When diagnosing all-aluminum vehicle suspensions, technicians must consider the other components that may may be affected by the bushing installation process, or, based on the age of the replaced bushings, are likely to also need replacement soon.
If you’re just “hanging pads” without doing a careful inspection and evaluation of the whole braking system, you’re doing both your customer and your shop a disservice.
In the first year of the new millennium, BMW introduced a new air suspension on its X-Series vehicles. This compensates for load by controlling the ride height of either the rear axle, or all four wheels in later versions. But what do we do when they stop working?
OBD II has spoiled us. When we were kids, we had to find misfires BY OURSELVES! Now drivers have a blinking Malfunction Indicator Lamp and diagnostic trouble codes telling us which cylinder is in trouble. You would think that would make our job easier, but we still need to find the cause.
The structural strength of the front and roofline of the passenger compartment depends heavily on the windshield and its bond with the A-Pillars, roof, and base where it connects to the upper frame rails. Replacement parts, installation materials, and procedures must meet safety standards.
With anti-lock brakes controlling wheel speed while decelerating; traction controlling wheel speed under acceleration; and advanced versions of Dynamic Stability Control, BMW drivers are safer than ever. How do we keep this winning streak going?
In 2000, the U.S. government responded to serious issues related to automobile tire safety with the TREAD (Transportation Recall Enhancement Accountability and Documentation) Act. This mandated that an elaborate computer-controlled system had to be added to every passenger vehicle to monitor tire pressures. It’s our job to keep these systems up and running.
BMW has always been a company that leads the way with technological advancements. One important development was the Mechatronic transmission. It’s been installed in many models, so we need to be more familiar with its do’s and don’ts.
