Tech Tip: Toyota Prius Master/Hybrid MIL On/DTC P3125
Under certain driving conditions, some 2001-’02 Prius vehicles may exhibit a Master, Hybrid and MIL Warning Light "on" condition where only DTC P3125, information code 287, has set in the Hybrid Vehicle Control Unit (HV ECU). Use the following procedure to identify whether the HV ECU or inverter/converter assembly should be replaced ….
Tech Tip: DTCs Unlock the Mystery of the No-Crank Buick
Some Buick owners may complain about one or more of the following conditions: Service Engine Soon (SES), Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) or Traction Control System (TCS) lamp may be illuminated; A no-crank/no-start condition; Various intermittent I/P concerns; Shifter will not move out of Park (brake/transmission interlock solenoid inoperative); and/or Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) U1000, U1016, B1422, B2957 or B2958 may be set. Additional codes may be found due to this concern ….
Tech Feature: Can You Lift It?
You can only make a few mistakes with a lift before it costs more than the lesson is worth. What you don’t know can hurt you if you are using or even buying a lift. The first thing any tech must do is to know what they are lifting. If possible, look at the sticker on the door jam to find out the weight of the vehicle and distribution. But never take this number for granted. Look inside the vehicle to see what the driver is carrying and where the weight is situated ….
Management: Florida Shop Owner Speaks Out When it Comes to Business
Some people make friends and make it look easy. Pam Oakes, owner of Pam’s Motor City Automotive in Fort Myers, FL, is one of those people. And more and more, she is making friends in high "political" places. Her natural people skills go directly to her bottom line, which will be the same in 2008 as it was in 2007. By any measure, being able to remain steady during such difficult economic times is a feat in itself ….
Tech Tip: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid Safety Precautions
As vehicle manufacturers strive to meet or exceed fuel economy standards, alternative vehicle designs incorporating new materials and systems will be produced to accommodate consumer demand. One such vehicle that may roll into your repair facility is the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. Questions will arise when this vehicle arrives ….
Honeywell Friction Materials Introduces New Bendix Answerman
For the past three years, Chuck Kennedy has played an integral part of the Bendix Answerman team – teaching training clinics from coast to coast, taking calls on the Answerman hotline and helping develop educational braking curriculum for today’s repair shops and counterpersonnel. Now, as ….
This Car is Kicking My Butt!
I hear the above phrase every so often and the worst part of the technician’s plight is when he calls me he is almost always working for free at this point in the repair cycle. Most of the time the phone call starts out: “We sold them brakes…” Most of the shops at this point
Chassis Control Engineering & Application
It is a common mistake to look at a vehicle’s chassis and suspension system as just components that are either good, bad or broken. It should be looked at as a system. Understanding basic terminology and vehicle configurations is important to the technician for maintaining or returning that new car chassis control and performance. It
News: Remember the Mac Tools Tool Fair!
San Antonio, TX — Just steps away from The Alamo, more than 800 Mac Tools distributors and 150 vendors convened for the 2009 Mac Tools Tool Fair Jan. 15-18. This year’s tool fair featured Mac Tools’ 2009 theme of “The Pride and The Promise” and a supporting message of a five-point pledge — a pledge
Tech Tip: Diagnosing Lit ABS Lamp on Ford Expeditions
Some 1997-1999 Ford Expedition, F-150, F-250 (2WD models only), or 1998-1999 Lincoln Navigator (2WD models only), can exhibit such diverse symptoms as: ABS lamp illumination, false ABS cycling at low speeds, increased brake pedal effort at low speeds, or any combination of the above. These problems all may be caused by an incorrectly installed front wheel speed sensor, a damaged wheel sensor, or a chipped or broken tooth on the tone ring resulting in ….