Car Diagnostics in Brixham

Few places ask more of a starter motor than a steep hill with a queue at the top. In Brixham, with its working harbour and steep roads, a car with a weak battery or tired charging system gets found out quickly.

Automaster is an independent garage at Longcombe Cross near Totnes. We do full vehicle diagnostics and auto electrical work on petrol and diesel cars, and Brixham drivers come to us from the harbour, the hillsides and the roads around Torbay.

How do I find out why my warning light is on?

The car stores a fault code when one of its control units sees something wrong. We read those codes with diagnostic equipment, then look at live data to see how the sensors and systems are behaving. That tells us where to look, which is not the same as telling us what to buy.

A scan will not always reveal a fault that is not currently happening, and it cannot see a worn part that has not yet triggered a code. It is a very useful tool, but it works alongside testing, inspection and a technician's judgement.

What do the common dashboard lights mean?

A yellow engine symbol means a fault has been logged in the engine management system. A red battery symbol points to a charging problem. A glowing spring-shaped light on a diesel is the glow plug warning. ABS, airbag and tyre pressure lights each relate to their own systems.

Red warnings, and anything connected to brakes, steering or overheating, should not be ignored. If the car feels unsafe, stop and arrange a check rather than driving on.

• Yellow engine light: fault logged
• Red battery light: charging fault
• ABS or airbag light: system fault
• Red temperature or oil light: stop driving

My car struggles to start in Brixham. Is it the battery?

Often it is, especially if the car mostly does short journeys that never fully recharge it. But a slow crank can also come from corroded terminals, a failing starter or a weak alternator. We test before we replace.

If you need car battery replacement, tell us the make, model and engine. Some cars have stop-start or need the battery coded in, and fitting the wrong type causes problems later.

Do you work on cars from Brixham, Churston and Paignton?

Yes. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and we see drivers from Brixham, Churston, Paignton, Dartmouth and the rest of Torbay. Ask for a quote and let us know what the car is doing.

During summer, when visitor traffic fills the roads, a breakdown is especially unwelcome. It is worth getting a charging or starting fault checked before a long run, not after.

Can you fit parking sensors, cameras and sort out alarms?

We repair and replace reversing cameras and parking sensors, which matter in a busy harbour town. A sensor that beeps constantly is often dirty or damaged, though wiring faults are also common.

We also deal with alarms and immobilisers. If the car refuses to start with the immobiliser light flashing, or the alarm goes off unprompted, tell us what happens. Those faults often come from the key, the battery or the alarm unit, and need testing to tell which.