Back to all

On Board Diagnostics for Saginaw Motorists

December 29, 2019

Some Saginaw vehicle owners wonder why Kwik Kar Saginaw and other Saginaw auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics.

Receiving a diagnostic charge at Kwik Kar Saginaw for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the Saginaw area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy TX road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you're having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Kwik Kar Saginaw diagnosis may be much more involved.

Much of the Saginaw driver's confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem.

There's a common misconception among TX drivers that the trouble code tells the Kwik Kar Saginaw technician exactly what's wrong. They wonder why there is a diagnostic charge because the scanner quickly gave the diagnosis.

In reality, it is not that easy and straightforward. The computer monitors many sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of these sensors has a reading that's out of parameters, the computer will record a trouble code and turn on the Check Engine light.

The vehicle computer's trouble code just tells the Kwik Kar Saginaw technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what's causing it. The technician needs to determine the underlying problem that's causing the malfunction.

There are many problems that could cause a troublesome sensor reading for Kwik Kar Saginaw customers. The service advisor makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem. This takes time.

Saginaw service centers subscribe to databases that document possible causes for all the possible trouble codes. The databases outline procedures for confirming a diagnosis and provide the documented repair. These  databases are specific to each vehicle and engine combination.

Some diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved, time-consuming and difficult. Of course Kwik Kar Saginaw wants to figure out what's wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

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

QUIET TIME (Listening for Vehicle Problems)

August 16, 2026

Everybody's got friends like this. You know, the kind who, the minute they get in their vehicle and turn the key, the sound system is deafening. They just love to hear that music, sports, news anything but the sound of the vehicle itself. And maybe you're that person, too. Here's something to... More

Ethics of Automotive Repair in Saginaw

August 9, 2026

We're going to be talking about the ethics of automotive repair. It seems like news outlets really like hit-and-run reporting; they hit everyone from groceries stores to retail to physicians. And the Saginaw automotive service and repair industry hasn't been given a pass either.Unfortunately, eve... More

PCV Valve Service at Kwik Kar Saginaw in Saginaw

August 2, 2026

Today, we are talking about your PCV valve. Unburnt fuel is forced into the crankcase as your engine runs. The PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve vents this unburnt fuel and oil vapors from the crankcase and sends it back into the air intake system to be burned in the engine. A clogge... More