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Intermittent Problem Diagnosis from the Carrsmith Service Department
Intermittent problems are the most vexing of repair problem. A vehicle has an intermittent problem when it occurs unpredictably and or randomly. An intermittent problem may not occur while operating the system or even during a test drive. This presents a diagnostic problem of a very difficult nature. On the first launch after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the count down for the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery had to be 'scrubbed' in July of 2005 because of an intermittently problem with a fuel sensor. This cost NASA hours of lost work and millions of dollars. NASA engineers had been looking at the problem since April but, just couldn't figure it out before the days of the final count down before launch. Similarly, intermittent problems can occur in automobiles, as well. We are equipped with the latest repair information, technical service bulletins, and recall information. If your vehicle has a system or component with an inherent safety, emissions, or reliability problem and there is a factory fix available for it, we will be able to make you aware of it and repair the problem for you. Regardless of the type of problem or the system at fault, certain aspects of diagnosis remain the same. In order to accurately diagnose the cause of any problem the technician needs the problem to (predictably) occur at least twice. This is because a first observation provides the technician with some insight needed to plan a focused testing strategy. A focused testing strategy saves diagnostic time and dollars. The problem must occur a second time, while the technician has his test equipment hooked-up monitoring the system or components that may be involved. Although the technician is prepared to attempt to recreate whatever operating conditions are necessary to make the problem occur, if the problem does not surface, a focused strategy cannot be planned. The Focused Testing Strategy is the best one in terms of making the correct repair at the lowest cost. If you experience a problem of an intermittent nature, pay attention to when it occurs. Keep a log if you need to. This may lead you to being able to predict when the concern will manifest, and maybe even learning how to 'make it do it.' This data will go a long way toward saving you time, money and 'getting it done right the first time.' If the Focused Strategy cannot be used another strategy is the All-inclusive Systematic Method where the technician tests all systems with the ability to cause the symptom until a defect is found. This all-inclusive systematic method takes more time and dollars, and there is no guarantee that the correction of a defect discovered this way will resolve the problem. This is because there is no proof a defect discovered during this systematic testing is the real cause of the problem. The worst strategy in my opinion is a repair based on an Educated Guess. This can be risky because, in most cases, the part cannot be returned and the labor for the installation is non-refundable. Diagnosing intermittent problems can be very time consuming and requires your patience and cooperation for us to be successful fixing the problem. It may require more diagnostic time than originally estimated to recreate or find the cause of the symptom. It may require extensive road testing of the vehicle and it may be necessary to leave the vehicle for several days or months, or return several times so we may observe the symptom or judge the results of diagnosis and/or repair to insure the problem is corrected. The service writer will give you an initial estimate for diagnosis. This estimate is an educated guess of how long it may take to discover the cause of your problem. This initial estimate does not guarantee a discovery of the cause of the symptom or include the cost of repair. The repair cannot be estimated until after the diagnosis is completed. During the course of the diagnosis we will keep you informed of our progress. If additional diagnostic time is required to discover the cause of the problem, we will ask for your authorization of the cost before proceeding. After diagnosis we will ask for your authorization of the repair cost before proceeding. Now that you are aware of some things that can come up when trying to fix an intermittent problem, it is time to talk to the service writer about the specifics of your situation. |
