Vehicle Diagnostics

Cockburn Auto Electrical Services can carry out all servicing and repairs
to all modern cars including electrics and engine diagnostics.

What are Vehicle Diagnostics?

Vehicle diagnostics is a system that our mechanics use to identify and assess problems that are have a negative impact on the normal running of your vehicle – in simple terms, it’s a way of telling us what is wrong with your car! We do this by using a number of methods from initial visual check of your car and engine to more involved, specialised computer-based analysis. Sometimes, engine problems can seem quite mysterious and can take even the most experienced mechanic time and skill to find the problem.

Many years ago, diagnosing what was wrong with the car relied on individual mechanics, and in all truth their competence as mechanics too. They used visual and audible clues, as well the ‘symptoms’ of the problem. These symptoms can tell the mechanic the obvious problem; an oil leak, signifies a leaking seal, to the more indirect, such as a rough sounding engine. Mechanics were detectives as well as surgeons in the mechanical world.

This was all before computer technology was added to the car and its engine, signifying a more sophisticated era in car manufacture. Electronic control units (ECUs) are now part and parcel of modern cars (and airplanes, boats and motorbikes) and has made vehicle diagnostics simpler. Onboard diagnostic (OBD) ports are now in virtually every modern car, with vehicle technicians ‘plugging’ in a variety of computerised equipment that communicates the issues that are causing your car to malfunction. The various sensors through the vehicle and the onboard computer have a variety of codes which carry the message to the technician. The technician (ie the mechanic!) can quickly identify the problem and, even more importantly, advise you as to the remedy, the cost and how quickly the job can be completed.

The onboard sensors also tell you, the driver if there is an issue; these warning lights should not be ignored! Just in the same way you wouldn’t’t ignore crashing and banging from your engine, if warning lights come on on your dashboard, then you need to bring your car to us. With our skill and expertise, we’ll tell as quickly as possible what the problem is. The lights will not magically disappear after your vehicle has had a ‘rest’ overnight; your engine, despite being computerised and sophisticated does not repair itself!