Back to all

Diagnosing Your Vehicle at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall in Whitehall

September 6, 2020

Please wait while the video is loading...

When we Whitehall residents get a car repair bill, we really shouldn't be surprised to find “diagnostic fees” as one of the line items. When we get a computer fixed, there is usually a charge for the time it takes to diagnose the problem. When we go to a medical doctor, most of his fee is for his ability to diagnose what's wrong. It's no different with our vehicles.

Some diagnoses are fairly simple. Brake repairs at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall usually require only a visual inspection, for instance. But other problems are much more difficult to diagnose. An intermittent engine problem, for example, takes time and expertise to pinpoint.

Modern vehicles have multiple computers that monitor a variety of sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of those sensors has a reading that is higher or lower than the standard parameters, the computer turns on the Check Engine light. Technicians at a service center such as Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall in Whitehall can scan the engine's computer for a trouble code. This code tells the technician which reading is too high or too low.

That's where some Whitehall residents get confused. They think that this reading concludes the diagnosis, and they don't understand why the diagnostic fee is as much as it is when all the technician did was to scan the computer. But the truth is the trouble code is only the beginning of the diagnostic procedure.

Remember, the trouble code only tells which reading is out of parameter. It doesn't say what is causing the reading to be too high or too low. Your Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall service technician still has to find the underlying problem. It's a lot like going to the doctor. He can take your temperature and discover that you have a fever, but that doesn't tell him what is causing your fever.

Automotive diagnostic technology can cut down the time it takes to figure out what's wrong with a vehicle that isn't running right. But it doesn't do away with the need for your friendly and knowledgeable Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall service technician to make a proper diagnosis. Car care, like medical care, still requires the human touch.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Whitehall
4744 E. Main Street
Whitehall, Ohio 43213
614-864-5215
http://www.tuffywhitehall.com

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Tuffy Whitehall

Why is Air Not Coming Out of My Vents?

February 9, 2025

You climb inside your vehicle, start the ignition, and reach for the fan control for the heating or air conditioning. But when you try to crank it up, no air comes out of the vents. It can make for a very uncomfortable trip, whether its hot or cold outside. Its important for the comfort of you a... More

It Wears on You (Tire Rotation)

February 2, 2025

If someone told you there was a fairly inexpensive way to improve your vehicle's handling, fuel economy and extend the life of your tires, you'd probably ask, "What do I have to do?" The answer is to rotate your tires. But you have to do it regularly. A lot of drivers think skipping tire rotatio... More

U and your U-Joints (Lubricate U-Joints)

January 26, 2025

If your vehicles power goes to the rear wheels, then you have something called U-joints in the drivetrain. U-joints are connectors that allow the rotating power from your vehicles engine to deliver its power through a driveshaft to make the rear wheels rotate. You need U-joints because the surfa... More