DOC Auto ®’s technicians are equipped and trained to accurately diagnose and repair today’s complex computerized vehicles. The function of the check engine light is sometimes misunderstood. OBD II vehicles, that is, most cars model year 1996 and newer, is the second generation of On Board Diagnostics. This second protocol is geared toward controlling emissions, not drivability. When the light is on, it typically indicates that the computer has one or more diagnostic trouble codes stored in it – these codes do not tell our auto technicians what’s wrong with the car! They just tell us what system, or systems, are affected, and what tests to run to pinpoint the problem.

Because it’s impossible for us to know what tests our techs will need to run, or even if they’ll need to run any tests without looking at the vehicle, we like to perform a free preliminary inspection before digging any deeper. This way, if the problem is something simply diagnosed by an experienced tech, you’re not committing to spending a penny unnecessarily. On the other hand, if we’re going to need to perform some pinpoint testing to truly nail down the problem, your technician will be able to tell you exactly what tests those are, and how much they’ll cost. That way, you’re in a position to make an informed decision as to how you’d like to proceed.