Back to all

Diagnosing Your Vehicle at Kwik Kar Saginaw in Saginaw

October 20, 2019

When we Saginaw 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 Kwik Kar Saginaw 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 Kwik Kar Saginaw in Saginaw 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 Saginaw 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 Kwik Kar Saginaw 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 Kwik Kar Saginaw service technician to make a proper diagnosis. Car care, like medical care, still requires the human touch.

Kwik Kar Saginaw
1216 S. Blue Mound Rd.
Saginaw, TX 76131
817-231-1700
http://www.kwikkarsaginaw.com

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Kwik Kar Saginaw

Let Kwik Kar Saginaw Help You Keep Your Vehicle Another Couple of Years

March 23, 2025

Saginaw area residents may remember when the U.S. government's Cash for Clunkers program made a splash on the news scene. People were offered incentives to trade in old vehicles for new, in the interest of better and improved air quality from reduced emissions.But a lot of Saginaw drivers want to... More

It Wears on You (Tire Rotation)

March 16, 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

Catalytic Converter Replacement

March 9, 2025

Many of us have become aware of how important it is to keep our planets air clean, and your vehicle has a key component that helps do just that: the catalytic converter. Its in the exhaust system, and its job is to superheat unburned, harmful byproducts in the exhaust, so they dont get spewed ou... More