Wednesday Word: diagnostic
Diagnostic time is time “used for discovering the characteristics or cause of a problem in a system or machine” (Cambridge Dictionary). In layman’s terms it is time spent finding the cause of a problem/symptoms in your vehicle.
Diagnostic work is arguably the most complex and difficult work that an automotive technician faces. In fact, not every mechanic is trained and equipped to do diagnostic work. It requires extra, highly specialized training, experience, vehicle information, and tooling.
How long it might take to find a fault is impossible to say. Some faults are found very quickly, others require many hours of research and testing to identify. In New Zealand, the necessary vehicle specific information can be very hard to come by as manufacturers are not legally obligated to make that information available here.
It is also important to note that diagnostic time doesn’t usually include the fix. Most often, fixing the problem once it is identified requires parts that need to be ordered in. So, after the diagnostic work is done, a customer will be given recommendations for repair work, and, often, an estimate for the cost of that work.