Diagnosing Car Problems

There is no single car problem that strands drivers as often as a dead battery. A battery often dies suddenly. It can be fine one day and ready for recycling the next. Drivers think very little...

Fuel is supplied to the fuel injection system of modern cars and light trucks by an electric fuel pump located in the fuel tank. Theses systems operate at high pressure and when the pump fails, or...

Nobody likes it when they are getting in their car, ready to go, turn the key, and all of a sudden the car won't start. You turn the key again, and once again, the car remains silent and you begin...

An ignition control module takes the signal from the pick-up coil or hall-effect sensor and triggers the coil based on that signal. Some modules also trigger injectors and control timing as well.

A car not turning over or somewhat turning was causes concern and a need for diagnosis. Determining what the issue is before heading to a mechanic will save you time and possibly money. Knowing...

A vehicle speed sensor provides a signal that the vehicle's onboard computer uses to calculate the vehicle's speed. This sensor works the same way a wheel speed sensor on an ABS-equipped car...

You hopped into your car this morning, turned the ignition key, but nothing happened. You tried again. Nothing. Your battery is dead. Now what. There are several tests you can perform to check for...

Air suspensions have been in use for decades now, and not just in semis and Cadillacs. More recently, custom car builders have been using air suspensions to either get lower or go higher....

A car's battery is the heart of an automotive electrical system. Just like a battery in any electronic device, a car battery must be replaced periodically as its performance will degrade over...

A CDL test is an in-depth test that requires plenty of studying before even thinking about the driving portion. Look up a local commercial driving school before attempting to pass a CDL test with...

It's difficult to test fuel pressure on a car without an expensive master fuel injection pressure testing kit. Take a car with suspected fuel pressure problems to a garage with help from an auto...

When testing an alternator on a car, it's important to first check to see if a battery has enough voltage. Use a test light on a car's alternator with help from an auto mechanic in this free video...

Wherever you find devices or vehicles that are operated by electricity, you will find a relay switch. Used as a safeguard to prevent electrical overloads, these switches open and close when given...

A compression test is a useful tool in diagnosing engine trouble. When the Dodge Intrepid is burning oil, losing power and running poorly, tearing apart the engine to find what is wrong is a...

The engine in the Mitsubishi Eclipse changed many times over the years. It is important to keep it running properly whether the car has a four-cylinder or a V6 engine. Over time, parts wear out...

The Mitsubishi 3000GT is now only available as a used car and all models contain a V6 engine. When these engines run poorly, a compression test is a helpful tool used to diagnose engine trouble....

The Saturn Ion was only in production for the 2003 through 2007 model years and came standard with a four-cylinder engine. When parts wear out inside of the engine, the car loses power, burns oil...

A compression test is a helpful tool used to diagnose engine trouble in a VW Jetta. It is easy to perform and doesn't require tearing apart the engine to see what isn't working properly inside of...

The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size SUV with a V8 engine. If parts wear out in any of those eight cylinders, the SUV will lose power and run poorly. Performing a compression test on the engine is...

The Mazda6 comes with either a 4-cylinder or V6 engine. When parts wear out inside of the engine, the car loses power, burns oil or runs poorly. Tearing apart the engine to find out what is wrong...

A V6 engine powers all models of the Mercury Villager. When the engine runs poorly, burns oil or loses power, a compression test is a quick and easy way to find out the cause. After performing the...

The Nissan Maxima (originally known as the Datsun 810) has been around for many years and originally contained a 6-cylinder engine that later changed to the present V6 engine. When the car runs...

Performing a compression test on the engine in a Nissan Pathfinder is a simple way to diagnose engine trouble. When parts wear out, such as cylinder walls, piston rings and valves, the SUV loses...

A compression test is a useful tool in diagnosing engine trouble. When the Plymouth Neon burns oil, loses power and runs poorly, tearing apart the engine to find what is wrong is a difficult task,...

The Toyota Corolla comes with a 4-cylinder engine. When valves, piston rings and cylinder walls wear out, the engine loses power, burns oil or runs poorly. Performing a compression test is a...

The Toyota Tundra comes with either a V6 or a V8 engine. A compression test is a useful tool performed on the engine when runs poorly. When parts inside of the engine wear out, it is a difficult,...

A V6 engine powers the Chrysler Town and Country minivan. and it is important to keep it running properly. A compression test is a simple way to find out what happens inside of the engine without...

A compression test is a helpful tool used to diagnose engine trouble. It's easy to perform and doesn't require tearing apart the engine to see what isn't working properly inside. Some common...

A compression test is a helpful tool used to diagnose engine trouble. It's easy to perform and doesn't require tearing apart the engine to see what isn't working properly inside. Some common...

Although the 2008 Ford Taurus features a 3.5L V6 engine, older models contained a 3.0L engine, and it is important to keep them running properly to get the most out of these engines. A compression...

When a Geo Metro runs poorly, tearing apart the engine to see what happens inside is a lot of hard work. Running a compression test on each of the Geo Metro's cylinders (three or four depending on...

Although a V6 engine is available, most GMC Sierra trucks come with a powerful V8 engine, and it is important to keep them running properly to get the most out of these engines. A compression test...

The engine in the Honda Accord changed many times over the years. Whether it has an older 4-cylinder engine or a newer V6, it's important to keep it running properly. Over time, parts wear out...

Performing a compression test on the 4-cylinder engine in a Honda Prelude is a simple way of diagnosing engine trouble without tearing it apart. When parts wear out, the engine loses power, burns...

The Honda CR-V is a compact SUV containing a 4-cylinder engine. One of the advantages of owning this compact model instead of a full-size SUV is better gas mileage, so it is important to keep the...

The Hyundai Sonata comes with either a 4-cylinder or a V6 engine under the hood. When that engine runs poorly, a simple compression test lets you know what is wrong without tearing apart the...

When Hyundai first introduced the Santa Fe, the SUV was available with either a 4-cylinder engine or a V6. However, newer models feature only V6 engines. Whether it has an older, smaller engine or...

When the 4-cylinder engine in the Kia Spectra runs poorly, burns oil or loses power, an easy way to diagnose the problem is a compression test. This allows you to find out what is happening inside...

The Chevy Cobalt comes with a standard 4-cylinder engine in three sizes, 2.0 L, 2.2 L and 2.4 L. When valves, piston rings and cylinder walls wear out, the engine loses power, burns oil or runs...

The Chevy Silverado comes with either a V6 or V8 engine, and it is important to keep the vehicle running properly to get the most out of these powerful engines. A compression test is an easy way...

A compression test can reveal what's happening inside a car engine without tearing it apart. The cylinder walls, valves, seals, pistons and rings all create a tight seal, allowing energy to push...

What do you do when a headlight goes out? Usually you have to change the light bulb and the light works again but when the light is not the issue, what can it be? It is either a bad fuse or a...

Emissions testing is important for the health of the environment, as well as the functioning of your vehicle. It is important to know how to perform an emissions test on your vehicle or to know...

The alternator in your car provides power to charge the battery and run all of your power hungry accessories. If the alternator fails, it's a matter of hours, or even minutes, until your car stops...