Did you know that on today’s vehicles a tune-up cures only 1 in 20 drivability problems? With the complex computers, ignition and emissions systems on today’s vehicles a tune-up isn’t what it used to be. There are dozens of electronic sensors which all must work correctly for your vehicle to run at maximum efficiency. Your service engine light can come on due to any of these sensors being the slightest bit out of range. While a preventive maintenance tune-up should be performed at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals, it may or may not solve your drivability problems. This is why it’s recommended to have your vehicle diagnosed by a professional.
Be careful about letting the local auto parts store do a, “free” code scan on your computer. While a “code scanner” can be helpful to the average person who is not trained in the automotive field, code scanners are not nearly as comprehensive as a professional diagnostic computer. For example, you may have a hand-held scanner for your car, you plug it in and it gives you a code for an oxygen sensor. This does NOT necessarily mean your oxygen sensor is defective. Why? Because there are over 20 different codes for each oxygen sensor on your vehicle and most vehicles today have at least 4 and sometimes 6 oxygen sensors. These codes can be related to something as simple as an air leak from a broken vacume line on the engine’s intake to an exhaust leak. It could also be caused by an engine misfire, a restricted fuel or air filter, a weak fuel pump or a bad fuel pressure regulator. The list goes on and on. So just scanning for the code and replacing the component the code is pointing to, rarely fixes the problem.
Mark Martin’s Auto World uses the latest in computer technology to diagnose your vehicle.