Troubleshooting Tips: How OBD-II Helps to Diagnose Any Problems of Your Car

If your car’s Check Engine Light is turned on, it can indicate different sets of problems. It was quite frustrating to determine the exact problem in the near past. But, the introduction of OBD-II has revolutionised the diagnostic system for automobiles.

Here’s how you can detect the exact problems of your engine by using OBD-II.

A brief history

The California Air Resources Board was the first instance when OBD or On-board Diagnostics requirements were made mandatory. The mandate was made public for their jurisdiction in California, USA (1991).

The first generation system was only able to monitor the oxygen sensor, engine control module, fuel delivery system and EGR system. It was useful to track emissions but lacked detailed information for most of the car parts.

OBD-II, the second generation of the system was introduced in the year 1994 and is mandatory for every car since 1996. It is a fast and sophisticated process that keeps your car running for years. OBD-II also collects important data like throttle position, brake position, vehicle speed, etc.

Troubleshooting capabilities

If your Check Engine Light is illuminated, you need to attach an OBD-II tool to its port (every car has one) and activate scanning after starting the engine.

The tool comes up with a list of fault codes, with each code representing different problems. For instance, code ‘P0300’ refers to a cylinder misfire. Each code starts with a letter which indicates to the referring system.

• P- Powertrain refers to the engine, fuel system, transmission, ignition and emissions.
• B- Body parts as in airbags, power seating, seat belts and more.
• C- Chassis as in ABS, brake fluid, axles, and more.
• U- Undefined codes are for other aspects of the car.

OBD-II has more than 11000 fault codes and a few more manufacturer-specific codes. Some OBD scanners have the definitions for the codes preloaded. If you get only the trouble codes in your scanner, look them up online to get an explanation. But, you can’t look up the manufacturer codes online as different manufacturers have different codes.

Sometimes it gets difficult to track down a problem. A closer look at the readings of your car's sensors might help you in such situations.

Still, if you are unsure of the facts, visit a professional technician for a car repair Harrogate or any other place in the UK.

Other functions

Other than diagnosing and troubleshooting purposes, OBD is used to keep track of the data about the driver’s driving habit by the insurance companies and vehicle fleet managers.

Reset check engine light

If you are done with the repair, reset the Check Engine Light by using OBD scanners. The light turns off after you drive for a while.

In a nutshell, OBD-II gives you the key to unlocking the secrets hidden under your car dashboard. To diagnose and fix the issues, visit a professional garage like HG Motors. They also offer a long list of other car-related services like wheel alignment and balance, MOT test, oil change, etc.

4 Ways You Can Check if Your Car Battery Still Has its Mojo

Whenever you turn the engine key on, the car battery produces a jolt of electricity that goes into the ignition system to kick-start your car. At times, however, this does not happen due to a very simple reason: a bad car battery. There are several signs that a car battery has lived its useful life and it is time for a replacement.

A standard car battery usually has a life of around 10 years, with a margin of error of 2 years. Many people do not take proper care of this vital unit. Assuming that you are a cautious driver who does not intend to go too soon for a, say, new car battery in Harrogate, you need to pre-empt the most common issues.

Look out for the following symptoms for a car battery issues.

4 Tips To Check For A Problematic Car Battery

1. A Foul Odour, Akin To Rotten Eggs

Our basic chemistry lessons have taught us that rotten eggs are how the gas hydrogen sulphide smells like. At times, whenever you pop the bonnet, you get this smell. Well, it indicates that the game’s over for your vehicle’s battery. The sulphuric acid is reacting with water to release H₂S along with that unavoidable odour.

As soon as the first hint of the odour hits you, do not waste any more time. Pay a visit to your nearest service station. If you live in and around Harrogate, visit professional auto garages such as HG Motors. They always have fresh stocks of tyres and car batteries plus a team of qualified service personnel to help you breeze through your MOT Harrogate.

2. Electrical Tomfoolery

From the power windows to the AC, anything that works when your car is not in motion runs on the battery. If any electrical equipment malfunctions, it will mean that there is something very amiss with the battery. It’s unable to discharge its duties properly resulting in a lack of power for the electrical devices to function properly.

3. Longer Engine Cranks

Does your car take slightly longer to crank than before? It might indicate that your car battery is fast approaching its end. All you hear as you keep turning the key are irritable whirring sounds, faint attempts at vanity. It also takes a toll on the spark plugs, which may need a replacement later on. It is best to go for a new car battery before things get even worse.

You are more than likely to fail an MOT in case you have a faulty battery. If your car fails to start in the midst of an inspection, it does your reputation no good at all.

4. Battery Casing Bulges

When a vehicle’s battery is about to go out like a candle in the wind, the casing starts to bulge. It is also known as bloating. The cause is simple: there are plenty of unwanted chemical reactions happening inside the cell. Since the battery sides are always flat, any bulging around the sides is noticeable at once and requires immediate attention.

Whenever you feel that your battery is having a problem, make sure that you ask the local car experts for advice and assistance. for more detail visit our website: www.hgmotorsharrogate.co.uk

Try out Summer Tyres during the Warm Seasons and Feel the Difference

We tend to confuse ourselves even with the simplest of things nowadays. There is no point blaming the smart phones and computers or the dozens of other devices that have made our lives full of options. Admit it; we need them, don’t we?

But when people ask about which tyres to use,things get a bit awkward. What this means is simple – if it is summer, use summer tyres and if it is winter, use winter tyres. If you still cannot decide what to do, check out the impressive stack of HG Motors tyres Harrogate.

Let us now get down to business, for this blog is going to be all about summer tyres.

So, what is so special about summer tyres?

As a citizen of the UK, you must be aware of the fact that the winters can sometimes get chilly. However, experts recommend switching over to summer tyres, whenever the temperature goes above 7°C. Once again, the reason is simple.

Winter tyres are made up of a softer quality of rubber. They cannot endure the extreme heat that builds up as a result of friction with the hot surface in summers. This is where summer tyres come into the fray.

Did you think the scientists just came up with these tyres one beautiful day without any reason? No, there is a reason why they exist.

To start off, summer tyres are made up of compounds that can endure the heat. Their tread design, structure and grip are vastly different from that of the others. The grooves are carefully engineered to be narrow and the ribs deeper. All of these characters aid in flushing out the air between the tyre and the surface. This, in turn, helps in reducing the heat. The other noticeable characteristic is that the tyres consist of a much sturdier quality of rubber. These were good enough reasons for choosing them as your car’s tyres Harrogate or anywhere else.

Two tips to follow before you begin your journey:

Everything needs preparation, be it an examination or an interview. Tyres are indeed no different. These are some of the things to checkbefore you begin your journey.

Tread depth: For you and your co-passengers’ safety, experts recommend checking the tyre depth from time to time. MOT laws in the UK make it compulsory to have a minimum tyre tread of 1.6mm for your summer tyres or any other tyres for that matter.

Summer tyres come with the regular tread depth of 8mm. However, experts suggest going for a monthly check-up if it is lower than or equal to 3mm.

Pressure: Tyres that are inflated and have started showing signs of wear and tear are a big no-no for your car. So, do check your tyre’s pressure before going out on a long journey.

Hence, these were some information to help you deal with summer tyres in Harrogateor anywhere else in the UK.