Diagnostic Trouble Codes: Helping A Mechanic Understand Car Problems
Words by Allen Brown
Every driver out there has seen his/her car show a light symbol they're unfamiliar with gleaming right behind the steering wheel. Whether it was a symbol of the engine or the letters “ABS,” you'll wonder what could be causing it. These lights are called diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) and are connected to sensors that inform you whenever there's any fault in your car. This article is going to talk about why they're important and how they help your car mechanic understand what to fix while repairing your car.
Here Are 3 Ways DTC Helps Car Mechanics Know What To Do:
1. Helps Point Mechanics In The Right Direction
When the average person heads to the car repair shop to resolve an ongoing problem with their car, they usually provide extremely vague information that could lead the mechanic to believe in a handful of different potential problems that might be present within the vehicle. Not having any reliable method of understanding the core problem results in a lot of time and energy wasted in figuring it out. When the car mechanic spots a DTC that points towards a certain issue in the car, he/she can then proceed to narrow down what the potential problem can be rather than spend his/her time on a wild goose chase to find the issue.
2. An On-Board Diagnostics Scanner Can Swiftly Identify Any Problems
Usually, when any of the sensor lights turn on, it’ll show up on the On-Board diagnostics system (OBD) to signal that there's a problem. If it's the “Check Engine Light” that turns on then the mechanic will need to narrow down the problem further, as the light doesn’t inform the mechanic of everything without the right scanner. Most OBD systems can be scanned with an OBD scanner that relays all obd codes to help the mechanic figure out the precise reason why the light has turned on. The scanner shows one out of the four possible letters, each standing in a different part of the car, followed by either a 0 or a 1 to signify if it's a general OBD code or if it's specific to a vehicle manufacturer. Finally, 3 digits that inform the mechanic of what the precise problem is. Using this code, the mechanic can look up the issue in either the car manual or online to quickly figure out the root and fix it.
3. Different Cars Have Different Sensors
DTC primarily uses sensors to feed them the information necessary for them to function. Every car model has a different type of sensor that works differently, and that may lead to some confusion if the car’s manual isn’t present to clarify what the issue is. Even professional mechanics can’t possibly know every code to every car; however, they're all present online through a quick search. Some car sensors provoke the engine light to turn on for various purposes, some being extremely simple to handle while others being very difficult. Knowing the reasons why the DTC lights can turn on for the specific model at hand helps a mechanic a lot when trying to figure out the present issue.
Trying to solve an issue without knowing the cause behind it won’t bode well for anyone, especially not the car itself. While the engine light turning on could mean several different things, all depending on the model of the car, the manufacturer and the signs that the car has been shown to the driver, but it still helps mechanics figure out where to look for the problem rather than having to examine the entire car. The sensors that the car comes equipped to help make the process of repair way quicker.