What Does a Car Diagnostics Test Do?

At one time, when there was a problem with a car, you would check through manuals or books in the hope of finding an idea of what the issue was.  Or take it to your local garage offering car repairs in West Sussex and they would have gone through their books and manuals.  Nowadays, there is a much simpler way – car diagnostics tests.  Let’s take a look at what they do.

Warning lights and the ECU

If there’s a warning light illuminated on your dashboard, this is your car’s way of telling you something is wrong.  But understanding what that is, what needs to be done and how urgently it needs doing is a little harder to tell from a blinking light.

However, the majority of modern cars have an on-board computer called an Engine Control Unit or ECU.  This monitors the performance of the vehicle and is connected to a network of sensors all around the car.  This means it can sense things from the engine temperature being too high to low levels of fluid or even problems with brakes or other key systems.

There are hundreds of errors codes that the ECU can produce and the only way to understand and translate them is with diagnostic tools.  So while a light might tell you generally that something is wrong, you often need to visit a garage with the right equipment to find out the full extent of what it means.

How the diagnostic check works

There are lots of different versions of diagnostic equipment and we use the latest, state of the art models to be able to communicate with the ECU.  Our trained technicians are able to look at the information provided by the ECU to the diagnostic tool and then be able to tell you exactly what is needed.

Say the ‘check engine’ light came on – but there are hundreds of parts in the engine so how do you know what is wrong?  The ECU will send the exact error code to the diagnostic tool when connected to explain exactly what the problem is.  The same can apply if there’s a problem with the tyres, emissions, lights and even comfort controls in the car.

Acting on the information

Armed with this information, we can then look to fix the problems and get the car running smoothly as well.  While there are problems that the ECU doesn’t pick up – cracks in windscreens are one example – they can diagnose many of the problems that a car can experience.

Diagnostic tools are not used as part of MOTs generally but if you visit our Worthing garage and we find a problem that causes an MOT fail, we sometimes use the diagnostic equipment to further delve into the nature of the problem.  This means we can quickly get the car through its retest and get you the certificate you need.

Lights on the dashboard are rarely just a loose wire – they are a sign that something is wrong.  That’s why it is worth going to your local car diagnostics garage to find out the root of any problems as soon as they appear.

Top Tips for Choosing the Best Tyres

When you notice that wear pattern on your tyres that is a sure sign you need new ones, then you have to face the confusing world of choosing new car tyres.  Maybe you have the MOTs due on your cars and want to have the tyres checked and replaced.  Or even as part of car repairs in West Sussex, your garage recommends new tyres.  But in any situation, how do you know which are the best tyres to choose?

Look at your existing tyres

To understand your tyres, the first things to do is look at the basic information on your existing tyre because this tells you a lot of what you need to know.  Let’s use an example to illustrate the kind of information you will see:

195/50 R15 92H

But what does this mean?  Well, the first number 195 is the width of the tyre in millimetres.  Next is the aspect ratio or profile which is 50 in this case.  The lower the profile tyre, the firmer ride you get with better handling but also more road noise and often a bigger price tag.

R15 refers to the rim diameter which confusingly is measured in inches.  Then there is ‘92’ which refers to the load rating, the maximum load each tyre can support.  Lasting H is the speed rating.  Examples of what these can be include:

• H – 130mph
• Q – 100mph
• Z – over 149mph
• Y – 186mph

Quality and price of tyres

While there are standards about the amount of tread on tyres and the car itself requires a certain size and speed ratings, there’s nothing to stop you spending as much or as little on the tyres as you want.  When you go to a Worthing garage, you will find that there are many different makes that offer different price tags and generally have different lifespans.  Like things such as the brakes, tyres are often worn down by use so the more miles you do, the quicker they will need replacing.

Premium tyres

Premium tyres include makes such as Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear and Michelin and use the highest quality materials.  They will usually last for 15-20,000 miles and have better stopping distances and fuel economy.  They are also the highest priced tyres.

Mid-range tyres

Mid-range tyres include makes such as Falken, Hankook, Toyo and Uniroyal and offer a good quality, well-designed tyre that is great value for money and can still last for a good lifespan, especially if you do lower than average mileage.

Budget tyres

If you want to stick to a strict budget then makes such as Evergreen, Autogrip and Landsail will be ideal, offering good tyres that might not perform as well in wet or icy conditions but are more than enough for legal requirements and will normally last for 7000-8000 miles.

Getting the right tyres

When you visit your local garage for car diagnostics, repairs or even new windscreens, they will usually let you know the status of your tyres.  This helps you be ready if they need replacing or have some idea when the job would have to be done.

How to Spot Signs of Clutch Failure on Your Car

For manual cars, the clutch is one of the key systems and one that drivers really don’t want to hear that there are problems with.  Sadly, like many car parts, clutches have a lifespan, often around mileage done.  So how can you spot signs of a clutch failure before it happens?

What does the clutch do?

To understand why the clutch is so important, it is worth reminding ourselves what exactly what the clutch does.  It separates the engine from the wheels and is what lets you change gear as well as coming to a complete stop while the engine is still running.

There are three main elements to the clutch – the clutch plate, the pressure plate and flywheel.  When the clutch is engaged and your foot is off the pedal, the springs inside the clutch push the three parts together so that the engine and the transmission are connected and running at the same speed.  When you put your foot down, spring pulls the pressure plate away from the clutch plate so that the pressure plate and flywheel spin at different rates – this allows you to change gears.

How long does a clutch last?

The lifespan of a clutch is one question that is difficult to answer.  There are lots of factors that influence how long it will last but generally, they are designed to last 50,000 to 100,000 miles.  Often, they will do more than this if there has been regular servicing and maintenance on the car.  But where you live and the type of driving you do can reduce the lifespan – for example, if you are in a city area and spend a lot of time in traffic!

Sudden and gradual failure

Clutches tend to fail in one of two ways – either suddenly or gradually.  With a sudden breakdown, the clutch ceases to work entirely and the car won’t move.  With gradual failure, you may experience problems such as the car not stopping when you press the pedal.

Sudden failure is most often caused by a broken or loose clutch cable, linkable or a failed hydraulic master/slave cylinder.  There can also be leaks in the hydraulic line or even the disc could be contaminated with something like dirt or debris. 

Gradual failure is the more common situation where your car has things like a stretched clutch cable, a bent linkage or that master/slave cylinder is failing.  You may even have low hydraulic fluid or a broken transmission mount.  Some of these problems might come up when you go for your Worthing MOTs but most don’t.

Signs of a failure

A sudden failure is an all or nothing situation but with gradual failures, there are signs that can indicate a problem.  You might notice that the clutch sticks, feels spongy, vibrates or the pedal is loose.  There may be squeaking or grumbling noises when you press the pedal, or you might be able to rev the engine but have poor acceleration. 

Trouble changing gear and a ‘slipping’ clutch that causes a momentary loss of acceleration are also signs of a problem and warrants a trip to your specialist in car repairs in West Sussex.  They can use car diagnostics to ensure the problem is the clutch and check other key areas such as brakes, tyres and even windscreens as well.