Check Engine Light Problems -Automobile Repair: Trouble Shooting

Trouble shooting problems on your automobile can and will save you money repairing it. Problems such as a check engine light or a problem with a computer controlled device can be time consuming if you decide to do this yourself. But in the long run as I said before the savings are unbelievable. For instance lets say out of the blue as your driving down the road your automobile starts to pop and your check engine light illuminates. The first step involved while trying to trouble shoot this problem is to find out why your check engine soon light came on. If your light came on the same time your automobile began to pop and sputter you can bet these two things are connected.

A trouble code 42 indicates that your problems are in your electronic spark timing control circuit. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your timing advance is off it means that in that circuit which consists of an ignition module, your secondary ignition and your ECM you will need to pull out your schematic and follow the diagnostic tree. Just as soon as your onboard computer picks up the glitch it will illuminate your automobiles check engine light.

Another common check engine light problem you might experience is with your throttle position sensor. Automobile problems that have a check engine light associated with the TPS will exhibit poor engine performance, hesitation, and lack of power. Trouble shooting this problem you will have to locate your TPS which is usually located around your throttle body. Most automobiles have a three wire connector attached to the TPS which will have to be unplugged to test. One wire is a five volt power supply and one engine ground, and a five volt reference wire is the other.

On the newer vehicles you might have a check engine light associated with a loose gas cap. If you remember putting gas in your vehicle and forgetting to install or tighten down the gas cap this problem can be fixed by tightening up your gas cap and resetting the check engine light. The automobiles computer will reset the check engine light automatically after so many key starts. Each automobile has its own procedure in fixing this problem. Make sure you read your owners manual to set the check engine light the appropriate way for your automobile.

Trouble shooting check engine light problems on your own automobile will require you to purchase a very reliable digital volt ohm meter, a test light, and a scan tool to reset your check engine light when you are through. These tools can be bought at any auto repair parts store or Wal-Mart. Check engine light problems or service engine soon light automobile repair problems should be performed by a certified auto repair technician to fix them right the first time.

Auto Repair Shop Hourly Rates and Auto Parts Prices

Wouldn’t this be a nightmare seeing auto mechanics expanding out and opening auto parts stores combined with their auto service centers and their own tow truck service? It sounds kind of like a tongue twister if you sit back and think about this. Just the idea of a team of auto mechanics coming together and controlling prices for their parts and labor with tow truck service resulting in sky rocketing auto repair bills for you and me. That is the part that sounds like a night mare to me! Let me explain to you what I am talking about here.

Lets say a auto mechanic opened his own auto repair shop with his own money. First of all he or she can charge what ever they want when it comes to auto repair shop hourly rates. Depending on his automotive skill level and ASE certifications he might just want to charge his auto repair customers a high price of $200.00 per hour for working on their car or truck! And to make matters worse he or she now decides to open his or her own auto parts store. Now he has control of the auto-parts prices which he will charge you as his auto repair customer which he can double along with his $200.00 per hour auto shop rates. Keep in mind that auto repair shops across this country do charge their auto repair shop customers any where from $17.50 per hour to $200.00 per hour depending on their moods or how high they are strung out on themselves. Can you imagine how much money a auto repair mechanic who owns his own auto center plus his own auto parts store could make in one day of automotive repair business? But now he wants to add his own auto and truck tow service.

Example for a Normal Auto Repair Shop

I’m thinking now about that credit card commercial a normal auto repair shop would charge you as follows: tow bill $45, diagnostic $25 (time spent on finding your problem), $60 for rebuilt starter, $17.50 for labor to install starter. With a grand total of $147.50 for everything. Now this auto repair bill seems just fine to me and you right?

Example for the Expanding Auto Mechanic Who Has Everything

Keep in mind this auto repair shop bill could be the real thing! This is where the money is when you have your own auto repair shop, auto parts store and your own tow truck service. Here we go again! Tow bill $250-diagnostic time-$200-New starter-$400, 1 hour labor to install starter $200. With his grand total of $1,050.00 for everything. These prices could be you.

Which auto repair shop would you see yourself taking your vehicle into when your car or truck will not turn over with a bad starter motor. The auto mechanic could charge you either $147.50 or $1,050,00 depending on his location and how bad you need your vehicle fixed! I would guess with these prices he could call it a day after a few cars come into his auto service center and buy his auto parts after being unhooked from his tow truck. With all of this said keep in mind these examples could be you if you happen to stroll into his auto mechanics shop who owns his own auto parts store along with his own tow truck service!

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