Back to all

On Board Diagnostics for Tampa Motorists

January 17, 2021

Some Tampa vehicle owners wonder why Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) and other Tampa auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics.

Receiving a diagnostic charge at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the Tampa area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy FL road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you're having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) diagnosis may be much more involved.

Much of the Tampa driver's confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem.

There's a common misconception among FL drivers that the trouble code tells the Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) technician exactly what's wrong. They wonder why there is a diagnostic charge because the scanner quickly gave the diagnosis.

In reality, it is not that easy and straightforward. The computer monitors many sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of these sensors has a reading that's out of parameters, the computer will record a trouble code and turn on the Check Engine light.

The vehicle computer's trouble code just tells the Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what's causing it. The technician needs to determine the underlying problem that's causing the malfunction.

There are many problems that could cause a troublesome sensor reading for Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) customers. The service advisor makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem. This takes time.

Tampa service centers subscribe to databases that document possible causes for all the possible trouble codes. The databases outline procedures for confirming a diagnosis and provide the documented repair. These  databases are specific to each vehicle and engine combination.

Some diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved, time-consuming and difficult. Of course Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) wants to figure out what's wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy)
4353 Gunn Highway
Tampa, FL 33618
813-908-0438
http://www.tuffygunn.com

More articles from Tuffy Gunn

Pinch Petroleum Pennies! (Fuel Saving Tips)

November 23, 2025

If you saw a dollar bill on the ground, you'd pick it up, right? Well, whether you find that dollar on the ground or in savings at the gas pump, money is money, and here are some ways to hold on to more of it. Slowing down is the easiest way to save fuel, especially for every speed increase over ... More

THE IMPORTANCE OF VISIBILITY (Cleaning Vehicle Glass)

November 16, 2025

We've all been through it. The vehicle ahead of us kicks up mud, slush, snow or salt on our windshield and we can't see a thing. And not being able to see a thing when we're driving? Not a good thing. Debris on a vehicle's glass can be blinding when driving directly into the sun. And other thi... More

Keeping Yourself in Suspension (Control Arm Assembly Replacement)

November 9, 2025

When you are pointing your vehicle straight down the street, it should go straight. Thats pretty straightforward, right? Sometimes, though, you may notice you have to keep adjusting the steering wheel to keep going straight. While that could be caused by many different issues, one possibility i... More