Saturday, March 17, 2012
Today's Complicated Cars
Auto mechanics today have their work cut out for them. Even with the help of on-board diagnostics, the source of the problem a car is experiencing must be traced down and pinpointed before any repair can be performed. With today's sophisticated car technology and the various computers for each automotive system, as well as the sensors which send information to the computer and the actuators which receive signals from the computer with instructions to perform certain tasks, testing and diagnostics is itself a "job." At Haik's German Autohaus we use a computer scan tool from "Autologic" to read codes and test certain components. We find the tool essential, although it is expensive to purchase and maintain with annual updates for each car line. Despite its cost however, the tool does not answer all the questions nor solve all the problems. Manual testing with a DVOM (digital volt ohm meter) is often the step which follows the scan tool results. When a customer tells me that he/she does not want to pay for diagnosis, my answer is: Would you rather have me guess at the problem, and you pay for an incorrect part which was installed? The answer is obvious.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Buying a Used Car
If you are in the market to buy a used car, I cannot emphasize enough having it checked out by a specialist who works on the type of auto you want to purchase. It is "not" a waste of money, believe me. So many customers I've serviced immediately after buying a car have been shocked by the extent of repairs needed on their car. Even those who have purchased the car from close relatives have been surprised. Some sellers honestly do not know what shape their car is in. Others are less than honest. Don't let the fox guard your chickens. Have an independent evaluation done by one who is objective. At our shop we charge two hours for the check. It is bumper to bumper and very comprehensive. For some people who are interested in down and dirty, our fee is too much, but consider this: purchasing a vehicle for four thousand dollars and discovering it needs three thousand dollars worth of work to make it safe. If you are a wise consumer, you will understand this concept and protect yourself with a little safe guard. Paying for the check out is cheap insurance.
Please visit our website and read about pre-purchase check at www.HaiksGermanAuto.com
Please visit our website and read about pre-purchase check at www.HaiksGermanAuto.com
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Mercedes Electonic Anti-theft Key
I received a phone call from a distraught driver last week. He wanted to know how much it would cost to replace the ignition switch on his 2003 Mercedes C320. I asked who diagnosed the problem. He told me he had been on the Internet. Well, I said, you may not need an ignition switch. What's it doing? The key won't turn, he said. I explained to him that the key is electronic. It has a chip built into it. The key must communicate with the computer otherwise it will not turn in the ignition switch, nor will it start the vehicle. It is meant to prevent theft. Only authorized keys will start the vehicle. If someone forces the lock, it still won't start.
The car was towed to my shop and after an hour of preliminary work, charging the battery, checking the fuses and the power supply, I asked the customer if he had another key. He didn't. So, I instructed him to purchase another key at the Mercedes dealership. The keys lose their program. After some grumbling, he ordered the key, which cost $175. The new key worked immediately. It turned in the ignition switch and started the engine. But there was another problem. The shifter would not go into drive. Well, that's another story. It had nothing to do with the key. So, I fixed that too.
The car was towed to my shop and after an hour of preliminary work, charging the battery, checking the fuses and the power supply, I asked the customer if he had another key. He didn't. So, I instructed him to purchase another key at the Mercedes dealership. The keys lose their program. After some grumbling, he ordered the key, which cost $175. The new key worked immediately. It turned in the ignition switch and started the engine. But there was another problem. The shifter would not go into drive. Well, that's another story. It had nothing to do with the key. So, I fixed that too.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Check Engine Light Code P1142
Code 17550 (P1142)
(Load Calculation Cross Check Lower Limit Exceeded)
Subject Vehicle: 2003 VW 4 cylinder 2.0 AVH engine
December 2008. In testing the engine electronics with a Ross-Tech tester, we determined that the adaptation was at 17%. It should have been around 0. The four areas of suspicion were: vacuum leaks; air mass meter; throttle body actuator; and throttle pedal actuator. After running the tests, we replaced the air mass meter and test drove the car on the freeway for six miles. The same code returned.
Even though all the following units tested good with the Ross-Tech tests, we subsequently replaced one by one: the coolant temperature sensor, the fuel pressure regulator, the fuel filter, the throttle body actuator and the throttle pedal actuator. We test-drove the vehicle after every part installation. The code persisted.
After talking to a helpful Volkswagen dealership manager, we finally called Ross-Tech and spoke with Jeff. His knowledge was impressive, but he still scratched his head. He asked what kind of air mass meter we used. I told him Huco, a German brand. He told me to use the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) which was Bosch and try again.
This time, after a 20-mile test drive, the code did not return. The check engine light stays off. All is well, except I lost a lot of time and bought a lot of parts for nothing.
(Load Calculation Cross Check Lower Limit Exceeded)
Subject Vehicle: 2003 VW 4 cylinder 2.0 AVH engine
December 2008. In testing the engine electronics with a Ross-Tech tester, we determined that the adaptation was at 17%. It should have been around 0. The four areas of suspicion were: vacuum leaks; air mass meter; throttle body actuator; and throttle pedal actuator. After running the tests, we replaced the air mass meter and test drove the car on the freeway for six miles. The same code returned.
Even though all the following units tested good with the Ross-Tech tests, we subsequently replaced one by one: the coolant temperature sensor, the fuel pressure regulator, the fuel filter, the throttle body actuator and the throttle pedal actuator. We test-drove the vehicle after every part installation. The code persisted.
After talking to a helpful Volkswagen dealership manager, we finally called Ross-Tech and spoke with Jeff. His knowledge was impressive, but he still scratched his head. He asked what kind of air mass meter we used. I told him Huco, a German brand. He told me to use the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) which was Bosch and try again.
This time, after a 20-mile test drive, the code did not return. The check engine light stays off. All is well, except I lost a lot of time and bought a lot of parts for nothing.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Car Noises as Diagnostic Tool
BMW Noise
Car Sounds and Tracking Them Down
Car noises can be annoying, but they are often symptoms of trouble a car may be having, and the noise itself can become a valuable diagnostic tool. Each noise is unique. Identifying the noise will point to the source of the problem. Some noises represent serious problems, while other are merely annoying or some even a part of the normal functioning of the automobile.
Noises are not always easy to identify. Some squeaks, growls or rumbles, can be produced by a myriad of parts and places one might never expect. Sound also travels and is often not where you expect it to be. In such cases, where the source of the noise is not obvious, it becomes necessary to trace it down. At our shop, we have the latest in audio technology for tracing down and locating the source of a noise. When using our ears is not enough, we resort to the stethoscope. Like a doctor’s listening tool, we can probe various areas under the hood or under the car and listen for the particular noise we are hunting. Most often, it is with success, but sometimes it becomes necessary to go further.
If the noise only occurs while driving or under certain conditions, it is much more difficult to trace down. In such a case, we use another tool called “electronic ears.” The tool is composed of ear phones, six noise pickup sensors which can be clamped to areas suspected of being the origin of a noise and an amplifier. This is an invaluable asset in the arsenal of tools we use. But there is an expense involved. It is not only the purchase of the tool, it is the time involved using it. If the noise is suspected to be coming from under the car during driving, it requires raising the car in the air, clamping the sensors in the suspected vicinity of the noise and test driving the car. The sensor with the loudest sound resembling the noise we are tracking becomes our new starting point. We must again raise the vehicle on the lift, clamp the sensors around the smaller suspected area of concern and again test drive the car. We must do this until we find what is creating the noise. This can become a redundant and time-consuming affair. In the case of an intermittent noise, the problem becomes even more difficult. As intermittent means “comes and goes,” “not consistent,” or “random,” we cannot always duplicate the sound at the shop or even on an extended test drive. And if we are so lucky to produce the sound, how long the noise continues is vital. Just hearing it may not be enough to identify it.
One classic example which comes to mind regarding this process was that of a BMW 530i brought to us with a horrible noise. The buzzing sound was so loud I could hardly stand being in the car. But it only lasted three or four minutes when the car was first driven in the morning, then the noise went away and did not return until the next morning.
The customer told us he had taken his car to three other shops with no success. It was a good warning. I told him he would have to be patient and leave the car for an extended period. I gave him an estimate of three hours. After my mechanic and I had spent over five hours on the car, (charging for only three), I called the customer and told him we had not yet heard the noise. Of course, he was upset and reluctant to spend any more money on the problem. I made him a special offer. I asked his permission to drive the car home at night to avoid any further diagnostic drives we would have to perform during work time. He agreed.
The next morning as I drove the car to work, the noise blasted my ears. I drove to the shop and told my mechanic I found the problem. It was under the rear seat on the left side. I was sure it was an electrical relay buzzing. We should check there and, if we couldn’t determine which relay it was, we could pack foam rubber around each one, one at a time, until we quieted the noise and found the source. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.
The next morning the noise was back as bad as ever. It was not until several days passed that I came to work and saw my mechanic’s grinning face. “You found It?” I said. “Which relay was it?” “Not a relay,” he said. “The problem isn’t even under the rear seat. It’s in the engine compartment.” “No way,” I exclaimed. “I heard it.”
He pointed to the fuel pressure regulator in the engine compartment. “There’s the problem. The buzzing sound it makes tracks along the fuel line which passes right under the rear seat on the left side.” What an experience! The solution was simple, but the process of locating and isolating the problem took over ten hours. And of course, we’re in business to make money. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen.
Car Sounds and Tracking Them Down
Car noises can be annoying, but they are often symptoms of trouble a car may be having, and the noise itself can become a valuable diagnostic tool. Each noise is unique. Identifying the noise will point to the source of the problem. Some noises represent serious problems, while other are merely annoying or some even a part of the normal functioning of the automobile.
Noises are not always easy to identify. Some squeaks, growls or rumbles, can be produced by a myriad of parts and places one might never expect. Sound also travels and is often not where you expect it to be. In such cases, where the source of the noise is not obvious, it becomes necessary to trace it down. At our shop, we have the latest in audio technology for tracing down and locating the source of a noise. When using our ears is not enough, we resort to the stethoscope. Like a doctor’s listening tool, we can probe various areas under the hood or under the car and listen for the particular noise we are hunting. Most often, it is with success, but sometimes it becomes necessary to go further.
If the noise only occurs while driving or under certain conditions, it is much more difficult to trace down. In such a case, we use another tool called “electronic ears.” The tool is composed of ear phones, six noise pickup sensors which can be clamped to areas suspected of being the origin of a noise and an amplifier. This is an invaluable asset in the arsenal of tools we use. But there is an expense involved. It is not only the purchase of the tool, it is the time involved using it. If the noise is suspected to be coming from under the car during driving, it requires raising the car in the air, clamping the sensors in the suspected vicinity of the noise and test driving the car. The sensor with the loudest sound resembling the noise we are tracking becomes our new starting point. We must again raise the vehicle on the lift, clamp the sensors around the smaller suspected area of concern and again test drive the car. We must do this until we find what is creating the noise. This can become a redundant and time-consuming affair. In the case of an intermittent noise, the problem becomes even more difficult. As intermittent means “comes and goes,” “not consistent,” or “random,” we cannot always duplicate the sound at the shop or even on an extended test drive. And if we are so lucky to produce the sound, how long the noise continues is vital. Just hearing it may not be enough to identify it.
One classic example which comes to mind regarding this process was that of a BMW 530i brought to us with a horrible noise. The buzzing sound was so loud I could hardly stand being in the car. But it only lasted three or four minutes when the car was first driven in the morning, then the noise went away and did not return until the next morning.
The customer told us he had taken his car to three other shops with no success. It was a good warning. I told him he would have to be patient and leave the car for an extended period. I gave him an estimate of three hours. After my mechanic and I had spent over five hours on the car, (charging for only three), I called the customer and told him we had not yet heard the noise. Of course, he was upset and reluctant to spend any more money on the problem. I made him a special offer. I asked his permission to drive the car home at night to avoid any further diagnostic drives we would have to perform during work time. He agreed.
The next morning as I drove the car to work, the noise blasted my ears. I drove to the shop and told my mechanic I found the problem. It was under the rear seat on the left side. I was sure it was an electrical relay buzzing. We should check there and, if we couldn’t determine which relay it was, we could pack foam rubber around each one, one at a time, until we quieted the noise and found the source. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.
The next morning the noise was back as bad as ever. It was not until several days passed that I came to work and saw my mechanic’s grinning face. “You found It?” I said. “Which relay was it?” “Not a relay,” he said. “The problem isn’t even under the rear seat. It’s in the engine compartment.” “No way,” I exclaimed. “I heard it.”
He pointed to the fuel pressure regulator in the engine compartment. “There’s the problem. The buzzing sound it makes tracks along the fuel line which passes right under the rear seat on the left side.” What an experience! The solution was simple, but the process of locating and isolating the problem took over ten hours. And of course, we’re in business to make money. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen.
Intermittent Car Problem
A 1988 911 Porsche came to us with a dying problem. The customer stated that the engine died randomly while driving, but as soon as he pulled to the side of the road, it would start again. He said that two other shops had checked it, but couldn’t find the problem. They suggested he drive it until it totally failed and would not restart. He said that the problem was getting worse, and he was afraid of getting stranded some place.
This was a scary proposition for me. Two other professionals could not find the problem. I was on the spot. First, I would have to duplicate the problem and then determine the source. But if the problem only occurred randomly, I might never experience the failure, and if I experienced it so briefly, I still would not know which system was failing, nor would testing each system prove anything, since it wasn’t failing while I was testing it. How would I proceed? A clue came from the customer himself. He said that the problem was happening more often now. That was helpful. I was hoping to shed more light on the problem by asking him when the dying occurred, while the car was cold or hot, at high speeds or in town, around turns. However, he told me there was no pattern. I realized this could take some time. I told him he would have to leave the car indefinitely. I would have to work on his car between other jobs. Luckily he had other transportation.
My first test was to drive the car around the block several times within walking distance of my shop in case the car died and failed to restart. It was on the third time around the block that the car died on me. As the customer stated, the car restarted immediately at the side of the road. I suspected the electrical system such as the ignition or fuel pump, but… I built some tools for testing the car while driving and especially to test during the short-term failure period like ten or fifteen seconds.
I decided to test the two primary systems, the fuel delivery and fuel injection system and the ignition system. Attaching a long fuel hose to my fuel gauge, I tapped into the fuel injection return line and placed the fuel gauge on the seat next to me. To test the ignition system, I attached long electrical wire leads to my ignition spark tester and placed it on the seat next to me.
On the following test drive, the car failed. I immediately looked at the spark tester and found no spark as the engine had died. But it was the fuel pressure gauge which astounded me. The needle on the gauge was banked at the extreme pressure. Unlike I had suspected, the fuel pressure had not dropped off because of a bad fuel pump or fuel pump relay, the pressure had gone up to the extreme. It was clear to me at that point that the fuel pressure regulator was the culprit. When I replaced the part, I noticed a tiny spring pop out. That was that.
Going Beyond the Book
Sometimes you have to go beyond the book. There is no magic wand in our business. There is no source where we can find all the answers. It’s all work, and often it’s detective work.
This was a scary proposition for me. Two other professionals could not find the problem. I was on the spot. First, I would have to duplicate the problem and then determine the source. But if the problem only occurred randomly, I might never experience the failure, and if I experienced it so briefly, I still would not know which system was failing, nor would testing each system prove anything, since it wasn’t failing while I was testing it. How would I proceed? A clue came from the customer himself. He said that the problem was happening more often now. That was helpful. I was hoping to shed more light on the problem by asking him when the dying occurred, while the car was cold or hot, at high speeds or in town, around turns. However, he told me there was no pattern. I realized this could take some time. I told him he would have to leave the car indefinitely. I would have to work on his car between other jobs. Luckily he had other transportation.
My first test was to drive the car around the block several times within walking distance of my shop in case the car died and failed to restart. It was on the third time around the block that the car died on me. As the customer stated, the car restarted immediately at the side of the road. I suspected the electrical system such as the ignition or fuel pump, but… I built some tools for testing the car while driving and especially to test during the short-term failure period like ten or fifteen seconds.
I decided to test the two primary systems, the fuel delivery and fuel injection system and the ignition system. Attaching a long fuel hose to my fuel gauge, I tapped into the fuel injection return line and placed the fuel gauge on the seat next to me. To test the ignition system, I attached long electrical wire leads to my ignition spark tester and placed it on the seat next to me.
On the following test drive, the car failed. I immediately looked at the spark tester and found no spark as the engine had died. But it was the fuel pressure gauge which astounded me. The needle on the gauge was banked at the extreme pressure. Unlike I had suspected, the fuel pressure had not dropped off because of a bad fuel pump or fuel pump relay, the pressure had gone up to the extreme. It was clear to me at that point that the fuel pressure regulator was the culprit. When I replaced the part, I noticed a tiny spring pop out. That was that.
Going Beyond the Book
Sometimes you have to go beyond the book. There is no magic wand in our business. There is no source where we can find all the answers. It’s all work, and often it’s detective work.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Honk Meters
Hate honking cars and horn honkers as much as I do? I have a solution. Honk meters on every car. The car can only be honked a given number of times per month. After that, the car will not start unless the driver feeds it quarters. Lot's of them! Let 'em pay for their noise and neuroses.
Haik
Haik
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