ACtion Magazine - April 2015 - (Page 20)

Changes coming to your service bays are computer hardware, software and interface requirements, but the result of the standard is an interface that communicates with all makes and models. Prior to the availability of these tools and techniques, it was quite cost prohibitive for aftermarket technicians to perform these tasks due to high equipment costs. John explained the reﬂash process, what to watch out for, where to ﬁnd information, and what costs are involved. An essential automotive maintenance skill 20 ACTION * April 2015 "It's not if you offer J-2534 ﬂashing to customers; it's when," asserted David Hobbs, a senior automotive aftermarket trainer for Delphi Automotive. With this "hook," Hobbs grabbed the attention of shop owners and technicians attending his seminar titled Diagnostics Under the Dash. "Forty percent of the vehicles in your shop have one or more modules that need ﬂashing," Hobbs emphasized. "Examples include turning off false Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) warnings, eliminating pattern failure components, battery rundowns, drivability complaints, HVAC performance issues, fuel economy issues, rough idling, component longevity enhancements, and more." According to Hobbs, being properly trained is essential. "Don't try to wing it," he cautioned. "Technicians must know the difference between reprogramming and reconﬁguring. Reprogramming is the process of electronically erasing and replacing data with an updated version transferred via the internet or cloud, whereas reconﬁguring is a process that doesn't require an internet connection. In addition, not every scan tool is your friend - some scan tools will ﬂash only, some will let you reprogram, and some will even enable you (with a subscription) to emulate a factory scan tool. The closer you are to having or emulating an automaker's scan tool, the better." "Think networks and systems, not just components and circuits, when diagnosing and J-2534 ﬂashing. Purchase factory scan tools for the primary lines you service, and a good general aftermarket scan tool for the other brands. Invest in a J-2534 device to supplement your scan tools. Then gather other resources and learn where to locate online ﬂashing information and instructions to take the guesswork out of servicing." Looking at J-2534 ﬂashing from a high level, Hobbs shared six basic steps in performing module reprogramming: * Baseline the reprogramming session to determine if ﬂashing is warranted. * Determine whether a module can be programmed; some modules can only be replaced. * Ensure the equipment you use meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of the vehicle brand you are working on. * To transfer the calibration to the vehicle module, know where to ﬁnd vehicle-speciﬁc calibrations. * Validate that the module has been updated to the current calibration.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - April 2015

Changes coming to your bay
Meet me @MACS Make Connections that matter
Outlook
Service Port
Leonard's Law
Virtual View
Last Watch
Letters to the Editor
By the numbers
Industry News
Association News
In Memoriam
New Products

ACtion Magazine - April 2015