Do you need professional auto repair help right now? The good news is it’s available from this website for immediate download. What am I talking about? I’m talking about professional auto service and repair manuals for your specific vehicle.
These reference materials help mechanics of all skill levels solve car problems in a logical and efficient manner. Symptom charts and ladder diagrams walk you through individual test procedures and point to failed components and the procedures necessary to remedy the problem.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our partnership with the tradebit marketplace for automotive reference materials check out the reviews section. Also make sure to watch the five minute auto repair help video below to see how these automotive guides measure up against the competition. In addition the clip provides a demonstration of what a downloaded PDF looks like on a personal computer.
How can an Auto Repair Manual Help Me
Here we provide two true stories about how a downloaded online auto repair manual helped me perform quality service for my customers over the years. I was working on a van that had a check engine light on. I connected my scan tool and pulled the P0400 code for a random misfire.
As standard practice I followed the reset check engine light procedure and the code didn’t return on a short road test. After speaking with the driver they said every once in a while when the vehicle was driven on long trips the engine would kick and sputter and then the engine light would come on.
I started by checking out the usual suspects for this complaint. First, we checked the tune-up items like spark plugs, fuel filter and air filters. All looked good on this Ford Econoline 250 van despite it having over 100,000 miles on it. The vehicle ran as smooth as silk and the problem an intermittent concern at this time.
This Ford cargo van had a fairly new coil over plug set up. The other technicians provided no real input on this newer system or common problems with it.
I took the next step and put an ohmmeter on each coil pack. I compared these measurements with the specifications provided in the Ford service and repair manual.
Although all of the coil packs tested within range, several tested much higher then the rest. When I removed these specific coil packs and examined them with a magnifying glass I could see hairline cracks in the outer casing. This explained the intermittent misfire and why it would only happen on long trips from heat buildup.
Pinpoint Diagnosis with Online Auto Repair Help
Sometimes the best auto repair help you’ll find is in the form of a wiring diagram. This next story is a quick one from the recent past. I had a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup with a speedometer that didn’t work.
The driver told us that the speedometer needle started shaking and 55 mph. When they stopped at a traffic light it would be the last time the speedometer worked. My first instinct was to take a look at the transmission mounted speed sensor as the source of the malfunction.
In the service manual they provided instructions on how to test the speed sensor. This component proved to be working properly. After performing some research it appeared that this year Chevrolet Silverado had issues with the speedometer head.
Following the auto repair help section in the service manual I figured out how to remove the cluster. Next we tested for the vehicle speed sensor signal at the bulk connector that supplied power to the instrument cluster. With the proper speed sensor signal reaching the cluster and the speedometer still not registering we had a quick answer to what appeared to be a complicated problem. The local Chevrolet dealership had an exchange program set up for these defective instrument clusters.
If you have any questions about auto repair help programs or on line service manuals take a look at this informative yet brief video.