It’s not rocket science… Although they do use network topology

Occasionally, when you’re working with vehicular diagnostics, you may come across a certain scan tool issue. Either you have no communication with the scan tool, or you may retrieve communication codes indicating that one or more specific modules are not communicating. Always start by familiarizing yourself with the type of network topology (structure) used for the communication network on the vehicle you are working on. This will help you to be aware of possible faults and help you strategize how to locate a problem. For most of the common issues, there are only a limited number of ways the system can fail.

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Economy-minded 2019 Mercedes Benz GLC350e owners were disappointed to discover that their ‘Eco start/stop’ feature suddenly was turned off. Instrument clusters may display the ‘Stop vehicle Leave Engine Running’ with the battery symbol to indicate that the separate start/stop battery likely needs to be replaced.

The countdown is on for the 2024 SEMA Show and there’s plenty to be excited about! Whether you’re a loyal customer or just kicking the tires, make sure to stop by our ALLDATA booth (#31065 – located in the Upper South Hall). We have lots to show you, plus, keep an eye out for our best deals of the year!

2013 VW Jetta - Stalls/No Comms when hot

Mario Rojas (aka Super Mario Diagnostics) has been repairing cars since 2013 and sharing his repairs on YouTube for the last five years. Fitting to his username, he primarily focuses on diagnostics and troubleshooting – and he’s garnered quite a following doing so. He currently has over 52 thousand subscribers on YouTube and over five million total video views.

No parts changing - 2010 BMW X5 not charging

Mario Rojas (aka Super Mario Diagnostics) has been repairing cars since 2013 and sharing his repairs on YouTube for the last five years. Fitting to his username, he primarily focuses on diagnostics and troubleshooting – and he’s garnered quite a following doing so. He currently has over 49 thousand subscribers on YouTube and over five million total video views.

The proper match of oil filter to engine application is more important than it has ever been. Today's engines are designed with very tight tolerances: two-stage oil pumps and high flow lubrication systems. The oil pressure was increased to accommodate these tighter tolerances.

2015 BMW 228i No Comms - Rear Electronics Module Reprogramming

Mario Rojas (aka Super Mario Diagnostics) has been repairing cars since 2013 and sharing his repairs on YouTube for the last five years. Fitting to his username, he primarily focuses on diagnostics and troubleshooting – and he’s garnered quite a following doing so. He currently has over 49 thousand subscribers on YouTube and over five million total video views.

In the spirit of April Fools’ Day, three of our Tech Tips are true … and two are pranks. But which two? Find out by clicking each one to unlock the true Tech Tips, or the pranks. Ultimately, we know there’s no foolin’ around when it comes to OEM-direct, tech-verified automotive mechanical repairs.

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2016-19 Camaro owners have noticed while driving that the tachometer occasionally fluctuates between idle and 7000 RPM. The actual engine performance is unaffected. The problem doesn’t seem to be related to engine speed, vehicle speed, and current gear selection. This occurs more frequently with Camaro’s equipped with LT1 engines.

2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 with a parasitic draw

Mario Rojas, ( aka Super Mario Diagnostics) has been repairing cars since 2013, and, for the last five years, has been sharing his repairs on YouTube. Fitting to his username, he primarily focuses on diagnostics and troubleshooting – and he’s garnered quite a following doing so. He currently has over 47 thousand subscribers on YouTube and over five million total video views.

Have you heard of ALLDATA Tech Assist®? It’s our diagnostic hotline staffed by our team of Master Techs, who can help with anything from advanced diagnostic troubleshooting to step-by-step repair assistance. Plus, we offer live video-streaming so they can show you the solution while you talk to them.

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Some VW Golf owners have brought their vehicle complaining about false warnings while using the Park Assist feature. Volkswagen has issued a bulletin to address the possible reasons for the false warnings.

Staffed by a team of ASE-Certified Master Technicians, ALLDATA Tech-Assist is a diagnostic hotline that saves shops time by providing advanced diagnostic troubleshooting and step-by-step repair assistance.

If there is one thing that freaks out drivers, it’s when one or more of their brakes seize up or fail. Understandably, they get really upset when the car won’t stop, swerves abruptly, or stops unexpectedly. 

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Some 2011-14 Ford F-150 owners have noticed that the windshield wipers will not shut off once activated. After turning the control to the ‘Off’ position, the wipers appear to stay in a low intermittent mode.

The U.S. Auto Tech National Championship shines the spotlight on the best of the country’s automotive repair professionals. ALLDATA and AutoZone are proud sponsors of this event. Congratulations to First Place winners David Borer (professional) and Yanick Tanguay (student).

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Some 2022-23 Volvo C40 drivers can’t unlock their doors using the factory remote. The same problem may affect the remote starting function as well.

Get your Best Deal of the Year on ALLDATA Repair^® or ALLDATA Collision^®

The SEMA Show, taking place October 31 through November 3 in Las Vegas, is one of the automotive industry’s most anticipated events of the year.

ALLDATA returns with a more impactful booth presence, an emphasis on “connecting your workflow” to boost shop productivity, plus our Best Deal of the Year.

So you’ve taken the plunge and decided to buy a Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO). Congratulations! This is a great diagnostics asset to have in your belt. But now you may be wondering what exactly you can do with your new tool. Here are five tips so you can take full advantage of your DSO.

Have an engine misfire or lack of power? Confused by Variable Valve Timing (VVT) codes? The car may also have cam sensor, crank/cam correlation codes and fuel trim problems.

Using Freeze Frame data as a diagnostic tool - Diagnostic Digest Volume 5

In the west Texas town of Midland, football is the town’s number one activity. Ranking a close second is oil exploration. The refineries turn the crude into cheap gasoline and Diesel fuel that moves the Midland population. This is not Austin: a Google Maps view of the Tesla Supercharger on Antelope Trail shows one lone Model Y taking on electrons next door to the Love’s Travel Stop.

Every manufacturer has a different way of categorizing and displaying their repair information, and ALLDATA standardizes this information without altering the sources. Using powerful indexing and search algorithms, ALLDATA translates the manufacturers’ glossaries into a format that is familiar to most technicians. Here are some tips on how to find the repair information you are looking for – even if it isn’t where you think it should be.

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Some 2018 Equinox owners have reported that their steering columns and seats are moving on their own. Fears of hackers taking over are premature, the actual cause are faulty or missing water plugs in the A-frame, causing corrosion in the affected modules. 

TRENDING TSB

Some Model S drivers or passengers have complained about damp or wet front footwells. Water ingress issues can cause intermittent or permanent loss of door functions, such as window and lock control. Tesla released a Service Bulletin (SB-22-10-003) which details materials and repair procedures.  

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Some Tacoma owners have heard a random 1-3 second whistle coming from their air conditioner vents. The siffleur surprise may occur as the compressor cycles on and off and is more prevalent with increased engine RPM during hot days.

Diagnostic Digest Volume 4

As the lead instructor of a community college automotive technology program, Ben Breedlove often found himself with the unenviable task of fixing students’ mistakes. Ten years ago, he was the shop foreman of a Toyota dealership service department. At least once a week, he had to rescue a dealership technician from the aftereffects of a misdiagnosis or a botched repair procedure.

ALLDATA has joined forces with parent company AutoZone, national account partner Monro, and other industry leaders to sponsor the U.S. Auto Tech National Championship.

How many parts get replaced that didn’t fix the customer’s complaint because a technician made guesses instead of an accurate diagnosis? Often those inaccurate diagnoses are a result of not being able to see a complete picture of the reason for the problem.

Diagnostic Digest Volume 3

Native Californian Noah Waite built up a solid automotive service business over the last 15 years in the California coastal community of Huntington Beach. Unofficially known as “Surf City USA”, Huntington Beach is famous for its waves. Although the Beach Boys were from Hawthorne, they certainly sung about the main attraction of the town.

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Rear seated passengers of the 2021-23 soft-topped Ford Bronco have complained of a detaching headliner. This hair style-altering stalactite may be due to a faulty factory installation process which over time has caused the headliner to droop down in the rear of the vehicle, over the rear passenger seats and cargo area.

Diagnostic Digest Volume 2

Father’s Day was a few days away at the Kempt Garage. Kyle contemplated the new tie his kids would almost certainly give him; ties were something he only wore at weddings and funerals. As the busy owner of a garage that bore his last name, he was thankful that neither of those events was occurring this week. The temperatures were ramping up and the number of heat-related diagnostic cases increased commensurately. A local mom and high school teacher, Heidi Hagan, had dropped off her 2016 Chevy Truck Equinox SUV earlier that day with a complaint of “air conditioning not working.”

TRENDING TSB

Rear seated passengers of the 2021-23 soft-topped Ford Bronco have complained of a detaching headliner. This hair style-altering stalactite may be due to a faulty factory installation process which over time has caused the headliner to droop down in the rear of the vehicle, over the rear passenger seats and cargo area.

In this MotorAge article, Chris Farley describes how “blindly approaching a fault is like jumping into an empty pool … you may quickly get to the bottom of it but it’s probably going to hurt.” For a rear-ended 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee with multiple indicators illuminated and numerous DTCs, he uses ALLDATA to identify connector locations that revealed the cause of the issue.

June is ASE Automotive Service Professionals Month

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has designated June 2023 as Automotive Service Professionals Month.

ASE encourages industry members to use Automotive Service Professionals Month as a way to thank service professionals and conduct recognition events, special programs, and other celebrations.

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Some Cadillac Escalade owners (2021-23) may complain of a hoot, howl, or whistle-type wind noise coming from either the left or right side of the dash / front end while driving at highway speeds.  This noise may change depending on the HVAC setting being set to either fresh air or recirculation mode. In some cases, the complaint could be a squeak or creak noise from the I/P dash, which could occur while driving at any speed.  

As technology continues to evolve, Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) have become increasingly common in vehicles, providing drivers with enhanced safety features and driving assistance that have made roads safer for us all.

ADAS: What you don't know CAN hurt you!

In this video from ALLDATA, MotorAge’s Pete Meier talks about the growth of ADAS over the years, how performing other repairs can affect these sensitive systems, and why using OEM information helps protect your shop from potential liability issues.

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White knuckled customers have complained that their F-150, while using the active adaptive cruise control, unexpectedly decelerated while passing large vehicles (tractor trailers).

In the spirit of April Fools’ Day, three of our Tech Tips are true … and two are pranks. But which two? Find out by clicking each one to unlock the true Tech Tips, or the pranks. Ultimately, we know there’s no foolin’ around when it comes to OEM-accurate, tech-verified automotive mechanical repairs.

What happens to a hybrid or electric vehicle’s high-voltage (HV) battery or battery pack at the end of its life? Do they get recycled or tossed into a landfill? The good news is, HV batteries can be recycled, but you must do so using explicit steps and safety procedures.