A mechanic will solve all your mechanical problems such as brake pads replacement, ball joint loose, rattles, exhaust noisy, etc etc. A fitter will do as he/she is told and fit the part as instructed.

A TECHNICIAN will have the knowledge, equipment and under standing of the vehicle mechanical AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM in modern vehicles to be able to test and diagnose a problem or fault. This is where YOU PAY THE PRICE with the wrong choice !.

At VEHDIAGS our test equipment covers voltages 5 volt to 1000 volt AC/DC systems and can be used on cars, vans, lorries, motor bikes, quad bikes, boats, caravans, trailers and many more.

Since the late 1990's most motor vehicles have become more electronic with mini computers and sensors installed which control a lot of the functions such as engine spark timing, fuel injector pulses, automatic windscreen wipers etc etc. These controllers are linked to a central computer ie: ECU. This warns you of a problem by turning on the check engine light as shown above.

Vehicles are fitted with a diagnostic plug which a technician can plug an electronic tool which can reveal what caused the Check Engine Light to come on. Many garages do not have the necessary equipment to correctly diagnose the fault and simply replace components in the hope it will go away.

Often a garage may miss diagnose this as a faulty component which can prove costly to you especially the main computer (ECU) and may only resolve the problem short term.

W A R N I N G.

If you are thinking of having your ECU reprogramed there can be consequences. For instance programming out ADBLU on diesel vehicles may mean your vehicle would fail its MOT. Also recent experience has shown that scanners can no longer access the VIN code or ECU diagnostic faults after reprogramming. Maybe your offered a tune up via reprogramming, be wary of the effects it can have on driveability. Ask the programmer if they can guarantee restoring the original program back to the ECU if you are unhappy with the change. Consider also effects on your insurance

Corrosion.

As a vehicle gets older, water and road salt ingress can cause corrosion in wires around connections which causes resistance to voltage. The computer (ECU) see this as a faulty component and therefore causes the Check Engine Light to warn you of a fault. With the correct equipment this type of fault can be detected and corrected making considerable savings to you.

Parasitic draw.

Is your battery going flat overnight or after a few days. Well thats when parasitic draw comes in. Its basically some circuit in the vehicle drawing current from the battery after everything is switched off. This problem can be quite difficult to find especially with modern cars that have multiple computers and sensors. Our tools can identify where the problem lies saving considerable time and money replaceing modules etc when it could be a simple wiring problem.

Engine Condition.

Internal parts of the engine can cause different faults such as misfires, poor running, high fuel consumption. These faults may be difficult to find and prove very expensive to diagnose due to components having to be removed. Your vehicle may be in a garage for several days or weeks. Our test equipment can usually find the cause relatively quickly without dismantling components leaving you with better choices as to what to do next.

OEM Parts.

When a garage diagnosis results in new parts being fitted, often they will use non factory parts instead of OEM (Original Engine Manufacturer) parts. These may be cheaper than original (OEM) parts however they may well be inferior or of less quality. This can therefore only be a short term fix and may be the cause of the Check Engine Light symptom. Perhaps you bought a second hand vehicle, you may not know its history or what new or second hand parts have been fitted to it.

Battery failure.

Be aware if you are having poor starting problems or no starts it is likely that your car battery is failing. It used to be a simple matter of fitting a new battery however that has all changed since 2000. Firstly if the battery is simply replaced you will lose your radio code and any computer components will reset to there factory settings so the car may not drive like it used to. Further more, on some cars, your keys will be locked out so the car will not start.

More modern cars have battery management computers so not only will you lose settings but the battery management system will retain its settings for the faulty battery which will mean the new battery not being charged correctly.

A good competent garage will fit a small battery backup to your car first before changeing the battery which means your radio and personal driving settings will be retained.

Alternator failure.

The alternator again is not subject to simple replacement. As above the battery must be disconnected for safety reasons. The alternator can also be controlled by the engine computer and also the BMC (battery management computer) or BCM (body control module) either of which can cause it not to charge. It is vital that you contact a technician, NOT A MECHANIC, to properly diagnose the fault.

It could be a simple loose wire or bad earth which will save not only considerable cost but anxiety to you.

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MOT failure and adviseries.

MOT failures and adviseries can be due to electronic components failing or out of range. Wiring problems can also cause the same problem. Rather than go to a garage and have them fit expensive components in a bid to get rid of the fault, which is an expensive process, it is better to get a technician to diagnose the actual fault. See PARTS CANNON below.
This can save you worry, time, money and give you peace of mind.

Modifications.

Sometimes garages / owners may fit additional equipment to the vehicle and not carry out the fitment correctly. It may work however there may be an underlying fault which only shows up later in life.

Keys.

Did you know that modern vehicles can have up to ten keys registered for the vehicle. The computer (ECU) registers every key uniquely so you may not know when buying a vehicle if you received all the keys registered. We can see this information and deregister any keys not present. This will safeguard your vehicle from being stolen, usually, just after its purchase.

Parts cannon ??.

This is a term used in the motor trade when diagnostics are not performed correctly or not performed at all. What this means is that instead of performing a proper diagnostic AND WIRING check the mechanic simply fits new parts which he / she might think will cure the problem. As this fails to work more parts are fitted until, hopefully, the problem is solved. This is a very expensive way for you, the customer, to fix a problem which if diagnosed correctly may only cost you a few pounds in fix time.

Buying a used vehicle.

It is always wise to take a vehicle technician with you who can check the vehicle over to reveal information about it that may not be visible to you. This information could affect your decision or buying price.

Boats and fibreglass vehicles.

Boats and other fibreglass vehicles must provide a seperate lead for chassis ground. We can check easily power and ground issues with our equipment. This will save you time and expense trying to locate the fault. Remember diagnosis is a fixed fee - what you decide to do is upto you.

Conclusion.

With the right diagnostic equipment all of the above and more can be detected and corrected saving you costly unnecessary repairs or replacement of expensive components. The fault codes may be historical and have never been cleared so these too can be reset.

Durham

We are mobile and cover the larger Durham area including Chester le Street, Washington, Lanchester, Stanley and Houghton le Spring areas.

Diagnosis by a TECHNICIAN for the vehicle is relatively inexpensive and should be the first call for action.

You might find this video interesting although its from the USA it applies around the world. I have had personal experience of this with my vehicle when it was recalled for an airbag issue but the dealer reported a suspension problem. That was 4 years ago and 4 MOT's passed. !!

Please note this video has advertising links which have no benefit to us whatsoever. Worth watching

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Please call 0191 5808188 or mobile 07803 602975 to arrange a visit with a fixed callout and diagnostic fee.

Call any time Mon - Thu 10am til 6pm and Sat - 10am til 4pm for enquiries.

or email us HERE

Cash, credit and debit cards or bank transfer accepted.