Lakeside Garage

Once upon a time cars were simple - plugs, points, valve gaps, distributor, etc. Children learnt the names of the engine parts that went wrong the most often! Usually it was dads out under the bonnet tinkering with the various parts, trying to keep the car running smoothly. Cars were relatively simple, often unreliable, not very economical, prone to breaking down and given to not starting easily in the winter months.

Now we have cars that only need servicing every 12000 miles, start every time, give good fuel consumption and seldom need the bonnet opening - wonderful. One major change is the engine management system, its complex and clever and hopefully you need never know much about it!!

The RAC have a wonderful section of their web site dealing with "Engine Management Systems" - have a click on it.When everything is running well, leave it well alone and when it isn't, then bring your car down to Lakeside Garage.

In order to "talk" to the EMS, Lakeside Garage have a range of hand held sensors and laptop computers. Every car has a different system, with a range of different parameters governing the running of the engine. All this technology is not for the feint hearted, first you buy the kit, then you buy the updates and then you replace it all and start again. Mr Kerbside Motors doesn't stand a chance with systems like this.

Emissions are controlled by the EMS, using sensors all over the car and the exhaust systems - one small problem and your car can come to a grinding halt - "the computer says no!"

To replace the brake pads on some cars the management system has to electronically release them, the mechanic now replaces the pads and the management system re-adjusts the brakes.

With cars that are this complex, bring them down to the experts at Lakeside Garage when problems do occur and let them restore all the system operations back to normal. If your car has more warning lights than your Christmas tree, let Pete and his team bring them back under control.