Troubleshooting Problems With Your Car

1. Basic Troubleshooting
2. Electrical Problems
3. OBD (On Board Diagnostics) Evaluation

Basic Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting has to start out simple. Basic troubleshooting focuses on the most common problem areas in auto repair, and provides a good starting point for searching out what repairs need to be made.

• Brake Problems
• No Start Problems
• Automatic Transmission Troubleshooting
• Suspension Issues

• Troubleshooting Engine Performance
• Rattles, Ticks, Grinds and Crunches
• Warning Lights and What They Mean

Electrical Problems

Electrical gremlins can haunt even the most well built automobiles. troubleshooting electrical problems can be a daunting task, but as long as you follow the right path, in the right order, you'll slowly eliminate potential repairs until you figure out what's really causing your car to malfunction.

• General Electrical Troubleshooting
• Plug Wire Inspection
• Starting Problems
• Fuses and Fused Circuits

• Circuit and Continuity Testing
• Checking for Spark
• Testing Your Coil

OBD (On Board Diagnostics) Evaluation

Modern automobiles are equipped with their own troubleshooting systems called On Board Diagnostics, or OBD. These systems take thousands of readings from your car's sensors, continuously compiling information about how everything's working. When something is awry, the system sends out a code telling mechanics (or you!) what's gone wrong, and often triggers the dreaded Check Engine light. Unfortunately, the language of OBD and OBD-II systems is a bunch of numbers. Use our guide to figure out what your error code number means, what sytem it's talking about, and what you need to do to fix it.

• Check Engine Lights
• Reading OBD Codes
• OBD and OBD-II Code Database

• No Codes?
• OBD-I
• OBD-II