AUTONET TV

On Board Diagnostics for CHERRY HILL Motorists

Some CHERRY HILL vehicle owners wonder why Joe D'Auria's Auto and other CHERRY HILL auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics.

Receiving a diagnostic charge at Joe D'Auria's Auto for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the CHERRY HILL area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy NJ road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you're having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Joe D'Auria's Auto diagnosis may be much more involved.

Much of the CHERRY HILL driver's confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem.

There's a common misconception among NJ drivers that the trouble code tells the Joe D'Auria's Auto technician exactly what's wrong. They wonder why there is a diagnostic charge because the scanner quickly gave the diagnosis.

In reality, it is not that easy and straightforward. The computer monitors many sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of these sensors has a reading that's out of parameters, the computer will record a trouble code and turn on the Check Engine light.

The vehicle computer's trouble code just tells the Joe D'Auria's Auto technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what's causing it. The technician needs to determine the underlying problem that's causing the malfunction.

There are many problems that could cause a troublesome sensor reading for Joe D'Auria's Auto customers. The service advisor makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem. This takes time.

CHERRY HILL service centers subscribe to databases that document possible causes for all the possible trouble codes. The databases outline procedures for confirming a diagnosis and provide the documented repair. These  databases are specific to each vehicle and engine combination.

Some diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved, time-consuming and difficult. Of course Joe D'Auria's Auto wants to figure out what's wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Joe D'Auria's Auto
1401 BRACE RD
CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034
(56.427.9422
http://www.autorepaircherryhill.com