News of 2011

Article: Citroën Xantia refuses to start

A new automotive application article about a Citroën Xantia refusing to start is available. A 1999 Citroën Xantia had a new starter motor fitted, after which it would not run anymore. While cranking it would fire briefly and then die. The car’s battery had been disconnected for the starter motor job. A crankshaft sensor code was logged and thus the crankshaft sensor was replaced, regardless of the good signal. Later the ECM was replaced all with no positive results. The question was if the immobilizer could have reset itself by disconnecting the battery. Proper measuring revealed what the real problem was.

Read more
December 12, 2011

Article: Stuttering Ford Fiesta

A new automotive application article about a stuttering Ford Fiesta is available. When trouble shooting intermittent problems, a good automotive oscilloscope is indispensable. A Ford Fiesta with J6B engine was suffering occasional stuttering. The shop it was brought to did not have an oscilloscope, so they could not easily locate the source of the problem. They did replace some components, but the problem remained. Using an automotive diagnostic oscilloscope, the problem was soon found.

Read more
November 30, 2011

Article: Hesitant Renault Megane

A new automotive application article about a hesitantly Renault Megane is available. Intermittent problems in cars can give garages a hard time, especially when their only diagnosis device is a fault code scanner and no codes are stored in the car. A garage deals with a 1998 Renault Megane 1.6 L with K7M engine with a dual fuel system, both petrol and LPG. Every now and then, the engine hesitates, both on petrol and on LPG. The garage performs some measurements and replaces the ECM, to no avail. Using an automotive oscilloscope the search was continued and the culprit was found.

Read more
June 22, 2011

Article: Ford Mondeo with fuel pump issue

A new automotive application article about a Ford Mondeo with a fuel pump issue is available. In modern cars with sophisticated and complex components, trouble shooting requires powerful tools. A Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDdi would no longer run. Fearing that wrong fuel was tanked, the tank was emptied and the fuel system cleaned. The proper fuel was added but the engine would still not start. Since wrong fuel was used, damage to the fuel pump was suspected. The pump was replaced, the engine replaced and the pump replaced once more, to no avail. Diagnosing using an automotive lab scope showed that a seemingly innocent component caused the problem.

Read more
June 6, 2011

Article: Troublesome Volvo XC70

A new automotive application article about a troublesome Volvo XC70 is added. A Volvo XC70 had serious engine related drivability problems. The engine lacked power, would hold back and even stall. Error codes indicated problems in two different areas. Replacing components did not improve things. Proper measuring with an automotive diagnostic oscilloscope revealed two independent problems. Fixing these solved all problems.

Read more
May 18, 2011

Article: Honda Jazz holds back and stalls

A new automotive application article about a Honda Jazz that holds back and stalls is added. A 2006 Honda Jazz with L13A i-DSI engine occasionally holds back and sometimes even stops. No error codes were stored in the car. Several components have been replaced or swapped with an other car. A lot was driven in the car with a scanner hooked up to monitor the "live data" to find an anomaly in sensor or actuator data. Nothing showed up. Only after diagnosing with a good automotive diagnostic oscilloscope, the cause of the problems was revealed.

Read more
April 20, 2011