Annual physicals with your doctor help you stay in good health, don’t they? They same applies to your car. Routine diagnostic tests can find problems and issues before they might turn into anything from costly repairs to getting stranded somewhere because your vehicle broke down on you. While many drivers consider diagnostic tests as something that only needs to happen when they have a Check Engine light lit up, there are actually quite a few advantages to being more proactive about maintaining your car. Keep reading to learn why.
What Exactly Do Car Diagnostic Test Entail?
The automotive industry has seen many different technological advances through its many decades. Of all those, the one that might help consumers and technicians alike the most is how many car components are now computerized. Through the use of specialized software, car diagnostic tools are able to accurately and quickly point out problem areas in engines and elsewhere, because of in-built sensors, microchips, and processors.
What Parts Of A Vehicle Are Testable?
Diagnostic tests are able to reveal issues within an engine, exhaust system, brakes, transmission, and other primary components. They can also find performance issues impacting the throttle, ignition coils, coolant, air flow, and fuel injector.
Having said all this, there is a frequent misconception among drivers that when a technician uses their code-reading tools, they can figure out exactly what turned on the Check Engine part of their dashboard. In truth, codes to technicians are like symptoms to doctors. A doctor still has to figure out which disease or problem is going to be diagnosed. Likewise, automotive technicians have to use the codes to find component and engine parameters which are out of range so they have a starting point to determine the real cause behind any problems. This is where human experience, intelligence, and expertise all come into play.
What Are The Advantages Of Car Diagnostic Testing?
Prior to car diagnostic testing, the process of identifying issues was expensive and took a lot of time, particularly in the cases of car owners only bringing their vehicles to mechanics following serious malfunctions like breakdowns. Now, there are computerized car components which can detect issues far before breakdowns happen. Diagnostic tools are also able to check the computer system of a car for any manufacturer notifications or information stored about the history of the vehicle, which gives technicians a comprehensive picture so they can do effective repairs.
How Frequently Should Vehicles Have Diagnostic Testing Done?
You need not wait to see your Check Engine light brighten up in order to get a diagnostic test for your vehicle. If you think or hear something is ‘off’, then a mechanic can employ diagnostic testing to get to the bottom of the issue. On the other hand, numerous technicians suggest your car have diagnostic checking done annually, which uncovers minor issues you won’t see or hear, or even ones that activate your Check Engine light.
Diagnostic testing can also prove useful when you are considering any used car. Professional and private sellers alike should always be willing to let you take a car in for diagnostic testing prior to buying. Should they not do this, it’s a warning sign you need to get up and walk away from any deal with them.
Diagnostics, Repairs, And Much, Much More
On top of high-caliber diagnostic testing, count on us for many different services and repairs, not limited to but including total engine repairs, oil changes, smog inspections, brakes, and alignments.
