Back to all

On Board Diagnostics for Grove City Motorists

April 19, 2020

Some Grove City vehicle owners wonder why Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City and other Grove City auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics.

Receiving a diagnostic charge at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the Grove City 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 Ohio 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 Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City diagnosis may be much more involved.

Much of the Grove City 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 Ohio drivers that the trouble code tells the Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City 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 Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City 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 Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City customers. The service advisor makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem. This takes time.

Grove City 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 Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City wants to figure out what's wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Grove City
2131 Stringtown Road
Grove City, Ohio 43123
614-871-4020
http://www.tuffygrovecity.com

More articles from Tuffy Grove City

The Engine Gets a Boost (Turbocharged Engine Maintenance)

March 9, 2025

If someone told you that your vehicle could have the same power but with a smaller engine, wouldn't that sound like great idea? Just think, a smaller engine would save you money at the gas station and you'd still get the same horsepower. The technology to do just that has been around for a long t... More

A Head Start on Starting (Battery Testing)

March 2, 2025

If your vehicle isn't starting or doesn't sound like it used to when you crank it, the culprit may be the battery. You may have left a light on, or something plugged into one of charging ports. Maybe you accidentally left your vehicle in the "on" or "accessory" position when you last got out. M... More

Rear Window?Not the Movie! (Why Some Rear Windows Don't Go All the Way Down)

February 23, 2025

Alfred Hitchcock once made a mystery thriller film called "Rear Window." It had nothing to do with the rear window of today's cars, SUVs, CUVs and light trucks. But there is one thing that some drivers DO find mysterious. Why don't the rear windows in the second row of many of these vehicles go... More