10/15/2021
Effective January 1, 2022, diagnostic charges will NO LONGER be credited toward the repair. Given the ever-increasing complexity of newer vehicles and the level of computer control over every system on the car, diagnostics are also becoming more and more complex. This DOES NOT apply to simple inspections including but not limited to brake wear inspections and steering/suspension MECHANICAL inspections. This ONLY applies to diagnostics for electronically controlled systems and engine performance issues. These types of diagnostics require specialized equipment that I DO have.
Gone are the days of your ignition switch controlling a relay to energize the starter solenoid and the anti-theft transponder simply controls the ground side of the relay. Now an ignition switch sends a signal to the PCM/ECU/ECM where the PCM also receives a signal from the Theft Deterrent Module and the PCM decides whether to energize the starter relay or not. The PCM also, at that point, determines whether to activate the Fuel Pump Control Module or not in order to give the engine fuel. Fuel pressure is no longer, and hasn’t been for 20+ years now on some vehicles, regulated mechanically. There are pressure sensors in the tank, in the fuel line, and in the fuel rail along with, on Flex Fuel vehicles, ethanol content sensors (for air/fuel ratio calculations). Those sensors report to the FPCM/FPDM where the FPCM/FPDM regulates the fuel pressure by varying or cycling the voltage to the fuel pump based on the demand coming from the PCM.
Modern vehicles starting in the mid-2000’s have more than 10 and up to 40 (in some luxury vehicles) control modules on board. They all communicate with each other through what is called the CAN. Just like your WLAN, LAN, and WAN for your laptop, desktop, or mobile device being a Wireless Local Area Network, Local Area Network, or Wide Area Network, respectively, the CAN is the Controller Area Network via which the different control modules in the vehicle communicate. In some cases, the way this network is wired, they are NOT wired in parallel to avoid a multiple-module communication loss if the wiring to one module is broken; they are wired in SERIES, or daisy-chained, so if you lose the communication path with one module, it will affect every module after that in series. It’s much like the old Christmas lights where if one bulb goes out, the entire strand stops working.
All of what I’m explaining now is that properly determining the cause of a problem on a vehicle, especially electronically, is far more complex than it used to be. Alternators are now communicating digitally with the PCM, steering systems have electrical sensors on them for pressure and angle, some power steering systems are hybrid where they are part hydraulic and part electronic and some are purely electronic now. It’s not just a pressure and return hose to and from the pump. If your vehicle fails to start one morning, it could be a computer fault and not a fault with the battery or starter. Brakes require a reset after changing pads now, batteries on some vehicles require a registration to the vehicle before the car will start, oil level is read with a sensor and a display in the dash rather than with a dipstick, the list just goes on and on with how complex everything has become. A PROPER diagnostic is EXTREMELY CRITICAL because it would be VERY easy to mis-diagnose something and change a part that wasn’t bad which wastes time and money both for me and you. I have even seen one failure lead to the failure of another component because it caused a short or caused voltage to be delivered to a motor constantly, etc, which burnt up the motor as well. Multiple failures causing a single symptom is becoming more and more frequent which requires a very high level of expertise, patience, and understanding of a system to isolate and repair all of the failure points.
Due to this, the time it takes to properly identify the cause of your problem has increased significantly and I will no longer be able to credit this time toward the repair. I will, however, guarantee my diagnostics and continue to ensure I cover every possible cause before I even think about changing a component. Without this, you could end up spending hundreds or thousands more than necessary based on other mechanics’ “free” diagnostics that are nothing more than a hunch or guess as to what the cause is. That is BY FAR NOT a free diagnostic. That is an “I think I know what’s going on so why don’t I take your money to find out if I’m right” type of diagnostic. My goal is to get it right the FIRST time, EVERY time. While I may make a mistake occasionally because I’m still human, I will ALWAYS do whatever I can to make things right with my customers in the event that I get it wrong. I don’t like my money wasted so I’m certainly not going to waste yours.
Thank you for your patience and understanding,
Jeffrey Topp
Owner - JWT Services, LLC
Mobile Auto Repair/Audio Install. Please text my contact number. My rates are $150 an hour flat rate
