Diagnostic Solutions: Modern Battery Design and Testing
Modern battery technology is changing the way we deal with battery testing and replacement.
Power Assist: Servicing Saturn VUE Hybrids
The hybrid version of the Saturn VUE was initially referred to as the “Green Line” model because of its improved fuel economy: 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway versus 22/27 for the regular version of the VUE. The Green Line moniker has since been dropped for the 2009 model year.
Tech Feature: What’s New in Spark Plug & Ignition Cable Technology
Ignition systems have changed a great deal in recent years, with coil-on-plug (COP) ignition systems being the most common setup on many late-model engines. Car makers like COP ignition systems for a variety of reasons. The main one is that mounting a small ignition coil over each spark plug gets rid of the troublesome spark plug wires. Plug wires are vulnerable to heat and vibration damage, and can become a source of ignition misfire if they become wet.
Tech Tip: Toyota Prius Master/Hybrid MIL On/DTC P3125
Under certain driving conditions, some 2001-’02 Prius vehicles may exhibit a Master, Hybrid and MIL Warning Light "on" condition where only DTC P3125, information code 287, has set in the Hybrid Vehicle Control Unit (HV ECU). Use the following procedure to identify whether the HV ECU or inverter/converter assembly should be replaced ….
Battery Service & Diagnosis
A good battery with an adequate charge is absolutely essential for reliable cold starting. A weak battery or one that is run down may not deliver enough amps to crank the engine when temperatures plunge and the oil thickens. Cold weather can be hard on batteries, but so can hot weather because it increases water
Tech Feature: Keeping the Tire in Contact with the Road Surface
Confused about modern ride control technology? Sometimes looking back into automotive history can put such technology into a more usable framework. A good illustration is how ride control technology evolved from the simple, early-century friction shock absorber to the electronic variable-rate shocks and MacPherson struts being installed on today’s cars and light trucks. When early automobile manufacturers first mated a gasoline engine to ….
Tech Feature: Has Your Battery Life Lost its Charge? Tips to Get Back that Spark
The condition of the battery as well as its state of charge are critical in late-model vehicles not only for reliable cranking and starting, but also for the onboard electronics. Low battery voltage can cause control modules to misbehave, or in some cases to go into a sleep mode and shut down. A dead battery is even worse because extremely low voltage or no voltage can cause some modules to forget learned data, adaptive adjustments or even programmed settings in their Keep Alive Memory chips. This, in turn, may ….
Has Your Battery Life Lost Its Charge? Tips to Get Back That Spark
The condition of the battery as well as its state of charge are critical in late-model vehicles not only for reliable cranking and starting, but also for the onboard electronics. Low battery voltage can cause control modules to misbehave, or in some cases to go into a sleep mode and shut down. A dead battery
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Taking Charge of Vehicle Voltage Testing
Although checking charging voltage at the battery terminals is the most popular method for testing an alternator, a charging voltage test seldom reveals less common problems like open or shorted alternator diodes, intermittent high or low charging rates, charging system wiring problems, intermittent cranking/no-start complaints or intermittent dead battery complaints. In addition, testing charging voltage
Diagnostic Solutions: Charging System Diagnostics & Troubleshooting
Although checking charging voltage at the battery terminals is the most popular method for testing an alternator, a charging voltage test seldom reveals less common problems like open or shorted alternator diodes, intermittent high or low charging rates, charging system wiring problems, intermittent cranking/no start complaints or intermittent dead battery complaints. In addition, testing charging
Alternators & Starters: How and Why These Hard-Working Components Fail
One reason why alternators have a high failure rate is because they’re always working under a load. Generating electricity to recharge the battery, run the fuel pump, injectors and ignition system, and power all of the vehicle’s lights and other electrical accessories places a substantial load on the alternator that generates a lot of internal
Starting/Charging System Diagnosis: Fixing Faults the First Time Eliminates Comebacks & Returns
How many starters and alternators are replaced unnecessarily every year because of misdiagnosis? Nobody knows for sure, but suppliers of both new and remanufactured rotating electrical parts tell us more than half of their warranty returns have “no fault found” when the parts are examined. Many of these returns are from DIYers who lack diagnostic