What Is Involved In A Car Diagnostic?

Your vehicle getting a full diagnostic from your mechanic is like visiting the doctor. While you know something is wrong, but aren’t sure what it is, seeing a professional is the most logical step. Just like seeing a doctor, diagnosing your car’s issues depends on what the complaint is, what can be seen without testing, and what needs to be tested.

Fortunately, there are some diagnostic steps that take place no matter the complaint.

Scanning The OBD2 Port

A doctor’s appointment and a car’s diagnosis start in the exact same way: you begin by explaining to your doctor or mechanic what symptoms you’re experiencing. While a doctor may page through your medical history file, test your blood pressure, and check your temperature to get an idea of your overall health, a mechanic simply needs to run a scan through your car’s OBD2 port.

While you can purchase good OBD2 diagnostic equipment for home use, the home use OBD2 diagnostic systems pale in comparison to what your mechanic has as a commercial diagnostic tool.

The OBD2 scans performed in our commercial shop informs us of all the previous stored error codes that have been registered by various components, and when the error occurred. We will also be able to read all the live measurements being taken by sensors in your car and will be able to tell if they are within normal range.

Visual Inspection

The next step of most doctor’s appointments is laying or sitting down on the examination bed, allowing your doctor to inspect your throat and your ears. Your mechanic will do the same to your car. They’ll pop the hood and check various fluids and components before they put your car on their examination lift to inspect the bottom of your engine, drivetrain, suspension, and exhaust.

Running Tests

Sometimes a visual inspection will be enough to find the culprit of your car’s issues; other times, more testing will be required. The tests your mechanic chooses to run will depend on what your issue was, what the OBD2 scan reported, and what your mechanic can see.

Say your coolant is registering as low, and a light turns on but won’t turn off even after fixing the issue. The onboard computer might report that the coolant was low, but after inspecting the car with the engine running and not finding any coolant leaks, your mechanic might choose to test the coolant level sensor or run a carbon dioxide test. This will determine if exhaust gasses are getting into the coolant system, which would indicate a blown head gasket.

Quotation And Repair

The final step of diagnosing a car is providing you with a diagnostics report, which will detail any issues with your vehicle, and the recommended repair. Should you choose to repair your vehicle, always request a quote first in order to avoid any scary surprises when the bill comes.

No repair shop should ever undertake any repairs on your vehicle without you explicitly accepting a quotation. The quotation amount will vary depending on the repair required, whether existing parts can be repaired or need to be replaced, and whether the replacement parts are OEM or aftermarket.

Automotive Diagnostics And Repair Center In Pompano Beach

Foreign Affairs Motorwerks has been South Florida’s Premier German Auto Repair, Performance & Race Facility since 1978.

Our team of professional technicians have access to the most advanced diagnostic equipment to ensure your car is diagnosed properly the first time, and with our vast array of auto repair services, we guarantee your car will be back on the road before you know it.

If your car is making a new noise, or just isn’t driving the same, book your diagnostic today or give us a call at (954) 746-0488.