/16/2020