december2021 - 60

SCAN TOOLS
SRS (airbags), " Autel's Whitney said. " Today, technicians
need all-systems scanners that can detect faults
in every available system on that vehicle. "
With more electric components comes more information,
trouble codes, inputs, and outputs that technicians
have to decipher.
" When an input or output fails, that's when you get
that trouble code, " said NEXIQ's Kotenko, adding that
the code will identify the area or sensor experiencing
a failure. " The trouble code would state the O2 sensor
has trouble. As you drill down, it could be the wire or
something else, but it will certainly give the technician
a general area of where to seek that fault. "
Not only are there more ECUs or modules, but the
systems are talking to each other, which means the
health of the CAN bus is critical, Kotenko said.
A good diagnostic tool should identify the fault,
enable the tech to view the associated system operations
at the time the code was set, and test individual
components to see if they have failed. " More advanced
tools should support accessory diagnostic tools such
as battery testers, oscilloscopes, and CAN bus testers,
enabling technicians to take a deeper dive into the
communication and hands-on component testing, "
Whitney said.
Autel's MS909CV tool, which includes a module
topology map and ADAS calibration, will automatically
identify the vehicle identification number (VIN), then
scan all modules within the vehicle system and show
a single screen visual map of how all the modules are
connected on different lines to each other. Using colorcoded
identification, the tech can see which modules
are operational or have different issues, or if they are
present but not responding at all, giving the technician
a new way to diagnose possible vehicle issues.
PREVENTING MISDIAGNOSIS
Increased information can help technicians minimize the
risk of making a mistake. For example, Noregon's Watson
said a technician who doesn't know how to diagnose an
A/C system with a variable compressor could easily make
a misdiagnosis.
" Having a scan tool that will give them all the
correct data of the A/C system, including inputs and
output data, and utilizing the correct tools to validate
the pulse width modulated solenoid that controls the
flow rate that is built into the compressor with a tool,
such as the Robinair EVDC100, that can help validate
that solenoid as well as the wiring to and from the
body control module and the A/C compressor, " Bosch's
Watson said.
Because demands on vehicle battery systems have
increased, battery analysis tools are becoming more
critical. Autel offers a line of starting and charging
analysis tools that can walk technicians through the
process of analyzing each of three components that
comprise the starting and charging system-the battery,
the starter, and the alternator-providing an analysis
of each system along the way. The testers use adaptive
conductance to measure battery health, comparing its
ability to conduct energy today to when it was purchased,
Autel's Whitney said.
SAVING TIME
Uptime is critical for fleets, and diagnostic tools are
designed to help technicians diagnose and repair
60 Fleet Maintenance | December 2021
NEXIQ's eTechnician provides real-time diagnostics so technicians can diagnose any vehicle
that comes into the shop, even if they haven't worked on that make or model before.
Photo courtesy of NEXIQ Technologies
the user determine the cause
of the failure before replacing
a failed sensor or wiring
harness. "
Bosch's ADS525X and
The Autel MaxiSys ADAS provides the original complete diagnostic functionality as well as
comprehensive and precise ADAS calibration.
Image courtesy of Autel
equipment faster. Noregon's Hedman said a technician
using a diagnostic application will locate the root of a
failed sensor exponentially quicker than one without,
while committing fewer mistakes during the process.
Noregon's JPRO includes a troubleshooting
module called " fault guidance " that guides the user
down the optimal troubleshooting path to find the
root cause.
" Without that guidance, a technician may attempt
various repairs until something works, " Hedman said.
" A technician might try replacing six different sensors
and a wiring harness before the problem is corrected.
Introducing guided diagnostics to the equation lets
ADS526X tools provide a large
amount of live data, so technicians
visually see what is happening,
Watson said. " These
same tools can be outfitted
with electrical wiring diagrams
right on the tool to help them
trace or track electrical issues
as well as having a built-in
Bosch repair source that can
give step-by-step diagnostic
and repair procedures right at
the scan tool, " he explained.
" They no longer have to leave
the vehicle and possibly lose
their focus going to another
computer or book to find
this information. "
STAYING CURRENT
Close working relationships with equipment manufacturers
are critical to securing the latest information and
updating technology, NEXIQ's Kotenko said.
Cojali's Gattamorta noted this is an ever-evolving
industry, so tools have to be updated as equipment
advances. " Our tool updates three times a year, " he said.
Autel releases software updates to its tablets monthly,
enabling users to perform the needed diagnostics and
services on the latest vehicles as well as the systems
updated by the OE, Whitney says.
Mindy Long is a freelance journalist covering the transportation
industry.

december2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of december2021