From time to time folks post a thread looking for help troubeshooting some problem with their car. I spent many years in the heavy equipment repair bizz, and one of the training cl***es I took long ago was on troubleshooting techiques and diagnosis of faults and complaints. It was a very good course, one that really forced us to think things through. For instance, for a homework ***ignmment each of us in the cl*** were given an actual customer complaint that had been received in the past, and a schematic of the system involved (electrical/hydraulic) and we had to fugure out the cause of the complaint from that. Pretty challenging. Anyway, one of th take aways from that cl*** was this guide. It's been a couple of decades since then, but the basic procedures of effective troubleshooting have not changed. Hopefully this will be helpful for some of you. I've loaded the pdf to my website, you can download it here: h***erl.com/Amp_Mod_Docs/effective_troubleshooting.pdf
Blues4U, good article. However, the internet has spawned an entire generation of people who (1) cant express the problem in simple terms, (2) can't follow simple steps, and (3) runs to the internet to ask how to fix it instead of doing simple troubleshooting. The best example is the current car dealer setup...they have one or two "trained" folks who troubleshoot and then toss the problem to a "technician" to R&R the part. The troubleshooters are usually darned good at their job and command good pay. Why cant everyone troubleshoot?
" If you can't explain something in simple terms, you don't understand how it works." Albert Einstein Good thread- some people are too smart to figure out a simple problem.
In the automotive industry it's rapidly becoming a lost art. The solution these days is 'hook it up to to the computer' and that's all most know. But it's still not a skill everyone is good at; I worked as an electrician for 35 years, and I can't tell you how many times I went on service calls that defied the on-site maintenance guys or even other guys in our shop. Electrical troubleshooting in particular is very unforgiving if you fail to apply logic to the process because you can't always see the problem even if you have a decent understanding.
I will figure it out myself....I'll google it.... "If you can't explain something in simple terms, you don't understand how it works." Albert Einstein (this is great)
I had an auto tech instructor years ago, quite possibly the best teacher of any subject that I ever had, who would repeatedly remind his students of the following. "Knowledge of operation is the first step to proper diagnosis."
Thanks - some people here quickly start a thread and ask for a immediate answer to a vague question about without taking the time to do a long search here. yes, pics with question can help to figure stuff out.
That is some good advise right there. When it comes to trouble shooting I always had a hard time finding out the proper way to do thing, but and old mechanic youth me a valuable lesson; most modern cars does the same as old cars, in the way they run, they just make it look complicated! And the older the engine the more basic your basic set is, the newer your "task" is the more special, but still that same. For diagnostics I always bring this: jumper cables Brake cleaner spray Hammer, preferable big A yard of wire screwdriver with Philips/standard A spark plug Ligth bulb w/socket and short wires Cloth/towel/paper. Block and pen Rain coat, gloves and flask ligth And bucket to carry this in With this basic set I can do diagnostics or treat-arch roadside, in a shop even state site or on the water. This is part one of basic testing, basic tools. And if this ain't to much of threat jacking, I would like add the next steps, and then you can add, subtract or just feel free to jump in.
Also you can't troubleshoot an electrical or brake system if you never work on your car or know how it should operate. I know of guys that have had their cars for years and find someone to work on their cars because they don't have the slightest idea how various systems operate.
Page 15, Could also be called Internet trouble shooting. For the lost, do all the above. For those trying to help, look for all of the above to be done. If not its your time to waste. The tread will go 3-12 pages and witches or voodoo will be the cause or the cure. If they won't read 1000s of books that discuss the matter, they won't read the book you personally write for them either. Why is trouble shooting a lost art? Because it requires common sense, and incase you haven't noticed isn't quite so common today. It requires being able to think logically, it requires patience to follow and respect a hierarchy, it requires discipline to follow the steps. Soooo, look around you and see who has common sense, thinks logically, has patience, follows authority, respects anything, or has a bit of self discipline. I'm amazed at the astound reaction when explaining the simplest of troubleshooting thoughts. They catch a glimpse of the light and think its some ancient secret that just unlocked the mystery of the universe.
Keep it simple, is the way to go, and taking an part down to paper, and do a simple layout visually will make this do able, and sometime the solution sticks it's head put because it just seem clear apposed to opening it up in your head. That really helps me a **** load of times! Mechanical issues is mostly straight forward, but electric and hydraulic takes some time to found out what it contains, what is connected where and in what order. But there is always an order to do things in!
If in doubt, read the book. I get problems lumbered on me at work that just need someone to read the book, press the right switch, etc. Then when it's done they think you're a flippin brain surgeon.
The old mechanics books used to have great troubleshooting charts, like the old Chiltons. Easy to follow and very clear in finding the problem, if you can't do it on your own. I'm always surprised with the ignorance, or even the resistance to following simple troubleshooting advice that some folks have. They just want a quick answer (RIGHT NOW) to what's wrong, and how can I fix it cheaply, easily, and quickly!
Oh geeze. So my car Starts acting up. I pick my girl up and went out to eat she got a hamburger I dropped her off or get her nails done Come back to the car and it's making silly noises. What could be wrong with it? I'm sure you get the idea, bit it could be a lot longer with more nonsense. Here's a good one true story, In the very recent past. Car Comes in for a check engine light, evap code, large leak. Pull it in, Jack it up, yank rear wheel pull the inner fender, and scope the filler neck, and goofy canister. Set in the car that was just running just fine 12 mins earlier, and start it up. Engine spins over but sounds like the plugs are out for a compression test. I'm like wtf ?? The thing is just whirring like a champ too. Pull the plugs and run the compression test first !!!! Zero. That decision stopped all the secondary ******** dead in its tracks. Why the thing decided to jump time right then at that moment if for someone else to figure out.
Having spent close to 50 years in aircraft maintenance, I'm very familiar with trouble shooting, many time's using a "tree" (logic diagram). it's all ways interesting to see how people approach a problem and attack it. Ain't a day goes by that I don't learn something from the HAMB.
And if you had a idiot customer, they accuse you of damaging their motor when you pulled the rear tire....
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