Instrument Voltage Regulator Replacement
Low Water Sensor Replacement
Your engine needs coolant in order to maintain an optimum operating temperature. If the temperature exceeds a threshold, serious damage can occur. In order to ensure that optimal temperature is maintained, you need the right amount of coolant in the radiator, reservoir, and engine. Leaks will result in low levels of coolant, which will be detected normally by low water sensors (or, more accurately, coolant level sensors). The low water sensor doesn’t track the level of coolant in your engine or the radiator. Instead, it works as a thermistor, which uses relative temperature difference to determine the amount of coolant flowing through the engine during operation. The temperature difference information is sent from the low water sensor to the car’s computer, where it is used to determine whether there is sufficient coolant or not. If the computer determines there isn’t enough coolant, it turns on a warning light in the dash (the actual light will vary from one automaker to another, so consult your owner’s manual).
The coolant level sensor is electronic and can suffer from many problems, including wiring harness issues.
The vehicle hood is raised and secured in the open position. The washer fluid is then drained. | The windshield washer reservoir is unbolted from the inner fender and removed. | The low water sensor is removed from the reservoir and the reservoir is flushed. | The new low water sensor is installed in the reservoir which is then reinstalled and refilled with | washer fluid The wipers and washers are tested for proper operation.
A Low Coolant warning light on your dash will not prevent you from driving the car, but you’ll overheat the engine if you don’t heed its warning. If the level sensor is not working properly, it should be diagnosed by one of our expert mechanics.
Preventing your engine from overheating is critical. The right amount of coolant circulating through the engine and the radiator will prevent overheating, but if the coolant level sensor is malfunctioning, you will not know if there is enough coolant present. We recommend having the sensor diagnosed by our expert mechanics immediately.
Manifold Temperature Sensor Replacement
Air is the single most important element for a running engine, even more so than fuel or oil. Without a flow of fresh, clean air, combustion cannot take place, and your engine cannot operate. However, simply ensuring that airflow can reach the intake is not enough. The car’s computer needs to know a lot of information about the temperature and quality of air entering the intake. The manifold temp sensor is responsible for determining the temperature of the air, and providing that information to the computer. The computer will determine the density of the air and adjust the fuel flow to meet that. Depending on the make and model you drive, your car may have more than one manifold temp sensor. For instance, if you have a split manifold, you’ll have a sensor for each part. Like all other sensors on your car, the manifold temp sensor is subject to high heat and wear and tear. Electrical problems such as shorts and broken wires augment the list of potential troubles.
The manifold temp sensor is not part of any maintenance inspection. | The sensor can fail due to damage to the sensor or the wiring harness. | A failed sensor will activate your Check Engine light.
The air cleaner is removed for access | The defective manifold temperature sensor is removed | The new manifold temperature is installed and connected | The air cleaner assembly is reinstalled | The vehicle is started and checked for coolant leaks and sensor operation
Your manifold temp sensor is subject to considerable temperature extremes and will eventually fail. Without this component and the information, it provides, the computer cannot determine the density of air entering the intake, resulting in an imbalanced air/fuel mixture. This causes rich or lean operation; both circumstances will damage the engine. If you suspect a problem with the manifold temperature sensor or experience the symptoms, have one of our expert mechanics diagnose the sensor.
Having an operational manifold temp sensor is critical for vehicle operation. If your Check Engine light is on, or you experience fuel or acceleration related problems, this may be the cause. Because many other problems display similar symptoms, it is important to work with our expert mechanics to diagnose the actual issue and make the necessary repairs.
Mass Airflow Sensor Replacement
The mass airflow sensor is a round tunnel made of plastic with a sensor attached inside. All cars take air from the outside and pass it into the engine through the air filter. The mass airflow sensor measures the amount of air entering the engine. For an engine to perform properly, it needs a specific amount of air-fuel mixture. The computer in the car reads the amount of air coming into the engine from the mass airflow sensor and then calculates the correct amount of fuel needed for proper engine performance. If the sensor goes bad, the engine will not know the right amount of fuel to add, causing problems including poor gas mileage, lack of power and more. It is common for the mass airflow sensor to get dirty (if the air filter is dirty) and lose the ability to read the amount of air coming in the engine. If the vacuum hoses are leaking, it will give the same error code as mass airflow sensor failure. When doing this job, the mechanic may recommend changing the electrical connector that connects the mass airflow sensor to the car’s computer system. It is possible for the wires in the connector to break, causing the mass airflow sensor to not work.
Routinely changing your air filter can improve the lifespan of your mass airflow sensor | Often mass airflow sensors stop working because of bad connectors or wiring harnesses. | Anytime the mass airflow sensor is replaced, the air duct between the sensor and the intake manifold should be inspected.
Scan the computer in the car for codes. | Verify the problem. | Remove and replace the sensor if found faulty. | Check vacuum hoses for leaks and cracks. | Test drive the vehicle.
Changing the air filter on a regular basis will ensure that the car is getting cleaner air and hence performing optimally. If the Check Engine light is on, get the car inspected as soon as you can. If the Check Engine light is flashing, pull over and get the car towed to avoid costly repairs. A mechanic should always inspect the vacuum hoses and snorkel attached to the mass airflow sensor when replacing it. It is possible for these items to have leaks. Replacing the sensor without fixing the leaks will not solve the problem.
In order to run optimally, your vehicle needs to have a perfect fuel-to-air ratio. As the vehicle is moving, an uncontrollable amount of air enters the throttle body and heads into the intake manifold. As such, the fuel has to be adjusted to be optimal for the amount of air. The mass airflow sensor measures the mass of the air that is entering the vehicle, and sends the information to the car’s computer management system. This system then controls the amount of fuel that is injected into the cylinders, so that the ideal fuel-to-air ratio is achieved. When the mass airflow sensor stops working, the computer cannot receive information on the air intake, and the fuel-to-air ratio will be wrong. This will cause your engine to run poorly, and sometimes not at all. It will also impact your gas mileage.
Oxygen Sensor Replacement
With each new model year, manufacturers are adding more oxygen sensors to better manage engine operation. Some high performance engines have an oxygen sensor for each cylinder as well as one for the rear of each catalytic convertor. The sensors are located either underneath the hood or underneath the car. The oxygen sensors are connected (screwed) to the exhaust pipe, either in front or back of the catalytic converter. The front (upstream) sensors measure the amount of oxygen in the exhaust system. The purpose of the front oxygen sensor(s) is to measure how rich or lean the gases are as the gases exit the combustion chamber. Depending upon whether the exhaust gas is lean (high in oxygen content) or rich (low in oxygen content), the amount of fuel entering the engine is adjusted by the engine management computer to try and maintain an ideal mixture that produces the lowest emissions output from the catalytic convertor. Rear (downstream) sensors are located behind the catalytic converter. The purpose of the rear oxygen sensor(s) is to monitor the oxygen content of the exhaust gases leaving the catalytic convertor. If one or more of the oxygen sensors are faulty, your car may not pass the emissions test. If you drive your car with a faulty oxygen sensor, you may get poor gas mileage and it can damage the catalytic converter. When replacing the oxygen sensor remember: Many oxygen sensors are damaged by leaking oil or coolant. If that is the case, the cause of that leak needs to be identified and repaired, or else the replacement oxygen sensor will be damaged as well. New vehicles require specific oxygen sensors, and not the universal sensors that were common prior to 1996.
Scan the computer in the car for codes. | Inspect for vacuum leaks and holes in the exhaust system. | Remove and replace the oxygen sensor if it is bad. | Check electrical connections. | Check for proper operation of oxygen sensors. | Clear diagnostic codes. | Test drive car.
Keep up with the tune-ups. If check engine light is on, don’t drive the car too long without getting it inspected. If check engine light is flashing, pull over and get the car towed to avoid costly repairs. Ask the mechanic to inspect the vacuum hoses and leaks in the exhaust system. If the vacuum hose or exhaust system is leaking, it will display an oxygen sensor fault code. Replacing an oxygen sensor may not fix the problem.
Speedometer Sensor Replacement
As its name implies, the speedometer displays your vehicle’s real-time speed. Most speedometers are electronic. An electronic speedometer measures vehicle speed with the help of a speedometer sensor. This sensor, usually located at the transmission, detects the drive shaft’s rotational speed. The sensor delivers a corresponding series of pulses to a computer, which then turns these pulses into the numerical figure the speedometer indicates. So when the speedometer sensor becomes faulty, the speedometer becomes unreliable.
Your replacement speedometer sensor needs to be specific to your make and model, or else it might be inaccurate. A VIN is required to ensure the correct match.
Check the operation of speedometer. | Scan the computer system in the car for codes. | Test the vehicle speed sensor. | Replace the vehicle speed sensor if faulty. | Recheck the operation of speedometer.
There’s no need to be proactive with your speedometer sensor, as your car will quickly let you know when it fails. When the speedometer sensor malfunctions, the Check Engine warning light should come on, and your vehicle’s cruise control will stop working. The speedometer may also stop working, or it may become noticeably inaccurate.
A speedometer sensor measures the rate at which the vehicle’s driveshaft is rotating; this data is sent to the vehicle’s computer, where it is converted into a number and displayed on the speedometer. When the speedometer sensor fails, there is no line of communication to your speedometer, and you won’t be able to view how fast you’re driving.
Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) Replacement
For a car to run smoothly, it needs the proper mixture of air and fuel. The amount of air in the engine is controlled by the air intake system. A throttle body is part of the air intake system that helps control the amount of air that gets into the engine. The throttle body has a throttle plate. If the plate is closed, it prevents the air from getting into the engine. When you push the gas pedal, it opens the plate, allowing the air to enter the engine. The amount of air depends on the position of the plate, which is controlled by the gas pedal. The harder you push the gas pedal, the wider the plate will open, and more air will flow to the engine. This means more power and more speed. The throttle position sensor reports the position of the gas pedal to the computer in your car (Engine Control Unit). The computer then determines the position of the throttle plate. It also calculates the amount of air flow to the engine and the amount of fuel to be injected for the required ratio of air-fuel mixture. The throttle position sensor also controls the shifting of the gears. If this sensor stops working, the car’s computer will not be able to calculate the right amount of fuel to be injected in the system. It may not be able to change the gears. Your car will not get the right amount of power. It may not even start. The Check Engine light may come on.
When the throttle position sensor is repaired or replaced, it will need to have the minimum idle speed reset to factory specs, and the trouble codes will need to be cleared. | When a new throttle position sensor is placed in your vehicle, it should be checked for software updates.
Scan the computer system for codes. | Test the throttle position sensor and related wiring. | Remove and replace the throttle position sensor if found faulty. | Clean the carbon from throttle body. | Re-install throttle body and reset minimum idle speed to factory specs. | Clear trouble codes and check for proper operation. | Test drive vehicle.
If you notice that the gears are not changing properly, get the throttle position sensor (TPS) inspected. A good mechanic will clean the throttle body during a tune-up. If the Check Engine light is on, get the car inspected as soon as you can.
Your vehicle depends on an optimal mixture of air and fuel in order to run optimally. The amount of air that enters the engine is controlled by the air intake system. The faster your engine is moving, the more air it needs, so your air intake system is in tune with your gas pedal. Your throttle position sensor is constantly sending information about your gas pedal to the vehicle’s engine control unit. The computer then chooses the optimal position for the throttle plate, which is the part of the air intake system that lets air into the engine. When the throttle position sensor malfunctions, the engine control unit has no information about the gas pedal, and the throttle plate is not utilized. As a result, your vehicle will not get the right amount of air into the engine, and your engine will lose power and run very poorly. In some cases, this will keep your vehicle from being able to change gears.
Throttle/Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor Replacement
On older vehicle designs, a simple throttle cable connects the accelerator pedal to the engine and controls the amount of fuel delivered to the engine. However, with fuel injected systems, that has changed. Newer engines now use electronics to control the amount of fuel sent to the engine based on accelerator pedal movement. This is the job of the accelerator pedal position sensor. It’s mounted to the gas pedal, and essentially translates the movement of the pedal (speed and position) into voltage, which tells the car’s computer how much fuel to supply for engine acceleration.
It’s impossible to check the operation of the accelerator pedal position sensor visually as it requires a voltmeter and an understanding of the proper voltage output range. | It’s possible for an accelerator pedal position sensor to operate intermittently. | A discrepancy in voltage will put the computer into “limp” mode, which provides significantly reduced power to prevent damage.
The throttle pedal position sensor is verified that it needs to be replaced. The throttle trim cover is then removed to access the sensor. | The defective throttle pedal position sensor is disconnected and removed. | The new throttle pedal position sensor is installed onto the firewall and reconnected. | The engine is started and the throttle pedal position sensor is tested for operation. The trim panel is then reinstalled. | The vehicle is road tested to ensure proper operation of the throttle pedal position sensor.
There is no set service or replacement period for your accelerator pedal position sensor. If you suspect a problem with your accelerator pedal position sensor, have one of our expert mechanics diagnose the system.
Because the accelerator pedal position sensor tells the car’s computer how quickly you’re depressing the accelerator pedal and controls the supply of fuel to the engine, replacement is very important. While your car will continue to operate even if there is a problem with the sensor, it will do so with limited capacity. Our experienced mechanics will use a voltmeter to determine sensor operation and diagnose the problem accurately. Have a faulty accelerator pedal position sensor replaced immediately.