Unpopular opinion: Fancy tools can't replace a good old wiring check

Everyone in the shop laughs when I say I start with a multimeter instead of the scanner for weird electrical stuff. Had this minivan last week with lights flickering and no codes showing up on the scan tool. I spent an hour just following the harness from the alternator back, kind of a tangent but it made me think about how messy factory routing can be. Turned out there was a pinched wire behind the engine mount that was barely making contact. Fixed it with some tape and a new connector, cost the customer almost nothing. So yeah, I get that scanners are cool, but they won't catch everything. Sometimes you gotta just get your hands dirty and trace it the old way.

3 comments

3 Comments

terrywhite2d ago

Absolutely, fancy tools can't replace basic diagnostic skills. Had a similar thing with a flickering dash light that no code reader could pin down. Traced it to a loose connector behind the cluster, saved the customer a ton of money lol.

stone.daniel2d ago

Loose connectors remind me of a time my car's radio kept cutting out.

mason.oscar2d ago

So true, and it goes beyond just electrical stuff. A lot of intermittent engine troubles can be a simple dirty sensor or a clogged fuel filter that gets swapped out for no reason. Sometimes the best tool is just taking the time to look for the obvious stuff first.