Back to all

On Board Diagnostics for Clawson Motorists

May 8, 2017

Some Clawson vehicle owners wonder why Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson and other Clawson auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics.

Receiving a diagnostic charge at Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the Clawson area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy Michigan road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you're having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson diagnosis may be much more involved.

Much of the Clawson driver's confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem.

There's a common misconception among Michigan drivers that the trouble code tells the Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson technician exactly what's wrong. They wonder why there is a diagnostic charge because the scanner quickly gave the diagnosis.

In reality, it is not that easy and straightforward. The computer monitors many sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of these sensors has a reading that's out of parameters, the computer will record a trouble code and turn on the Check Engine light.

The vehicle computer's trouble code just tells the Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what's causing it. The technician needs to determine the underlying problem that's causing the malfunction.

There are many problems that could cause a troublesome sensor reading for Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson customers. The service advisor makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem. This takes time.

Clawson service centers subscribe to databases that document possible causes for all the possible trouble codes. The databases outline procedures for confirming a diagnosis and provide the documented repair. These  databases are specific to each vehicle and engine combination.

Some diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved, time-consuming and difficult. Of course Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson wants to figure out what's wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
664 S Rochester Rd
Clawson, Michigan 48017
248-589-0980
http://www.toptechautorepairclawson.com

Need Service?

More articles from Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson

Don?t Blow Your Cool (Water Pump Replacement)

October 12, 2025

Its always a good idea to keep your cool, and thats especially true when it comes to some components of your vehicle. One is the engine. Its hot under that hood thanks to the mini explosions that are occurring in the internal combustion engine when its running. Your vehicle has a cooling syste... More

Gearing Up (Differential Fluid Service)

October 5, 2025

You may have never thought about it, but when you turn a corner, the wheels on one side of your vehicle turn at a different speed than the other side. What is this magic? The answer is something called the differential. A differential is a gear box placed between the drive wheels and needs lub... More

Making Sense of the O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor Replacement)

September 28, 2025

As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More