Taking on car repairs and troubleshooting issues yourself can be a rewarding and cost-effective endeavor, but it requires a methodical and scientific approach rather than relying on guesswork.
In most cases, when I guess or even take an educated guess, I pay the price. Even though my educated guess comes with 24 years of hands-on experience, it is wrong nearly 50% of the time. This means I have just increased my diagnosis time and wound up replacing a part that was not required.
Proper troubleshooting of car problems starts with a good auto repair manual. Follow the step-by-step diagnosis that the troubleshooting manual provides. When you think you've identified the problem, take the extra step to test the individual component.
Let's say you are diagnosing an overheating condition. Your educated guess might be to replace the thermostat. Instead, why not test the thermostat by placing it in boiling water and observing if it opens? If the thermostat opens, you know it is not the cause of your overheating problem.
Similarly, you might suspect the electric fan motor needs replacement. Test the fan motor by applying 12V to the power side and grounding the negative side. If the fan motor runs, it is not the problem.
The next step would be to test what turns on the cooling fan motor. Typically, this involves a temperature switch and a fan relay that complete the circuit to the electric motor. Both the temperature switch and relay can be tested.
As illustrated in the examples above, multiple factors could be causing the problem. Guessing and replacing parts without proper testing can be more expensive than taking the car to a repair center.
The reason we work on our own cars and perform DIY auto repairs is to save money, reduce downtime, and learn something about troubleshooting car problems. Using the overheating example again, let's say the issue was a poor connection to the temperature switch that operates the cooling fan motor. If you replaced the cooling fan motor and the thermostat, you would have spent about $300 in parts and a full day's work.
DIY car repair and troubleshooting require a scientific approach to avoid unnecessary costs and wasted time. By following a methodical process and testing individual components, you can accurately diagnose and fix car problems. This not only saves money but also enhances your understanding of your vehicle.
By adopting a systematic approach to car repairs, you can ensure that your efforts are both effective and efficient, ultimately leading to a more reliable vehicle and a more knowledgeable you.
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