Back to all

On Board Diagnostics for Lake In The Hills Motorists

July 5, 2020

Some Lake In The Hills vehicle owners wonder why Tuffy Lake In The Hills and other Lake In The Hills auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics.

Receiving a diagnostic charge at Tuffy Lake In The Hills for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the Lake In The Hills 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 Illinois 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills diagnosis may be much more involved.

Much of the Lake In The Hills 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 Illinois drivers that the trouble code tells the Tuffy Lake In The Hills 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills customers. The service advisor makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem. This takes time.

Lake In The Hills 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills wants to figure out what's wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Tuffy Lake In The Hills
59 West Acorn Lane
Lake In The Hills, Illinois 60156
847-854-9850

More articles from Tuffy Lake in the Hills

Go Straight: Wheel Alignment for Lake In The Hills Automobiles

April 21, 2024

Lake In The Hills drivers may have an alignment problem if their car drifts or pulls to one side, the steering wheel's off center, they notice uneven tire wear or the car doesn't feel like it handles right as they drive down Lake In The Hills, Illinois, streets and roads.When all of a vehicle's w... More

Reaching the Braking Point (Brake hose replacement)

April 14, 2024

If you notice your brakes arent working like they used to, thats the kind of thing thats important to have checked out soon. Thats because your brakes are extraordinarily important to the safe operation of your vehicle. Sometimes you feel like your brake pedal is feeling a little soft or its lo... More

Rear Window?Not the Movie! (Why Some Rear Windows Don't Go All the Way Down)

April 7, 2024

Alfred Hitchcock once made a mystery thriller film called "Rear Window." It had nothing to do with the rear window of today's cars, SUVs, CUVs and light trucks. But there is one thing that some drivers DO find mysterious. Why don't the rear windows in the second row of many of these vehicles go... More