AAIA Calls on Congress to Include Tax Credit for Vehicle Maintenance
Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO, Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), called on the U.S. Congress to include in the economic stimulus package, that is now being debated, a tax credit to American car owners for actions they take to maximize the fuel efficiency of their vehicles.
Swaybar Tune Up
A long time ago in a service bay far away, the average tread life of a bias ply tire was 20,000 miles. Even with belted bias ply tires, you did well to get 30,000 miles. Shocks, ball joints and bushings averaged out at 40,000. Today, modern radials can get 60,000 and suspension parts can go
Tech Tip: Diagnosing a Cylinder that is Misfiring
A flashing Check Engine light and a P0301 to P0312 diagnostic trouble code are sure-fire indicators that one or more cylinders are misfiring. Occasional misfires may pass unnoticed, but a steady misfire is hard to miss. The engine usually feels rough, lacks power and uses more gas than usual. Sometimes a misfire may feel like a vibration. A misfire also will cause a huge increase in hydrocarbon (HC) emissions out the tailpipe, which can cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
Is There Enough Pressure? Fuel Injection Diagnosis & Service
One of the first questions that should always be asked — and answered — when diagnosing a fuel-related complaint on a fuel injected engine is, “What is the fuel pressure?” All too often, technicians assume fuel pressure is “good” without actually measuring it with a gauge. If the engine runs, they assume the injectors are
Diagnostic Solutions: Transmission Electronics…Contined Refinement of Electronically Controlled Transmissions Shifts Fuel Efficiency into High Gear
Electronic automatic transmissions have gained popularity in recent years because of the flexibility that on-board electronics can provide in the area of powertrain management. Electronic transmission controls, for example, have done away with the rough, imprecise shifting patterns inherent in early mechanically controlled transmissions. With the continued refinement of electronically controlled automatic transmissions, an automatic
Training Program Updates
State-of-the-art automotive technology doesn’t do anybody much good if technicians can’t get the training they need to fix and maintain today’s systems. Unfortunately, in recent years there has been an industry-wide trend to axe training programs. Parts suppliers are under tremendous price pressure these days, and most are looking for ways to cut costs where
Tech Tip: Understanding How the Air Conditioning System Works is the First Step in Diagnosing a Problem
The A/C compressor is the heart of the refrigeration circuit. It pumps and pressurizes the refrigerant. The compressor is belt-driven by the engine and most have a magnetic clutch that cycles the compressor on and off. Compressor failures are often caused by loss of lubrication, which in turn, may be due to a blockage in the orifice tube or expansion valve. Most compressors do not hold much oil and rely on oil circulating with the refrigerant for lubrication.
Tech Tip: Diagnosing and Servicing Automatic Transmissions
Automatic transmissions and transaxles fall into two categories: mechanical and electronic. Older vehicles with mechanical automatics use engine speed, throttle cables, governors and valves to shift gears. Newer vehicles with electronic transmissions use engine RPM and sensor inputs to operate solenoids that route internal fluid pressure to shift gears.
Diagnostic Solutions: Power Steering Pumps
Going Back to the Basics Can Often Resolve Troublesome Power Assist and Noise-Related Issues We often take the commonplace power steering pump for granted until the driver begins to notice a lack of power assist during parking or the pump itself begins to develop an irritating growling or whining noise. Although installing a new or
Audi: General Maintenance… Vital Checks on Key Vehicle Systems
article, I’ll focus on common repairs we see on at least a weekly basis. The series of cars covered in this article will be the A4 and A6 line from 1998 to 2004. These cars are all very similar in design and equipment, and most repairs are consistent between models. Be aware that many Audi