AUTONET TV

When "Shady" is a Good Thing

Just like your skin can burn from too much sun, so can the paint on your vehicle.  It can turn dull, oxidize and fade the more ultraviolet rays beat down on it. One solution is to park in a shady spot, or you can buy a cover for your vehicle and put it on when you know it's going to be sitting in the sun for awhile. Yes, it takes a couple of minutes to put on, but in the end, keeping the gloss on your paint will help it retain its beauty… and its value.

And it's not just the sun that can damage your vehicle's paint.  Grit, bird droppings, sap, dust and dead bugs can all ruin the paint.  So, keep your vehicle clean.  Wash it with a soap made especially for vehicles. Dry it with special towels that won't scratch your paint.  Remember:  DON'T WASH YOUR VEHICLE IN THE SUN. Once your vehicle is washed, protect the paint even further with a coat of wax.  DON'T WAX YOUR VEHICLE IN THE SUN, EITHER.

Don't forget the vehicle's interior.  Plastic components inside can literally disintegrate when sunshine heats them up.  That's what causes that oily film on the inside of the windows. So, pick up some of those reflective panels that unfold, placing them in the windshield and back window when you know the sun and heat are going to be intense.  They'll keep out the ultraviolet light and help the interior stay cooler as well.  That will help prevent upholstery from fading and plastic from cracking.

While you're at it, keep your interior's interior clean, too.  That dust and dirt can literally bake into the dashboard, the seats, console and carpeting.  There are cleaning products designed to clean your vehicle's interior that won't stain it or dry it out.

You invested a lot of money into that vehicle.  The sun and dirt are just waiting to destroy it.  Defend your valuable vehicle against the elements.  Hey, it may not wind up on display in a museum, but it'll look great and last longer with just a little TLC.   

Diagnosing Your Vehicle at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service in Idaho Falls

When we Idaho Falls residents get a car repair bill, we really shouldn't be surprised to find “diagnostic fees” as one of the line items. When we get a computer fixed, there is usually a charge for the time it takes to diagnose the problem. When we go to a medical doctor, most of his fee is for his ability to diagnose what's wrong. It's no different with our vehicles.

Some diagnoses are fairly simple. Brake repairs at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service usually require only a visual inspection, for instance. But other problems are much more difficult to diagnose. An intermittent engine problem, for example, takes time and expertise to pinpoint.

Modern vehicles have multiple computers that monitor a variety of sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of those sensors has a reading that is higher or lower than the standard parameters, the computer turns on the Check Engine light. Technicians at a service center such as All Things Automotive & Diesel Service in Idaho Falls can scan the engine's computer for a trouble code. This code tells the technician which reading is too high or too low.

That's where some Idaho Falls residents get confused. They think that this reading concludes the diagnosis, and they don't understand why the diagnostic fee is as much as it is when all the technician did was to scan the computer. But the truth is the trouble code is only the beginning of the diagnostic procedure.

Remember, the trouble code only tells which reading is out of parameter. It doesn't say what is causing the reading to be too high or too low. Your All Things Automotive & Diesel Service service technician still has to find the underlying problem. It's a lot like going to the doctor. He can take your temperature and discover that you have a fever, but that doesn't tell him what is causing your fever.

Automotive diagnostic technology can cut down the time it takes to figure out what's wrong with a vehicle that isn't running right. But it doesn't do away with the need for your friendly and knowledgeable All Things Automotive & Diesel Service service technician to make a proper diagnosis. Car care, like medical care, still requires the human touch.

All Things Automotive & Diesel Service
1997 Walton Ave #C
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3903

On Board Diagnostics for Your Engine

Starting in 1996, All Things Automotive & Diesel Service service technicians have been able to use a standardized diagnostic system to help determine what is wrong with a vehicle. This diagnostic system works in tandem with the Engine Control Modules for each vehicle's engine. The Engine Control Module is a computer that monitors and controls many engine functions.

Sensors throughout a vehicle send readings to the Engine Control Module. These readings help the computer make adjustments in various vehicle systems to allow for constantly changing driving conditions and even to compensate for minor problems. However, if the computer encounters a situation it can't adjust for, it turns on the Check Engine light. (The Check Engine light is called the “service engine soon” light on some vehicles.)

If the Check Engine light is burning steadily, it indicates a problem that needs to be taken care of soon. If it is flashing, however, the vehicle needs immediate attention at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service. When the Check Engine light is flashing, the vehicle should not be driven at high speeds, haul heavy loads or tow a trailer. Idaho Falls drivers need to understand that doing so can cause major damage.

When a vehicle is brought to All Things Automotive & Diesel Service in Idaho Falls because the Check Engine light is on, a technician will scan the Engine Control Module to learn why it turned the light on. The answer comes as a “trouble code.” The technician has access to software that allows him to enter the code and find out what it means. The software will also let your All Things Automotive & Diesel Service technician know what might be causing the problem and how to diagnose it.

Notice that the trouble code does not tell your technician at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service exactly what is wrong with the vehicle. It can only let him know where to start looking to find the problem.

Scanning a trouble code and determining what it means is fairly simple for the pros at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service. But the ensuing process of actually diagnosing a vehicle's trouble can take a skilled technician some time. Sometimes this can add up to a significant repair bill. Some vehicle owners mistakenly believe  that the “trouble code” is all they need and think they can then fix their vehicles themselves. Some have tried to save money by purchasing an inexpensive scanner, or they take their vehicles to an auto parts store that offers the scan for little or no cost.

These options are often not the money-savers they seem for Idaho Falls vehicle owners. They can end up costing the vehicle owner extra in unnecessary repairs and engine damage.

For example, the trouble code P0133 reads “Bank 1 sensor 1 circuit slow response.” Translated, that means the front oxygen sensor shows a slow response time in changing the mix of air to fuel. The seemingly obvious conclusion is that the sensor needs to be replaced. The vehicle owner purchases a sensor, installs it and happily goes on his way.

However, read the trouble again: a slow response time in changing the mix of air to fuel. Nowhere does this indicate that the sensor is bad. There are a lot of parts involved in changing the air-fuel mix, any of which could be causing a slow reaction time. Those include a bad or contaminated airflow sensor, an exhaust leak, a problem in the electrical system or a leak in the intake manifold. The sensor is merely relaying that the response time is slow; it doesn't indicate where the trouble is.

So the vehicle ends up with an oxygen sensor it did not need, and the delay in repairing the actual problem may have led to further damage to the engine. Both are added costs for the vehicle owner.

Cheap scanners also don't have the ability to read the history stored in an engine's computer. This operating history contains clues that can help in diagnosing engine trouble since it can indicate a developing problem. All Things Automotive & Diesel Service invests a lot of money in high-end diagnostic equipment so that we have access not just to service codes but also to the operating history of the engine.

On-board diagnostics, then, are a tool to help diagnose what is wrong with a vehicle. They cannot specify what part needs to be fixed or replaced, and they cannot replace a well-trained and well-equipped service technician.

Unless you are a trained mechanic, it's good auto advice to use All Things Automotive & Diesel Service for your car care. In the long run, it can save you time, unnecessary expense and frustration. All Things Automotive & Diesel Service can also help you keep up with your scheduled preventive maintenance, which can also save you on repair bills by alerting you to potential problems before they get expensive.

All Things Automotive & Diesel Service
1997 Walton Ave #C
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3903

What Idaho Falls Customers like About Us at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service

A big part of the service we provide at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service for our Idaho Falls customers is education. We want you to feel confident with your service decisions.

And we're always open to questions from our valued Idaho Falls area customers. Even though we try to be proactive in our All Things Automotive & Diesel Service automotive education, we sometimes get busy fixing vehicles and need a reminder. Please, just ask.

We've found our Idaho Falls customers like the service reminders. They've grown to trust that our recommendations are based on the vehicle manufactures’ published maintenance schedules and that All Things Automotive & Diesel Service is not just pulling them out of the air.

We know that people in Idaho Falls live a busy life with a lot more to think about than wondering if it's time to replace the PCV valve on their vehicle. Part of our All Things Automotive & Diesel Service service process is checking the vehicle manufacture's schedule to make sure we don't overlook service.

We hope ID drivers appreciate their courtesy inspection when they come into our Idaho Falls facility for service. If we find something unexpected, it's good to know, and if we don't find anything wrong, you get a little peace of mind.

You know, customer satisfaction is very important to us at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service. We want to run a professional and friendly Idaho Falls automotive service operation. If we do, you'll keep coming back and recommend us to your friends.

Give us a call at 208-523-3903.

All Things Automotive & Diesel Service
1997 Walton Ave #C
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3903