Kia Diagnostic Check

What does a car diagnostic check do?

A diagnostic check is carried out on your vehicle by a mechanic, who will plug your vehicle into a specialised code reader. It can detect problems with your vehicle which may be difficult to spot manually.

The main components which are tested in a diagnostic check are the car’s:

• electronic control units (ECUs) - these control various element of the car and its performance including engine running
• emissions and exhaust sensors
• braking system
• electrical components such as central door locking
• transmission if electronically controlled
• ignition coils
• throttle setting
• fuel injectors
• air flow and coolant

 

Why is a car diagnostic check important?

A diagnostic check is very important as it can detect a potential problem with your car, even before a breakdown. The computerised equipment scans your vehicle’s system to check for any faults, no matter how minor or major. A diagnostic test is a quick, easy and accurate way to discover any faults and will give you the chance to get them fixed before they turn into bigger and more expensive issues. When your car has a fault, this may show as a warning light on the dashboard. If the light goes out the system will store the fault code so the garage will find this when they do the diagnostic check.

 

What are the possible signs that your car needs a diagnostic check?

There are many different signs which will indicate that your vehicle needs a diagnostic check. Essentially, if you suspect that there is an issue with your car but don’t know what, you will probably want to book a diagnostic check to find out what the problem is. Here are some of the key signs:

• Engine warning light - if the engine warning light appears on your dashboard, it’s important to take your vehicle to a garage as soon as possible as there is a wide variety of problems which the light may be flagging up.
• Strange noises – any strange noises coming from your car need to be checked out before they turn into more serious problem. Some of these sounds may include; whining from the bonnet, abnormally loud exhaust, uneven engine noise, brake squealing or gear crunching.
• Smoke - if you see smoke or steam coming from under the bonnet, your vehicle may be overheating.
• Vibrating - if you notice any vibrating or pulling under your brake, the issue may be due to work brake discs or pads. However, it could also indicate a problem with your suspension or steering.

 

How long do car diagnostics take?

You can expect a diagnostic check on your car to take approximately 90 minutes. You may want to allow for more time though as the mechanic who will be carrying out the check might not be available to start right away.

 

How much does a car diagnostic check cost?

The price of a car diagnostic test can vary, depending on the garage that you visit. Each garage has a fixed price for diagnostic checks, ranging from £30 - £100.

Enter your vehicle registration number and post code into BookMyGarage (at the top of this page) and you can instantly compare diagnostic check pricing from all of the garages in your local area. As well as price, you can see the garages’ reviews, distance from your post code, extra services offered and availability. You don’t even have to register to get access to all of this information. When you have selected a suitable garage, you can choose a date, any optional extras (such as collection and delivery, loan car etc.) and book online.

 

About Kia

Founded in 1944 as a maker of handmade steel tubing and bicycle parts, the company known today as Kia opened its first automotive assembly line in 1973 and built a small range of cars known as Brisa in 1981. After a bit of a lull, they really started pumping out the vehicles again in 1986, and partnered up with Ford.

Kia Motors Corporation is headquartered in Seoul, and is South Korea's second-largest auto manufacturer, just beyond Hyundai. According to Kia themselves, the name roughly translates to “rising out of Asia”. Nowadays they offer up a very impressive seven-year warranty on all their cars to please many drivers, and they are consistently rated highly across the board.

The style of older Kias on the road used to be quite questionable, but thanks to a modern makeover, cars from this Korean brand now sport stylish, trendy designs. The current range includes a wide spectrum of vehicles, from the compact Venga city car to the Sorento SUV. The Pro Ceed hot hatch is great for drivers looking for a better, stronger performance and Kia even offers the Soul EV, a fully electric vehicle, for those who after after eco-friendliness and cheap running costs.