Automotive Repairs: How to Identify the Problem

If you need to make automotive repairs, you’re going to need to identify the problem before you can fix it. In some cases, it will be obvious but at other times, the cause might not be so clear. When this happens, you’ll need a certain amount of knowledge in order to find the problem. With cars being so dependent on computers these days, some problems will be beyond your ability to diagnose and fix.

Step 1 - Observation

The first tools at your disposal when diagnosing problems for automotive repairs are your eyes and your brain. Think about the particular problem. If the car won’t start, for instance, is it because you’re out of gas? Check the gauge. Is it the battery? See if any of the accessories, especially the lights, come on when you turn the key.

You can open the hood and check that all the belts and hoses are properly connected. You can also check the fuses to see if a blown fuse is a problem. These are just examples of identify problems for automotive repairs, largely by a process of elimination.

Step 2 - Experience

There’s no substitute for experience. The more you’ve worked on cars, the more you’ll know. That in turn will make it much easier to identify problems requiring automotive repairs. If you don’t have much experience, then recruiting a friend who does will save you time. He will often be able to isolate and identify the problems just by hearing the symptoms.

Step 3 - Service Manual

Consulting the service manual will also help you identify the problem when it comes to automotive repairs. Again, much of this is eliminating what the problem isn’t in order to discover what it is. Even if you can’t find the exact cause, you can narrow it down. The service manual details all the systems in your vehicle, both mechanical and electrical.

However, to use it properly, you need to have some automotive knowledge that goes beyond the very basic. If you car won’t start and you’ve established there’s gas and that the battery is fine, you’ve limited the possibilities. To go further, however, you need better knowledge backed up by the service manual.

Step 4 - Multi Tester

A multi tester will enable you to detect electrical problems by checking different circuits to sees which has power and which doesn’t. As a piece of equipment it’s very helpful in finding the source of electrical problems in a car and is able to trace problems in anything from the ignition to the fuel pump.

Step 5 - Dealer

There are some automotive repairs you simply can’t take care of yourself. If the “Service Engine Soon” light comes on, for instance, then this is something that requires attention form the dealer. When this occurs, you need to make an appointment to take the car in as soon as possible and in between, try not to drive it more than a few miles. Don’t attempt to find the problem yourself.