Some Evanston vehicle owners wonder why Doc Able’s Auto Clinic, Inc. and other Evanston auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics.
Receiving a diagnostic charge at Doc Able’s Auto Clinic for a tricky automotive problem shouldn’t be a surprise. In the Evanston area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy Illinois road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you’re having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Doc Able’s Auto Clinic diagnosis may be much more involved.
Much of the Evanston driver’s confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem.
There’s a common misconception among Illinois drivers that the trouble code tells the Doc Able’s Auto Clinic technician exactly what’s wrong. They wonder why there is a diagnostic charge because the scanner quickly gave the diagnosis.
In reality, it is not that easy and straightforward. The computer monitors many sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of these sensors has a reading that’s out of parameters, the computer will record a trouble code and turn on the Check Engine light.
The vehicle computer’s trouble code just tells the Doc Able’s Auto Clinic technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what’s causing it. The technician needs to determine the underlying problem that’s causing the malfunction.
There are many problems that could cause a troublesome sensor reading for Doc Able’s Auto Clinic customers. The service advisor makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem. This takes time.
Evanston service centers subscribe to databases that document possible causes for all the possible trouble codes. The databases outline procedures for confirming a diagnosis and provide the documented repair. These databases are specific to each vehicle and engine combination.
Some diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved, time-consuming and difficult. Of course Doc Able’s Auto Clinic wants to figure out what’s wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Doc Able’s Auto Clinic, Inc.
936 Chicago Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60202
847-475-3600
service@docable.com
www.docable.com
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