We have the latest up-to-date computer diagnostic machines, which can be plugged into and read the vehicles ECU (Electronic Control Unit – vehicle’s on-board computer, in plain English). So let’s say the Engine Management Light has appeared on your car, what do you do??? Simple!
Bring it to us, we will plug it into our computer. If the computer can read into your cars computer (and it usually can, with the odd exception), then it will tell us all faults that have been stored in your cars memory.
YES, EVEN IF THE LIGHT HAS GONE BACK OFF, THE FAULT CODE IS STILL STORED!!!
How do we diagnose a fault in the ECU?
- We plug the computer into the vehicles ECU
- We do a print out of all faults found
- We clear all faults from the memory
- The vehicle is driven for a short while so that any permanent faults will reappear on the ECU
- We plug the computer back into the ECU
- We do a print out of any remaining faults
Why do we clear the faults? The simple reason is that if a vehicle has had a fault in the past which has already been repaired, it may not have removed from the ECU’s memory. Also, vehicles sometimes get temporary faults, which clear themselves. Again, this would remain in the ECU’s memory. We have to work from a ‘blank canvas’ to ensure we are not repairing things that don’t need repairing..
This is what your Engine Management Light looks like, and it can show up in any colour:
