We like to say that we fix everything here at J&S Auto Repair – well, everything automotive, that is – and part of what helps us stand by that claim is vehicle diagnostic testing. Some of our customers are reticent about diagnostic testing when they first come into our shop, and we can understand that. Many people complain online that automotive service shops only conduct the tests so they can charge you more money. For the record, we don’t do that here. In fact, one of the primary reasons why we do vehicle diagnostic checks is that they help us help you. Here’s what we mean.
Error Codes and Automotive Repair
You probably already know basic information about diagnostic testing. Your vehicle has a computer that operates all of the vehicle systems. There is a series of data chips that communicate with the computer when you first start your vehicle and as you drive it. If something starts to go wrong with one of the systems, the computer will try to correct it. If it can’t, it will turn on a dashboard warning light to alert you that, say, your oil is low. If your oil light comes on, that’s an easy thing to diagnose. In some cases, however, the warning light is the check engine light, and this could mean anything from your exhaust system to your ignition timing. This is where the diagnostic test comes in.
When the system chip reported a problem back to your car, crossover, truck, or SUV’s computer, it included an error code that identified the exact issue. For example, if your check engine light came on because your oxygen sensor is going bad, there will be an associated error code telling us the problem is the oxygen sensor and it’s going bad. The diagnostic test is how we find this error code, because the test runs a check on vehicle systems and prints out a report afterward. The same code that was sent to your vehicle’s computer is printed in the report for us. This is a simplified explanation of what happens underneath the hood and in our shop, but you get the gist.
How This Helps
If we can diagnose your vehicle’s problem in 15 minutes or less, we’ve just saved you (and us) the time and money it takes to inspect your automobile and hand-test all the parts. Imagine we didn’t have the error code pointing us to the oxygen sensor. Imagine there weren’t any other signs of trouble, which can sometimes be the case with the oxygen sensor. It could take us hours to find the problem and that wastes your time and ours. Diagnostic tests help us help you by saving us time and money.
Call J&S Auto Repair and let us take care of your auto service needs. You’ll find our service shop in Warwick, RI.
