Head Gasket FAQs
Replacing a head gasket is a significant investment for the customer. It also represents significant risk for a shop if the replacement gasket fails. To do the job right, you have to ask why the gasket failed in the first place and what it will take to prevent it from happening again.
Top TPMS Tips
If you are having problems with a relearn procedure or the TPMS light won’t go out after a test drive, look to see if the check engine light is on or if there are any codes related to the modules that communicate with the TPMS.
Race To The Bottom: Why Charging More For Brake Jobs Keeps Customers Coming Back
Why is everyone chasing the cheapest brake service? It often seems that new-car dealers, chains and some independent shops are locked in a race to the bottom when it comes to brake service.
Variable Valve Timing Diagnostics: 2009 Murano Case Study
It was a scenario to which we can all relate. A long-time customer passed away and his vehicle was being gifted to his granddaughter. The 2009 Murano was dropped off by the grandmother, who asked us to give the car a really good look over since she didn’t want the granddaughter to have any problems or expenses with the gift.
Learning On The Job: How Artificial Intelligence Is Teaching Vehicles How To Drive
Artificial intelligence, or machine learning, is one of the hottest topics in the tech industry right now, and it is certainly spilling over into the automotive world.
How Accurate Are Reviews? Our Industry Is Under The Microscope
According to some surveys I’ve seen, over 80 percent of the buying public relies on reviews as a way to determine if a product or service is a worthwhile investment. The problem is that it can be difficult to tell when those reviews are a true depiction of the business or product and when they’re being skewed by a person’s attitude and biases.
Computer-Controlled, ‘Smart’ Charging System Strategies: Why Volts Are Smart, But Amps Are Smarter
When diagnosing a charging system on any modern import, think “smart.” I learned this lesson several decades ago when repairing a cranking, no-start condition on a 1989 Honda Civic, which was equipped with one of the first “smart” charging systems. After verifying fuse continuity, I discovered that excessively high charging voltage had destroyed the Honda’s Engine Control Module (ECM).
OEMs Take Us One Step Closer To Autonomous Driving
While some OEMs’ autonomous vehicle technology is still under development, others are on the fast track to bringing customers one step closer to fully autonomous driving.
PR 101: Working Together To Make The Auto Repair Industry More Inclusive
We talk a lot about attracting new talent to our industry, but it seems to me that we have a serious PR problem that needs to be addressed before this can be accomplished.
GDI System Maintenance: Preventing Misfires & Carbon Buildup On Intake Valves
Although GDI appeared in some post-World War II two-cycle engines and in some high-end performance engines, it didn’t come into its own for passenger car use until around 2008 when high-speed computing and piezoelectric fuel injectors turned GDI into a practical reality.
The Importance Of Personal Preventive Maintenance
After decades of being behind the service counter, as well as under the hood, I do get a bit frustrated that people won’t do any preventive maintenance, or neglect to tell me about an intermittent problem they’ve had forever because they feel it has nothing to do with the problem for which they brought their vehicle into the shop.
Steering Angle FAQs To Help Boost Your ABS & Stability Control Diagnostics
Chances are you will never crack open a steering angle sensor (SAS) cluster to repair it. But, this sensor should not be a mystery. To be effective at ABS and stability control diagnostics, knowing how sensors measure angles and information is critical.
