Tech Tip: Car Battery Maintenance – To Water or Not to Water?
In millions of vehicles, lead-acid batteries start people on billions of journeys every day. Yet as car engines become more complex and the technology of automotive batteries advances, motorists seem to be confused about the proper maintenance of the batteries under their hoods. The article, "Auto Batteries: Some Go the Distance" in the November 2005 issue of Consumer Reports, clouds the issue further.
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Battery-Related Driveability Issues
Any experienced automotive trainer will tell you that the automotive starter battery is the foundation of a vehicle electronics system. Of course, most of us nod our heads in agreement and then proceed to diagnose a driveability problem without first testing the battery’s condition! Unfortunately, short-cut procedures don’t work on the really tough no-code engine
Tech Tip: Trailer Wiring Offers Repair Opportunity
Every year, an estimated 15 million trailer hitches are installed on cars, trucks, vans and SUVs. Industry statistics tell us that upwards of 65% of all trucks and SUVs have a trailer hitch installed on them at some point, and many passenger cars do too. That’s a lot of vehicles on the road that may need trailer wiring repairs at some point in their life.
‘Snow Kidding!’ Dunlop Says, ‘Think Winter Tires Now’
Waiting for Groundhog Day before deciding on winter tires for the family vehicle? Timing is everything in cold weather driving, and now’s the time to "think winter tires," Dunlop marketers say, not after furry prognosticators make their predictions.
Ninety-Nine Times Out of a Hundred…
Let’s face it: all of us occasionally get that haunting feeling of inadequacy when a simple pattern failure turns into “rocket science.” Like most technicians, my rocket science feeling happens most often when the problem at hand doesn’t fit within the confines of my previous experience. Ninety-nine times out of 100, my experience works to
Talking Shop: Shedding Light on Additional Service
liftgate-mounted applications. LEDs consume very little power, only about 1/10th as much current as a comparable incandescent light for the same amount of light that’s produced. The increased brightness and faster response of the LED lamps will improve safety on the roads, giving following drivers more time to react. In fact, tail lamp systems are
Handling the Load
It takes a lot of amps to power the lights, electric defrosters, wipers, power windows, power seats, power liftgates, the ignition system, fuel injectors, fuel pump, cooling fan, A/C compressor, heater fan, heated seats, audio system and navigation systems on today’s late-model vehicles. Since alternators can generate only so many amps, their output may depend
Foreign Affairs: Can Your Shop Handle OBD Multiplexing?
“CAN” is the new buzz word in automobile diagnostics. It stands for Controller Area Network and is a protocol for onboard diagnostics and scan tools. CAN is a high-speed data link that provides more information at a faster rate for better communication between onboard electronics and external diagnostic equipment. Many manufacturers have already started incorporating
Carley’s Corner: My Advice on Gas-Saving Gadgets
ely, these cars were introduced a few years too soon and were discontinued because of limited range (about 100 miles on a full charge), and the high cost of the batteries (GM’s cost was reportedly $500 for each battery, and each car held 18 batteries!). If GM were to re-introduce the EV1 today, buyers would
Mileage Maintenance
A mere 0.7 of a mile does not sound like much, it is about 3,700 feet, or less than one-third the distance around Daytona International Speedway. On average, the U.S. population of vehicles will get 20 miles per gallon (including light trucks and passenger vehicles). A 0.7 of a mile improvement represents only a 3.5