Thursday, May 22, 2014
Car Electrical System Troubleshooting
A vehicle that shows signs of electrical problems can be frustrating, as many people use to tamper with electricity. However, with the right tools and information, even a novice can troubleshoot some of todays common auto electrical issues.
Circuits & Voltage
Components in an electrical circuit cannot be powered without voltage. Theore step one in troubleshooting for electrical problems in a vehicle is to see if voltage is reaching the circuits load point, for example a light bulb. A test light or voltmeter will work well when performing this check.
Circuit Breakers & Fuses
An absence of voltage at the circuits load point could be due to blown fuses or issues with the circuit breaker. Replacing fuses will often only bring about temporary fixes until the problem that caused the blown fuse in the first place is found. A jumper wire can be used to bypass a circuit breaker, allowing you to check it. A working circuit means a non-working circuit breaker.
Intermittent Troubleshooting
Intermittent electrical issues are considered to be the most difficult kind to deal with, and often stem from loose wire connections. Because of this, wiggling the wires while testing for changes in voltage could help reveal the location of the bad connection.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Chevy Truck Electrical Problems
Electrical problems in 2007, 2008 and 2009 Chevrolet trucks could result in the meltdown of "heater and washer fluid system" parts and the possibility of fire. The automobile manufacturer has issued recalls with a focus on those potential electrical malfunctions.
History
Chevrolet trucks were subject to two recalls for electrical system malfunctions---one on Aug. 27, 2008, and another on June 4, 2010. Chevrolet trucks from 2007, 2008 and 2009 for which electrical system recalls were issued are the Avalanche, Suburban, Silverado, Traverse and Tahoe.
Recalls
The August 2008 recall focused on a short circuit in the HWFS circuit board in the 2007 and 2008 Suburban, Avalanche, Tahoe and Silverado. The June 2010 recall targeted overheating of the thermal protective chamber around the HWFS fluid chamber in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Avalanche, Suburban, Silverado, Traverse and Tahoe.
Remedies
To prevent short-circuiting, a fuse was added to the circuit control board of vehicles affected by the 2008 recall. Chevrolet agreed to disable and remove the heater and washer fluid system from vehicles affected by the 2010 recall.
