Notes on Automotive Diagnostic, Maintenance and Car Repair

by: Chris Lontok

These days even the budgets of vehicle owners have been shrunk by the economic crisis that hit the nation. Such a reduced budget is even further drained when auto AC repair, brakes repair, transmission repair, engine repair and all other car repair procedures are taken into account. All vehicle owners, therefore, seek measures to lower costs. Unnecessary and repeated car repair should be avoided. Proper automotive diagnostic and maintenance procedures that comply strictly with the specifications of the vehicle manufacturer can contribute toward this goal.


To get a detailed rundown of all the proper automotive diagnostic and maintenance procedures specified by the vehicle manufacturer, all that the vehicle owner has to do is to read the owner’s manual thoroughly from cover to cover. Ideally, this should be done upon receipt of the vehicle and the manual. All the required maintenance tasks, calibrations, frequencies and schedules are indicated in the document. Only by strictly complying with such instructions can the owner ensure that the vehicle is at its optimum running condition and that it will have a maximized service life. The vehicle’s owner’s manual should, therefore, always be kept accessible as a reference material.

It is advisable for the vehicle owner to find a reliable auto service mechanic to be regular long term caretaker of the vehicle so that its maintenance and repair history is always taken into account. In addition to this, the vehicle owner is also responsible for various diagnostic and maintenance procedures that are done day by day. The mainstay auto service mechanic can advise the vehicle owner in the proper ways to do these tasks. The more advanced automotive diagnostic and maintenance procedures, however, should be done only by the professional mechanic.

By doing daily check ups on the vehicle, the owner will immediately detect when the vehicle needs to be brought to the auto service mechanic. Various vehicular problems can be signaled by weird noises, strange odors, vibrations or leaks from the vehicle. Any of these should be logged in detail by the owner to be reported to the mechanic. Certain symptoms are deemed as emergencies, though. For instance, any time the owner sees smoke coming from the vehicle it should immediately be pulled to the side and the engine should be killed. Under no condition should the engine be restarted.

After the auto service mechanic has done a complete diagnostic check up on the vehicle, the owner should ask for an official written report that explains the problems found, repair procedures recommended and the specific costs of the services and replacement parts involved. The time frame for the proposed job should also be specified.

It is expected and inevitable that all vehicles do have to undergo auto AC repair, brakes repair, transmission repair, engine repair and other car repair procedures even after the most stringent automotive diagnostics and maintenance procedures. No vehicle lasts forever, after all, and even the most careful use results in normal wear and tear. When the need for car repair does arrive, it is best to be prepared by having a reliable professional auto service shop to work with.