Car Diagnostics in Pounds Gate

Pounds Gate is a small rural hamlet on narrow lanes near the Dartmoor edge. Lane driving brings vibration, damp, mud and the occasional scrape, and that is a hard environment for wiring and connectors under a car.

Automaster is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, near Totnes. Drivers from Pounds Gate, Caton, Bickington, Buckfastleigh and South Brent can bring petrol and diesel cars to us for diagnostics and auto electrical repairs. Here is what we look at, and why the awkward faults take time.

Why does my electrical fault come and go?

Intermittent faults are the hardest to trace. A wire that has cracked inside its insulation may connect on a smooth road and break on a bump. A corroded connector may work when dry and fail when damp. A failing sensor may misbehave only when hot.

To find these, the fault has to be present. That can mean wiggling harnesses while watching live data, testing in stages, or a drive to bring the problem on. It takes time, and that is why quotes for intermittent faults are easier to discuss once we know the pattern.

What can wiring damage do to a car?

Wiring faults can cause warning lights, a car that cuts out, windows or lights that fail, a battery that drains or a starter that sometimes does nothing. In rural areas, wiring can also suffer from mud, water spray and, on occasion, animal damage.

Repairs mean finding the damaged section and repairing or replacing it properly, with correct connectors and protection, not taping and hoping.

• Warning lights with no obvious cause
• Cutting out or stalling
• Components working randomly
• Battery flat after parking

Scan results: what they mean and do not mean

A diagnostic scan reads stored fault codes and live data. A fault code points to a circuit or system; it is not a parts list. The stored code may be the result of the fault, not its cause.

For example, a sensor code may appear because of a wiring problem upstream. We confirm by testing before replacing anything.

Battery, alternator and starter faults

A car that sometimes will not start may have a battery on its last legs, a worn starter motor, a loose terminal or a charging problem. Signs of alternator trouble include dim lights, a warning light and a battery that keeps going flat.

We test all three, and replace the part that has failed. Details of your car help us give an accurate quote. Loose earth straps and tired terminals are also worth checking, because a poor connection can imitate a failed part and is cheap in time to put right.

Do you take work from Pounds Gate, and where are you?

Yes. We are at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, near Totnes, TQ9 6PL. Drivers from the hamlets and lanes around Pounds Gate, and from Caton, Bickington, Buckfastleigh and South Brent, use us.

If a fault makes the car unsafe, with a red warning, failing lights or cutting out, do not keep driving. Describe it when you ask for a quote.