I’ll Have a Scan with that: Diagnostic Equipment and Automotive Repair

Some car owners are a little leery of today’s advanced automotive diagnostic equipment, or rather, they’re leery of the mechanics who use that equipment. After all, does it really take $100 of work, as some repair shops charge, to plug into your car’s computer and download some information?

Well, yes and no – and before you decide to take a spin down to your local auto parts store and take advantage of their low cost diagnostic scans, you might want to read on.

First of all, in most cases, the results of a diagnostic scan do not tell you exactly what’s wrong with the car; instead, the results indicate only which system of the vehicle has a problem. Any given system (transmission, cooling, brakes, etc.) is made up several, if not tens, of individual components, and the precise problem can rest in any one part, or combination of parts.

Let’s take the airbags in your car as an example. You bring your car in to Golden Triangle Auto Care, and a scan of the computer indicates there is a problem with the driver’s side (steering wheel) airbag system. This doesn’t necessarily mean there is something wrong with the airbag itself. In fact, the problem could rest with any of the following components:

• The Airbag Module might be faulty.
• The wires connecting the module to the actual airbag may not be working.
• The Clock Spring (a component that provides electrical connection between your steering wheel and the rest of the car; this allows you to have a horn, as well as any other buttons…and proper function of the airbag) may have a problem.
• Of course, there may be a problem with the airbag itself.

Now, here’s where a trusted shop like Golden Triangle Auto Care comes into play. Only a well-trained mechanic who (A) Understands how your entire airbag system works; and (B) Knows how to test the different system components – will be able to arrive at a precise and accurate diagnosis of your car’s problem.

The issue sometimes comes when the mechanic simply says, “We’ll hook up the diagnostic machine to your car and then tell you what’s wrong with it.” To most drivers, that sounds like, “You’re going to spend a few minutes of work and charge me $100.” What the mechanic can fail to mention is that he will be performing additional tests once the troubled system is identified.

It may be a matter of semantics, but a few extra words can go a long way in easing drivers’ concerns about the ‘latest and greatest’ in diagnostic technology. At Golden Triangle Auto Care we take the time to walk you step by step through the diagnostic process, so that you, and your airbag, can rest easy.