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For the past few weeks I’ve been writing about engine control system diagnosis. I’ve done so because this is an area that challenges many technicians in the industry. I’ve also done it because I believe it is important that anyone reading the column understand the challenges faced by technicians when diagnosing the technology of today’s vehicles. In each article I’ve laid out a process that included finding certain repair information necessary to accurate diagnosis. In this article I’d like to discuss technician resources where this information can be found.
Many of these resources are subscription based, and as such will be available only to paid subscribers who often have to be technicians and not just members of the general public. Other resources make themselves available to the general public and any interested DIY’er. I choose to classify information resources in three categories: repair information, technician help information, and educational resources.
The most important information for accurate diagnosis is the repair information. I get asked by the technicians I have in class each week which repair information service I prefer. While there are many choices, the truth is that I don’t prefer any of them. What I really like is whichever one gives me the information I need in a manner that I can understand it! The major market choices for obtaining electronic auto repair information related to diagnostics include the aftermarket solutions of AllData, Mitchell OnDemand, Identifix, and ChiltonPRO. Each of these services pulls information from the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and presents it in their own format. With the exception of Identifix, they each have a DIY subscription available. I will provide a list of links to each at the end of this article.
As far as which is my favorite…I don’t have one. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Each one also has their devout followers and detractors. In truth, none of them, by themselves is enough to diagnose today’s problems. Anyone involved in diagnosing and repairing engine control systems, traction control systems, or any other computer controlled system on a modern vehicle needs access to the OE repair information sites. These sites, offered by each of the major OE manufacturers, are also subscription based sites. The advantage they offer is that they provide the same information to the aftermarket that dealership technicians have available to them.
Often times a technician will find the OE information to be more complete, more quickly updated, and in a format more easily understood. The drawback to OE information subscriptions is the price. An OE level subscription that includes reflashing information can cost thousands of dollars per year. Since very few aftermarket shops specialize on just one make vehicle, they of course would need multiple OE subscriptions on top of the aftermarket solution they are already paying for. This can mean a huge expense each year in repair information alone. A great resource for accessing OE repair information sites is the National Automotive Service Task Force website www.nastf.org. This site will provide you with direct links to the OE repair sites.
To avoid some of the expense of repair information subscriptions, and provide a more direct approach to fixes, there are many sites that offer what I term technician help information. These are sites that compile diagnostic challenges and their subsequent repairs. A subscription is required to access these sites as well, but in general the entry fee is far less than repair information sites. Popular sites used by professional technicians include Identifix, iATN, and D-Tips. There are hundreds of other sites that offer similar services on the internet.
Although technician help sites are an important resource that can save time when diagnosing problems, there are a couple things to keep in mind when using these sites. Firstly, keep in mind who is presenting the information. Make sure you use a site that only allows well qualified individuals to post and offer suggestions. Following advice from someone who may not understand the system can at the very least lead you in the wrong direction and at worst lead you to inadvertently cause component damage. Secondly, these sites are most useful when you post your repair information. A technician may enter a site, do a search for the complaint or challenge they are dealing with, follow whatever advice they find, and then never return to post a resolution to the particular problem being worked on. Someone else took the time to create a case, post some information, and then input their repair. The more technicians who post fixes, the more useful these sites become. Make sure you submit your results!
The last category of repair information that I term educational information is found anywhere and everywhere. Although many technicians are necessarily looking for the “quick fix” or the “quick diagnosis”, I often want to understand the system I am diagnosing before beginning my diagnostic work. Understanding exactly how a system works based on available repair information can be a challenge. So where does a technician go to find this information?
A quick Google search (www.google.com) will return many resources. There is a huge amount of manufacturer information posted on the internet, either legally, or not so legally. You can also find many white papers or system descriptions posted by college automotive programs and engineers. OE repair information sites will sometimes post technical training documents or e-learning material on their website (another benefit of an expensive subscription). I have found that many times I find more, and better, information on how a system works in educational resources than I do in the repair information itself.
The bottom line when it comes to technician, or DIY, auto repair information is that one source rarely provides enough information. Were I to open a brand new shop this afternoon I would subscribe to one aftermarket information solution (AllData or Mitchell OnDemand), the OE repair information site of the make vehicle I expected to be my specialty (or the one I suspected would make up the biggest chunk of my business based on the demographic I intend to serve), and I would join iATN (www.iatn.net).
The following are links to some of the information I’ve mentioned in the article as well as other links you may find useful:
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