A Used Door

Posted on: 7 January 2022

There was a time when cars and trucks were straightforward to repair, but as technology has found its way into vehicle systems, they have become more complicated to repair. Working with a car repair service to properly diagnose and repair your vehicle is becoming more critical than ever. 

Basic Auto Repair

Most car repair shops handle everyday repair items on your car quickly and efficiently. The shops have the tools and equipment to do the work and trained technicians that often go through factory training with the automotive manufacturers to ensure they know the systems in the cars and how to fix them correctly. 

Many times, basic repairs could be handled at home by a knowledgable DIYer, and the parts are readily available from many auto parts stores around the country. However, if the car is a new model with many sensors and electronics built into the system, the diagnosis can be challenging. A simple battery replacement could create a situation where the computer senses the loss of power and generates error codes in the system. 

Clearing the codes after the repair can become problematic because they must be cleared with the proper computer interface, which often means taking the vehicle to a car repair shop for that service. The cost of clearing the codes could be almost as much as having the work done at the shop, so evaluating the cost before trying to do the job is often vital.

Complex Repairs

When you have a problem with your car or truck beyond your ability to repair it at home, taking your vehicle to a car repair shop and having the tech there assess the situation is essential. The repair shop will often use a computer diagnostic tool to pull information from the vehicle's computer to help determine where the issue is in the vehicle. 

Because there are so many sensors in modern engines, taking parts off and replacing them to try and resolve the issue is impractical and could become expensive. When the diagnostic is done correctly, the list of possible problems can drop from many things to a few items that the technician can check or test directly. 

While more challenging to work on, vehicles with these technical systems run more efficiently, put out less pollution, and often get better fuel economy than older cars that didn't use the technology. The repairs are sometimes more complex, but the technicians working on these systems are trained to recognize the issues and make the repairs more effectively than in the past.

Working with a car repair shop or dealership to resolve a problem with your vehicle is often the best way to ensure repairs are made correctly, and the vehicle is running properly after the repairs.

For more information on car repair, contact a company near you.