Category: Diagnostics

Do you have a coolant leak?

Written by Declan
Coolant is very much needed in your car and without it the engine will very quickly overheat often causing irreversible damage. You may not realise that you have a coolant leak until a warning light comes up on your dash, you notice a puddle on the floor under your car or your car goes in for repair work or an MOT and it is picked up there. Another tell tale sign that your coolant is running low is your temperature gauge shotting up and down. You may also notice that your heaters in the car begin to blow hot then cold air, this can be a warning to top up your coolant. Occasionally coolant will need to be topped up anyway but if you are having to do it every...
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Are you having issues with your alternator?

Written by Declan
Cars can be a bit of a nightmare. You may find that you seem to be constantly having to have work done, especially on older vehicles. A common problem with older cars are alternators. You may notice that you are having issues with your car battery and you may be surprised to find that it is actually the alternator causing the issue and not the battery. Alternator issues can cause issues with a number of other aspects of the vehicle. You may notice that the car struggles to start up or that when driving your lights dim, this may be a sign of an alternator issue. The best way to find out if you have an issue with your alternator or if it is indeed the battery, is to take...
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What does that smell say about your car?

Written by Declan
No, we don’t mean the old MacDonald’s wrapper or half-drunk bottle of milk that is left in your vehicle, we are talking about smells that are coming from your vehicle when it is running. If you notice a certain smell when using your car it is very important to try and establish quickly where it is coming from. If you have your fans on, it may be that you are picking up smells from the outside or even from the car in front of you, but if after opening the window you realise the smell is confined to your vehicle, then it’s time to do some investigating. Below are some common smells that you may discover and what they may mean: Rotten eggs – this is often linked to the...
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Roadside assistance or recovery of your vehicle

Written by Declan
If you have breakdown cover then you will probably have to have decided whether to take out additional levels of cover for recovery for example. Most breakdown companies include recovery to a destination usually within 10 miles for free but if you break down 60 miles away from your home, you will have to fork out yourself to have the car recovered to your home address. Upping your level of cover can mean that you can be recovered from anywhere in the UK and bring back to a local garage or your home. This can then allow you some time to decide what you want to do and shop around for quotes from garages. If they recover you at a time when the garage is closed, then they will often...
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What is a car diagnostic check?

Written by Declan
If your car has developed a fault or have warning lights come up on your dashboard, then a garage may recommend that you have a diagnostic run on your vehicle. This can range in price from £30 upwards to £100 depending on where you take it. So what exactly is a car diagnostic check and how can it help with a fault? All modern vehicles have an on-board computer inside them which is linked up by sensors to different components within your car. These computers monitor things such as engine temperature, oxygen levels and replay issues and any faults found are stored on the on-board computer in a series of fault codes.  These fault codes need to be read by specialist equipment called a diagnostic machine. Not all garages have...
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