Tech Update: Electronic Stability Control
Electronic stability control (ESC) was introduced in 1995 and touted as the second most important advancement in auto safety, after seat belts, becoming standard equipment on every 2012 passenger vehicle. ESC is supposed to help drivers maintain safe control of their vehicles and prevent accidents. However, it’s the tires that determine the effectiveness of ESC for every vehicle.
Tech Update: Air, Fuel And Oil Filter Replacement Intervals, Take Motorists’ Driving Habits Into Account
Filters have long been a common maintenance item. But with longer factory service intervals and “lifetime” filters becoming more common, how often do filters really need to be replaced? There’s no simple answer. The safest advice used to be to follow the filter service interval recommendations in the vehicle owner’s manual (assuming the owner’s manual hasn’t been lost and that somebody will actually read it!).
Tech Update: Key Cycles and Codes
OBD II brought a lot of changes regarding how a technician diagnoses a vehicle. With OBD I, a failure had to occur in order to produce a service code, while OBD II can monitor failures or even partial failures. These days, codes have become part of the normal process in determining a fault. There are several different types of codes. Beyond engine, transmission, HVAC or body codes, there’s also a way to break down the priority of some of those codes.
Tech Update: Working on Wipers
It’s right after a major snowstorm, and there’s ice and snow on everyone’s windshield. You’re at the shop waiting for the phone to ring. The phone leaps off the receiver and it’s Captain Chaos; he’s managed to find a second use for his wiper blades. Apparently, Captain Chaos was in too much of a hurry to clean the ice off the wiper blades before turning them on. In his frantic attempt to go to work, the wiper blades have become completely useless. He can hear the wiper motor running, but the blades refuse to move.
Tech Update: Can ‘Add-Ons’ Affect CAN Systems? Yes, They Can!
Get any teenager their first car and the first thing they want to do is modify it with new wheels, a different exhaust, seat covers or, the most important and popular upgrade, the stereo. You know, when they have to get to school with all their buddies in the car, they’ve got to have those tunes. They can’t be seen around town with a dull factory radio or wimpy stock wheels.
Tech Update: HVAC Diagnostics
Leave it to the OEMs to take a simple system like heating and air conditioning and turn it into an electronic jumble of wiring, sensors and computer components.
Tech Update: Gaskets, Seals, Sealants and Fasteners
Some gaskets can go the distance, while others can not. The factors that typically cause a gasket to fail include age, heat, thermal expansion, abrasion, pressure, vibration, corrosion, material breakdown or poor design.
Tech Update: Troubleshooting Customer TPMS Problems
TPMS is here, and technicians are learning to deal with it. And, they’re dealing with learning how to troubleshoot TPMS for our customers, who at this point know virtually nothing about it.
Tech Update: The Keys to Success with TPMS
There are many factors to consider with a low tire pressure situation, not the least of which is safety. Underinflated tires roll at higher temperatures, handle poorly and require longer vehicle stopping distances. Underinflated tires also reduce gas mileage.
ContiTech Updates Interactive Online Belt Catalog
ContiTech’s Power Transmission Group has updated its interactive online catalogue to include more than 5,000 new references and links. The added service gives installers, jobbers and distributors the capability of selecting multi-rib belts, timing belts or raw edge belts for a variety of applications right from the service bay or wherever they have Internet access.