The Secret to Smooth Drives—The Diagnostic Test

Are you wondering how to help your vehicle cruise in peak condition while spotting potential issues before they snowball into critical problems? It all starts with a quick and simple service known as a car diagnostic test—and while the process rarely takes longer than 10 minutes, this simple procedure can potentially save your vehicle from becoming rendered undrivable. Help your vehicle avoid sneaky issues while enhancing your cruises by scheduling your diagnostic test today at Marlow Motor Company Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM (CDJR), your local CDJR service center in Front Royal, VA.

But First…What Is a Diagnostic Test?

The easiest way to think of a diagnostic test is like a doctor’s check-up for your vehicle—you don’t necessarily know if anything is wrong but it’s one of the best ways to find any potential issues. Also, we recommend this test if you’re hearing any strange sounds or notice anything off about your drives but you’re not sure what.

In short, when you schedule a diagnostic test, our experts hook up a small machine to your vehicle—and any irregularities come back in the form of a code with one letter and four numbers, which each refer to a different part of your car, truck, or SUV. So, if the system detects an issue in the motor, the letter P usually pops up, indicating a powertrain issue—next, the second value is a 0 or a 1 to indicate if the issue is general or related to the manufacturer. The next number can refer to an issue while the last two refer to a specific type of problem—so, when the final diagnostic reads P0420, your vehicle is experiencing issues with your catalyst system in the exhaust or fuel system—and the letter P appears since your engine isn’t receiving proper oxygen. However, don’t panic, as you won’t need to worry about any of the numbers or letters, as our certified technicians know how to read each code, diagnose the issue, and make needed fixes.

When Is the Best Time for a Diagnostic Test?

Whether it’s for a RAM, Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep diagnostic test, we recommend one a year as a rule of thumb. However, if anything feels wrong during your drive or you have a strange feeling, feel free to include a diagnostic test with your next visit, especially since you don’t want a hidden problem like a misfiring motor to popup and evolve into making your car undrivable because the issue wasn’t solved fast enough. Even in mild cases, fixing some faults like a cracked gas cap can help improve your fuel economy, so you have virtually nothing to lose.

Don’t Take Risks: Schedule a Diagnostic Service Today

There’s no need to risk driving with any red flags or to let potential hidden problems persist. Instead, schedule your diagnostic test today at Marlow Motor Company Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM near Winchester, VA, and Berryville, VA, to get started. We’re also always happy to answer your questions or help in any way possible, so feel free to let us know what’s on your mind about your car or to inquire about what to expect during a diagnostic test.