Car Service Tips

Check Engine Warning Light

The Check Engine Light

This is a fault-registering system connected to sensors all over the car, engine, fuel and emissions system and is an indication that you may need mechanical repairs or electrical repairs. When the check engine light comes on, it can mean many things. There are something like 4,000 unique OBD2 codes that can be stored. Handheld OBD2 diagnostic tools can be plugged in to the OBD2 port which is normally under the dash on the driver’s side or centre console or engine bay. These tools can read out the fault code and/or reset the system to contain no codes. Codes are split into two categories – historical/inactive, and active. The historical codes are lists of things that have been detected in the past but are no longer an issue, whilst the active codes are things that are a problem right now. Codes are subdivided into B-codes (body), C-codes (chassis) and P-codes (powertrain).

P0440 OBD-II code. This is the most common code you’ll find and it’s the first thing you should check. P0440 is the code for Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction which covers a multitude of sins. The one thing it covers that you can check is your petrol cap (gas cap). Most new cars have a pressurised fuel system and vapour recovery loop. If you’ve filled up with petrol and not twisted the petrol cap until it clicks, you’ve not sealed the fuel system. It won’t pressurise and the OBD2 system will log a P0440 code. In fact, on a lot of cars, that code is so common they’ll actually have some way of telling you to check the gas cap. In some Honda’s, for example, if a P0440 code is logged, the dash scrolls “CHECK GAS CAP” across the odometer display. So if you get a check engine light, check the petrol cap first and see if the light goes off. Note: even if the light does go off, the code will likely still be stored in the OBD system and will show up next time it is checked. If it isn’t the petrol cap then you’ll need to call for a technician to attend and diagnose the source of the code.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
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Headlight Globe

Don’t touch the glass when changing headlight bulbs

Most headlight bulbs now are filled with halogen and have special coatings on the outside of the glass. If you pick the bulb up by the glass with your fingers, you will leave trace amounts of oil and grease on the glass. When the bulb is used, that area of the glass will get hotter than the rest and it will eventually cause the bulb to crack. When changing headlight bulbs, only hold the metal bulb holder at the base, or make sure you’re wearing rubber surgical / mechanic’s gloves (clean ones) if you’re touching the glass.

You may be able to upgrade from standard headlight globes to newer brighter and clearer headlight globes. Our service technicians carry common headlight globes and can assist you during your next service.

Ace Auto Electrician can help with your electrical repairs.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

Brake Warning Light Or Hand Brake Warning Light

Brake Warning Light

Most cars nowadays have a brake warning light on the dash. Its purpose is to alert you that something is wrong in the braking system somewhere. If it comes on, check your owner’s manual to find out its meaning.

Unlike the single-purpose ABS warning light, the brake warning light doesn’t have a standard meaning; it could be used for multiple purposes. For example, the same light may be used to show that the hand brake is on. If that’s the case and you’re driving, you ought to have noticed the smell of burning brake dust by now.

The light can also indicate that the fluid in the brake master cylinder is low. If so it may be the brake master cylinder requires additional brake fluid or it may be time for a brake fluid and brake system flush. Special care must be taken when maintaining the brake system, including not mixing of different brake fluids. Seek professional assistance if attension or maintenance is required.

Each manufacturer has a different use and standard for this light, Ace Auto Electrician can help with your mechanical repairs or electrical repairs.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

ABS Warning Light

ABS Warning Light

If you’ve got an ABS-equipped car, you also have a second light – the ABS light. If it comes on, get it seen to as soon as possible.

It means the ABS computer has diagnosed that something is amiss in the system. It could be something as simple as dirt in one of the sensors, or something as costly as an entire ABS unit replacement. Either way, if that light is on then you may not have ABS and will have only the manual braking system available.

It’s important to note that this light normally comes on when you start the car and then switches off a few seconds later.

If it stays on, blinks, throbs, flashes or in any other way draws your attention to itself, take note and call a service technician for mechanical repairs or electrical repairs as soon as possible.

The ABS controls part of the brake system and if it inadvertantly operates while driving can be very dangerous.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

Side Mirror Indicator Light

Electrical Lights – Blinker Inidicator Flashing Faster

Is one of your indicator or blinkers flashing faster than the other?

When you indicate one way and the blinker flashes quicker than when you indicate the other way, it usually means one of the bulbs in the system has blown and you are likely to need electrial repairs.

An auto parts store will be able to tell you what sort of bulb you need to replace it with and your manual should show you how to get at the indicator bulbs – they’re different on every car or you can have it replaced professionally by one of our service technicians or during your next service. Our service technicians carry common bulbs on board at the ready and can advise on any other electrical needs you may have.

More recently LED lights have replaced bulb lights on new cars, with longer life spans and operating independently so that if one LED light fails the other will still operate. Transport vechicles such as trucks are moving to LED lighting for both function and fashion.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

Battery Warning Light

The Battery Warning Light, Electrical Fault Light or Charge Warning Light

This warning light is different in every car but normally it looks like a picture of a battery, similar to the picture provided here. You’ll see it come on and go off when you start your engine as part of the car’s self-test, but if this light comes on and stays on, it means the electrical charging system is no longer working properly and you’re likely to need some electrical repairs.

Think of it like a mobile phone battery. If the mobile phone is plugged into the charger, you can use it indefinitely, but when you disconnect it from the charger, there’s a limited amount of time before your battery runs out. It’s exactly the same in your car, only bigger.

Every car has an alternator – the charger – and a 12v battery used to supply power to the electrical system. If the alternator or part of the charging system becomes faulty or the drive belt to it snaps, then it will not be able to do its job.

The longer you drive, the more your car will use up the remaining juice in the battery and eventually the engine will die. The solution may require the checking of the components of the charging system or possibly a new or remanufactured alternator.

Our service technicians carry common charging system components and will be able to check your car, diagnose, locate and rectify to have you back on the road in no time.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

Service Engine Light

Indication Lights Include:

• Service Engine Light
• Maintenance Required Light

These lights may indicate the following:

• Service Required
• Service Engine
• Maintenance Required

It’s an indicator that you’re getting close to a scheduled maintenance interval and require a car service.

On some cars it’s as simple as counting miles before it comes on, whilst on others it maps engine temperatures, oil temperatures, air temperatures and other indicators of probable stress to tell you when it might be time for new oil or a service. In most cars this can be overridden or reset by you or if not then a service professional. Your handbook will tell you if this is the case. When your car is serviced the technician should be able to reset it for you.

Typically this light will come on when you start your car, and then turn off again as part of the self-check. If it stays on for 10 seconds then turns off, it normally means you’re within 1000 km of needing a service. If it flashes for 10 seconds, it normally means you’ve exceeded a recommended service interval.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

Battery Jumper Leads

Jump Starting Your Car

If your battery has been drain such as by leaving lights on for an extended period of time without the engine running, take the following precautions to prevent damage to the battery and the starter motor when jump-starting your car:

• Make sure the vehicles aren’t touching.
• Don’t risk causing damage to the battery or even for it to explode. Ensure both car batteries are the same voltage eg 12 Volt.
• With both cars off, connect a positive cable end to the positive battery terminal of the dead battery.
• Don’t let the cables touch each other.
• Connect the other positive cable end to the positive terminal of the source battery.
• Connect a negative cable end to the negative terminal of the source battery.
• Attach the remaining negative cable to unpainted metal on the car engine (as far from the dead battery as possible).
• Wait a few minutes. Turn on the headlights of the disabled car before starting it. This absorbs voltage spikes that can cause damage to your vehicle’s computer. Try to start the disabled car. If it doesn’t start, start the source car and then try starting the disabled one again.
• When the car starts, be careful to disconnect the cables in the reverse order.
• If the car still doesn’t start, don’t keep trying to charge it or you are liable to damage the starter motor. Call us to arrange a service technician to attend to your car.
• Even if you’re successful, ensure a full recharge by hooking up the battery to a charger overnight or by driving the car for 8 to 16 km or at least 30 minutes. Depending on the condition of the battery, additional time may be required.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

Battery Problems

Disconnecting and Reconnecting Your Battery

If you’re going to do any work on your car involving electrical repairs especially with the electrical system, disconnect the battery first.

To do this, loosen the connector for the negative/ground terminal first, and wiggle the terminal cap off. Use a wire-tie or similar to tie the cable back out of the way. If you need to take the battery out, you can now take off the positive connector.

Why negative then positive?

If you disconnect the positive side of the battery first, the negative side is still connected to the entire car. If you drop a tool and it lands on the positive battery terminal and touches anything else on the car, you’ll have an electrical short. By disconnecting the negative first, you’re cutting off the return path for the current. Now, if a tool drops on to either of the battery terminals, it doesn’t matter if it touches part of the chassis or not – there’s no continuous path for the electrical current.

Reconnecting your battery.

Connect the positive terminal first, and the negative second – the reverse of removal, and for the same reasons. When you slip the negative connector on, there will be a spark as it gets close and makes contact with the negative battery terminal. Don’t be afraid of this – it’s nothing to worry about. Make sure the terminal caps are done up nice and tight.

Note that if your car radio is coded, disconnecting the battery will clear the code on the radio so ensure you have the code available to reset the car radio after the battery is reconnected. Also note disconnecting the battery on some cars may result in clearing codes from the cars computer which will need to be reset after the battery is reconnected. Our professional service technicians will be able to assist when required.

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ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42

Battery Terminal Corrosion

Checking Battery Terminals

Most modern cars run on a 12 volt negative ground electrical system. If your battery terminals or contacts aren’t clean, you’re making it more difficult for the current to pass around the electrical system and you are likely to experience car battery problems.

Remove the terminal caps by first loosening the connector for the negative/ground terminal and then disconnecting the negative/ground terminal from the battery (refer to Disconnecting and Reconnecting Your Battery).

Second repeat the process for the positive terminal. Clean each contact post with a wire brush to get a nice clean metal contact surface. Do the same to the terminal caps, then reattach them by reconnecting the positive terminal first, and the negative/ground terminal second (refer to post on Disconnecting and Reconnecting Your Battery).

About the Author
ACE Auto Electrician
Electrical Repairs | Car Service
www.aceautoelectrician.com.au
CALL 13 20 42