Let’s talk about diagnostic tests in this blog post. These tests are invaluable when it comes to diagnosing what is wrong with your car, truck, or utility vehicle. We are going to explain everything you need to know about diagnostic tests and your automobile’s computer system.
Main Computer Chip
First, your vehicle is equipped with a main computer chip. This chip is referred to as the engine control module. It is also referred to as the engine control unit. This chip communicates with system sensors to monitor all of your vehicle’s systems while the automobile is running. The engine control module also helps your vehicle run. For example, it controls the timing of the spark plugs in the combustion chamber.
System Sensors
Next, we have the system sensors. These sensors monitor their systems, again, while your vehicle is running. They keep track of everything that is going on to make sure that your automobile is running safely and efficiently. If something goes wrong, they assign an error code to the problem and send that code to the engine control module. If it can, the module will fix the problem by itself.
Warning Lights
If the module cannot fix the problem, it will alert you by turning on an associated dashboard warning light. For example, if there is a problem with the oil pressure in the engine, the engine control module will turn on the oil light. If the problem does not have an associated light, the engine control module will turn on the check engine light. This light covers all problems that do not have their own warning system.
Diagnostic Test
When you bring your vehicle to our shop, we will run a diagnostic test because we want to know the error code that the system sensor used to report the problem to the engine control module. This code tells us, as well, what the problem is. For example, if your check engine light is on, the error code may reveal that you have a malfunctioning mass airflow sensor in the engine that needs to be replaced.
As you can see, the diagnostic test is an invaluable tool when it comes to figuring out what is wrong with your automobile. The error codes downloaded when we run the test tell us precisely what we need to do to repair your automobile without any further diagnosis. This saves you time and money.
