Last month, I outlined opportunities presented by the economic slowdown (now officially a recession), such as the “luxury” of time to work deeper into the job jar and the opportunity for technician development. With the beginning of the new year, let’s develop a specific idea along these lines. As I write this column, the EPA has finalized its rules for on-board diagnostics –– commonly referred to as OBDII –– for medium/heavy trucks, designed to ensure compliance with 2010 emissions regulations. Hope-fully, that does not come as a surprise. As well as the need for some additional training for your technicians, these rules provide opportunities and tools that may not be obvious initially.
At the elemental level, OBDII provides a common language among engine platforms for electronic engine control diagnosis. A given diagnostic trouble code (DTC) has the same meaning, regardless of the engine’s manufacturer. For example, as defined by SAE Standard J2012, a “P0070” DTC points to an abnormal reading or problem in an ambient air temperature sensor circuit. So, beginning with the 2010 engines, we will have a common language, at least as far as emissions compliance systems go.
Second, beyond emissions sensors and actuators, OBDII promises to standardize the language of engine control systems diagnosis. There will be some manufacturer-specific or non-uniform DTCs, but within the standardized groupings (B0xx, C0xx, P0xx and U0xx), the meanings of the DTCs will be uniform. Another likely benefit is a common datalink connector and communication protocol –– translated: potentially lower diagnostic tool investment.
Finally, the rule requires manufacturers to make available information necessary for technicians to perform repairs and maintenance service on engine systems, to ensure emissions compliance.
So, where’s the opportunity? A look at the light vehicle market may provide insights. OBDII has been required on passenger vehicles and most light trucks since 1996. In that time, most technicians have moved from being initially conversant, to knowledgeable, to mastering the diagnostic capabilities. It’s fair to predict the medium/heavy vehicle market will follow the same evolution.
To illustrate: a conversant technician will recognize a DTC, be able to determine whether it is a standardized code or manufacturer-specific, and may be able to interpret its meaning. A knowledgeable technician will be able to extend that knowledge to diagnosing a problem on the vehicle –– identifying the circuit components (sensors/actuators, wiring), testing and repairs. The real potential lies in the technician that masters OBDII information using the waveform or circuit traces to understand the circuit performance, its inter-relationship with other circuits, and the combustion and emissions process.
In the light vehicle service segment, this information has had an effect on some technicians that might be described as intoxicating. They became able understand what previously they were unable to comprehend, so they now act/react as diagnostic service engineers. Let’s hope we’ll be as fortunate.
