Air Ride Diagnostics: Reservoirs and Compressors
The secret to diagnosing air ride problems is knowing what criteria the system uses to regulate the compressor/reservoir and having the right tool.
Euro Electronic Parking Brake Diagnostics
If you are doing a job on a vehicle with an electronic parking brake, you will need a scan tool to perform diagnostics.
Preventive Maintenance Profits: Preferred Automotive, Jenkintown, PA
With the summer months heating up and cross-country road trips beginning, many people want to make sure their vehicles are prepped for the long haul. For the first-ever July edition of Maintenance Chronicles, we will focus on Preferred Automotive Specialists, a six-bay shop located in Jenkintown, PA.
Summer Vacation Insurance: Catch a System Failure Before it Interrupts Your Customers’ Travel Plans
With many customers scheduling summer vacation road trips, it is important to check vehicles’ belts and hoses before they get on the road.
Acura Tech Tip: Battery Cable Reset For Electrical Problems
Many automotive systems today rely on software. Should that software develop errors, which can happen from something like a low battery or when a learn procedure is interrupted, it can cause all sorts of odd electrical problems that can be difficult to troubleshoot. If you’ve got such a problem, try doing a battery cable reset; it just might do the trick.
The Engine Thermostat: Understanding Electronically Assisted Thermostats
The engine thermostat plays an important role in increasing engine combustion efficiency and reducing emissions. But today’s electrically assisted (also called “map-controlled”) thermostats provide broader and faster operation than the traditional engine thermostat.
Honda Civic: Failed PCMs And CAN System Diagnostics
This case study involving three failed PCMs in a 2002 Honda Civic illustrates the real-world complexities of diagnosing on-board modules linked together by a bus communications network.
Toyota HVAC Evaporator Drain Hose Clogged Due To Insect Intrusion
Vehicles in certain areas may exhibit a condition where the HVAC evaporator drain hose has become obstructed with an insect nest. Find out how you can fix it.
Mercedes-Benz AIRMATIC Suspensions
The Mercedes-Benz AIRMATIC suspension system was introduced in 1999 on the S-Class and has subsequently been used on the E-Class and most of the automaker’s SUVs. The system employs electronically controlled air springs that provide an ideal balance of ride comfort and handling.
Mercedes-Benz: Axle Hub Vibration And Judder From Corrosion
It is imperative that when installing brake discs (front or rear) that any excessive corrosion/scaling which may have developed on the axle hub be removed. Failure to remove the corrosion/scaling may cause an excessive buildup, which can create adverse forces that may result in brake vibrations or judder.
Mercedes-Benz Ignition Coil Boot: Avoid Damage With Grease
To reduce the force required to plug or unplug the spark plug connector, apply grease before installing the spark plug connector. Otherwise, the spark plug connector may be damaged when it is removed at another time.
Hyundai: An Intermittent Problem That Stumped A Body Shop
We’re going to be looking at an intermittent poor-run, hard-start complaint on a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. This car came to us by way of a body shop with which we work closely. We received a call from the body shop that this car had been delivered back to the client a couple of weeks before. All was going well for a couple of days, when they received a call that the car was hard starting and running poorly. With it back in their shop, as you would expect, it ran and started well with the only sign of a problem being a check engine light with a P0087 code indicating the Fuel Rail/System Pressure was low.
