Diagnostic testing is used to identify any issues in your Acura. It’s a relatively quick process and can allow issues to be fixed before they can worsen and cause serious problems. As your Acura dealer, we want to tell you more about this process and how it saves you time and money while keeping your car in great condition.
From Your Acura Dealer: Diagnostic Testing
Your Car’s Computer
Your Acura has a computer that controls most vehicle processes. Before the 1980s, vehicles required more servicing and adjustments, for example, manually setting the engine timing. The computer relies on a network of sensors to relay instructions to your vehicle’s essential systems. These sensors continually supply information to the computer to enable it to make important decisions, for example, adjusting the fuel-air ratio in the engine.
Sensors also monitor the health of the systems they’re connected to and can identify even a tiny change in the system’s responsiveness or operation. If an issue is detected, the relevant sensor instantly informs your computer. The computer logs the problem and assigns an error code, then activates one of your dashboard’s warning lights to signal that something’s wrong.
How Testing Works
Some warning lights point to issues that are easy to identify, like the tire pressure light illuminating to identify low tire pressure. Other warnings are more difficult to recognize immediately. The check engine light is a good example, as it illuminates if sensors detect any issue that affects engine performance or health.
Our technicians connect your Acura’s computer to our diagnostic system. This machine will display any error codes logged by your computer. We match the computer’s error code to the list of Acura error codes, and this highlights the cause of the trouble. It’s a very fast method, replacing the original pre-1980s method of manually checking numerous systems to find the one with a fault.
What Testing Reveals
Diagnostics can reveal most types of faults but not all. A damaged engine mount, your car pulling to one side, and brake fade are some of the issues it can’t identify. Fortunately, the few situations that don’t generate error codes are easy to identify due to the sounds or behavior they produce. Two of the common issues testing will reveal are a blocked catalytic converter and a loose gas cap.
The gas cap screws securely into your Acura to seal the tank. An airtight seal is essential, as air in the fuel tank reduces fuel pressure and can cause blockages in the fuel line due to air bubbles. The catalytic converter changes dangerous engine gases into harmless ones, but it can become blocked. A blocked converter will increase engine pressure and could cause your engine to shut down.
Book your test today by contacting us at Open Road Acura of Wayne in Wayne, NJ.
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