diagnosticsupplement-1223 - 3

EDITOR'S NOTE
Follow the process
A set diagnostic process keeps
the shop running smoothly.
By Emily Markham, Editor
Emily@VehicleServicePros.com
V
ehicles are only getting
more complex. Between
ADAS, electric vehicles,
and all the creature comforts
being added and/or updated
on today's vehicles, it's easy to
get overwhelmed. When a customer
brings in their vehicle with
an issue that isn't easily resolved,
what do you do? Answer: Follow
your diagnostic process. Or create
one using the steps below
and then follow it.
STEP 1 - RECREATE THE CUSTOMER'S
CONCERN
Though your first instinct may be
to plug in your scan tool and see
which DTCs pop up, resist this
urge. The first step in your process
should always be to recreate the
issue your customer is having with
their vehicle. This may mean doing
a ride-along with them to ensure
all the circumstances are the same
and you don't get a different result
than your customer when doing
that final test drive.
STEP 2 - BACK TO BASICS
One of the dangers of not having a
set diagnostic process in your shop
is that all your technicians may be
going about diagnosing a vehicle
in different ways. This means
they could be glossing over some
of the more basic tests and making
assumptions about the vehicle,
which could lead to a misdiagnosis.
By having all your technicians follow
the same steps on every vehicle
and perform the same tests checking
the basic mechanical and electrical
standards, you ensure that
nothing is overlooked. This also
helps when training a new technician
because the steps are the same
for everyone.
STEP 3 - UPPING THE ANTE
With the basics out of the way, it's
time to do some more intrusive tests
if necessary. Something along the
lines of compression testing or time
belt alignment. After completing
steps 1 to 3, if you still don't have a
diagnosis, it's time to perform some
pinpoint tests from the computer to
individual components.
Implementing a standard diagnostic
process in your shop not only
keeps everyone on the same page
but also makes it easier to explain
to customers what's being done to
their vehicle and provide them with
any diagnostic test results.
In the following pages, we'll
take a closer look at some essential
tools every shop should have to aid
in their diagnostic processes, how to
pick these, and tips, tricks, and new
techniques on how to use them. We'll
also delve into ADAS and why your
shop should consider tapping into
this additional revenue stream if
you're not already. Lastly, we'll look at
some additional diagnostic products
to keep in your toolbox.
CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2023
4 A systematic approach to
finding the right scan tool
10 Old tools, new tricks
14 Are you calibrating
ADAS-equipped vehicles?
18 A step-by-step guide with
expert insights on mastering
ADAS tech recalibration
21 Diagnostic products
VehicleServicePros.com DECEMBER 2023 3
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
diagnosticsupplement-1223

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of diagnosticsupplement-1223
