You would be surprised how beneficial diagnostic tests are for your car, SUV, or truck. These tests give us a tool to determine things that are wrong with your automobile that would otherwise be invisible. This is one reason why we recommend a diagnostic test every 48,000 kilometres. We also recommend a diagnostic test if your check engine light has turned on. Let’s talk more about this below.
The Check Engine Light
The check engine light is designed to warn you about problems that otherwise do not have a warning system. In other words, if you have an oil problem, the oil light will turn on. If there is an issue with your catalytic converter, however, there is no catalytic converter light on your dashboard. As such, the main computer chip will turn on the check engine light to let you know the catalytic converter is malfunctioning. This is just one reason why the check engine light turns on.
Other reasons why the check engine light turns on include sensor failures, transmission problems, engine vacuum leaks, and issues with the fuel system. It is important to take a check engine warning seriously because it is an indication that there is something wrong with your automobile. If the check engine light is flashing, there is something seriously wrong. In this case, pull over and turn off your automobile. Call for a tow truck to our shop.
The Diagnostic Test
Once your automobile is at our shop, we will run a diagnostic test to determine why the check engine light turned on. Your vehicle has a main computer chip and system sensors that communicate with each other while the automobile is running. When something goes wrong, a system sensor will send a specific code to the main computer chip to let it know the problem. When we run a diagnostic test, these codes are downloaded and we are able to determine exactly what is wrong.
For example, if your oxygen sensor is malfunctioning, it will send a specific code to the main computer chip that lets us know we need to replace the oxygen sensor. This is beneficial for you because it takes us less time to diagnose what is wrong with your automobile. As such, the repair bill is much less because we can determine the problem and fix it quickly.
As you can see, diagnostic tests are not only crucial but also beneficial. Call us today to schedule an appointment for your automobile if you would like us to run a diagnostic test.