Accurate automotive diagnostics are the basis for accurate repairs – if any problem with the vehicle can’t be isolated, then it can’t be repaired. Technicians put in years of experience so they can rely on their knowledge and intuition to diagnose problems sooner and more accurately. Experience is the starting point for great diagnostics. Diagnostics are messy. It’s rare for a problem to show up exactly as the repair manual stated it should. Rather than being black and white, the diagnostic process is jam-packed with loads of grey areas, theories, and assumptions. Most experienced technicians would agree that diagnostics is, in a word, messy. Yet behind all the frustration and uncertainty, experience is the key.
The Complexity of Modern Diagnostics
Vehicles are now fitted with a host of sensors, control modules and electronic systems that contribute to making diagnosis a more challenging prospect than it used to be. Although diagnostic tools and corresponding software (such as OBD II) can provide valuable data, their data readouts typically have to be interpreted by a skilled technician. The technician learns how to dissect that data and recognise the interrelationships between different control modules, and different vehicle systems. The experienced technician is often more adept at translating the fault code or diagnosis into something that relates to a real-world problem. In other words, that experienced technician might be better able to see the proverbial “forest for the trees.”
The Intuitive Advantage of Experience
By far, the greatest advantage of experience is the evolution of intuition – an almost subconscious knowledge of what’s wrong with a car derived from subtle clues. If you’ve heard a certain noise and felt a certain vibration on enough occasions, you’ll know – deep down – that this noise and vibration combination is diagnostic of a given problem. The trade often talks about recognising that ‘signature’, a characteristic set of symptoms that screams out its identity. That’s not the kind of fault that would throw a fault code. Perhaps your car is misfiring a cylinder – but not just any one. That vaccine might have travelled through my body only last year Maybe the fault code is 12345, but the true diagnosis simply creeps up on you, as the poisons of cancer might. Your technician running the diagnostics machine will know it when he or she ‘receives’ the message. The technician gains expertise; the customer gets fewer long-shot repairs and significantly less wasted time.
The Role of Experience in Avoiding Misdiagnosis
Combatting misdiagnosis is important not only because incorrect conclusions can trigger unnecessary repairs, wasting time and money, but because the experience and expertise of a seasoned technician can help customers feel at ease, respect a shop’s ability to get to the source of the issue, and reduce frustration with a broken-down car. Less experienced technicians might require more time to reach a diagnosis, which means more time a customer’s car might be out of action. In addition, the likelihood of misdiagnosis rises when more variables are at play. A technician with fewer experiences with certain problems will be more prone to neglect other issues that could be contributing to the breakdown. While misdiagnosis is not universal in the auto-repair industry, the risk of misdiagnosis is lower for customers who entrust their trust and pay work to someone who has seen and solved a lot of automotive problems.
The Impact of Experience on Complex Problem Solving
On the other hand, where problems are inherently more complex and require a detailed understanding of the car’s systems, experience gains more value. With increasing experience in this diagnostic realm, you build up a knowledge and awareness of common issues, and how they manifest as symptoms that can be difficult to identify. More importantly, experienced technicians with a deep understanding of how systems work tend to be better at weaving together the clues. In scenarios where multiple issues are present, or where a single issue could have multiple possible causes – so-called ‘Mars vs Venus’-type cases – experienced technicians consistently outperform their novice counterparts.
The Importance of Continuous Learning in Diagnostics
While experience is a significant asset, it is never enough. As the automotive field continues to advance, new technology and systems are constantly introduced. ‘An experienced technician knows to have the curiosity and discipline to keep learning,’ says Mannino. ‘That’s because they know their skill set is not going to keep up with the speed of the industry if they’re not staying on top of new technology and systems that are coming out.’
Enhancing Customer Confidence Through Accurate Diagnostics
Accurate diagnostics will then bolster customers’ confidence in a repair shop because, when a technician is able to resolve a problem quickly and accurately, the customer will feel confident that they are in good hands. Time and time again, the most effective technicians will be those who can quickly identity problems and label them properly. This is critical because, when customers are satisfied with the initial repair, they are more likely to return to the repair shop for future service and help to spread word of the shop’s quality.
Conclusion: Experience is Key to Effective Diagnostics
In challenges – the critical first step in automotive problem-solving – experience, and the intuitive abilities specific to people with experience, make all the difference: He’s got all that internal data. He knows right away how to make the vehicle run again The truth is, no computer’s better than a person with experience and deductive ability, who is also willing to advance his knowledge. He will figure out what the problem is and that gives us that big advantage of experience over the car owner or customer who won’t be in that [parts] house. And that’s what adds value. To succeed, the priority should be on skilled employees who know this information, not on computer technology. Part of this is making sure that the people with experience remain committed to the business. Repair shops must continue to be places where there is value in being ‘in the know’. Often lost in the discussion of better ways of diagnosing and repairing cars is the importance of cultivating a persistent interest in how things work.