well in their defense seat belt laws are an absolute over reach. The notion that I wearing my seat belt or not has any affect on any one else is a bold faced lie and everyone knows it. Do not reply that you should be wearing your seatbelt, because it saves lives. no one is arguing that a seat belt doesn't increase your survivability during a crash.
Are DIY friendly autos going to become a trend?
- Thread starter Oillover
- Start date
A trend? That's hard to say.
It does seem like your average 4cyl engine these days, even though it may be GDI and have a turbo, still has easy spark plug and coil access, as well as easy oil changes. My older Nissan 4cyl require intake manifold removal to even see the coils/plugs.
I like the fact my 2021 Chevy Traverse has super easy means to drain/fill all the driveline fluids. Rear bank of plugs does require intake plenum removal, but it's pretty easy from the looks of it on the LFY 3.6L.
It does seem like your average 4cyl engine these days, even though it may be GDI and have a turbo, still has easy spark plug and coil access, as well as easy oil changes. My older Nissan 4cyl require intake manifold removal to even see the coils/plugs.
I like the fact my 2021 Chevy Traverse has super easy means to drain/fill all the driveline fluids. Rear bank of plugs does require intake plenum removal, but it's pretty easy from the looks of it on the LFY 3.6L.
One thing that probably shifts the perspectives a bit is that 30 years ago the designs varied but the tech was generally the same, so you could swap between a Chevy, ford and Volvo and it was all plugs, chains and wires. Now, the mechanicals still follow similar principals but the software compatibility, module compatibility and tools needed to diagnose are vehicle dependent. So you can still do it, but you have to learn your vehicle and that knowledge and/tools might not be a 100% transfer to another.
On a lot of Euros, the service manual is actually IN the scan tool now.
On many makes you can purchase just about any software license online for varying amounts of time. When I think DIY I usually don't think of advanced module learning/teaching modes and such. Mostly products that you buy off the shelf at walmart is my idea of DIY.
Let’s get real: AI and car repairs/maintenance will be the next big thing. Plug in an AI and it will do more than read codes. It’ll scan the internet like chatbot gpt, read live car data, and then spit out the precise part and instructions you’ll need, or it’ll tell you which local shops to use, and there will be ads for the promoted shops.
Or maybe AI will come integrated into the car. Instead of a check engine light, it’ll be an AI notification light. The AI tells you to visit a local dealer. Once it’s there, the AI will explain exactly what’s wrong with the car to the techs and command the grunts what to do. Sounds so fun doesn’t it?
Or maybe AI will come integrated into the car. Instead of a check engine light, it’ll be an AI notification light. The AI tells you to visit a local dealer. Once it’s there, the AI will explain exactly what’s wrong with the car to the techs and command the grunts what to do. Sounds so fun doesn’t it?
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2023
- Messages
- 350
It absolutely does impact others: the first responders that have to respond to crashes. A seat belt can make the difference between an occupant walking away vs an occupant being deceased or worse, having to be extracted in pieces or tying up a bunch of ER and other services (keeping them from being used for people with emergencies that were not easily avoidable) that could have been avoided simply by wearing a seatbelt.
Sometimes you have to expand your thoughts process beyond only the human that you can see in the mirror, and factor in the thoughts and experiences of others.
But please, by all means, continue to not wear your seatbelt. Maybe you'll do the world a favor someday soon.
No. Some are worse than others. I'm a professional mechanic and I hate working on transverse V6 engines. The GM 3.6l is one of the worst. Motor mount, upper radiator hose, and entire TIPM assembly have to come out to get the alternator off and even then you have like 1.5" of working room and you have to very carefully walk the alternator out. Toyota Camrys with the V6 aren't much better, entire bumper, crash bar, horns, hood latch, upper rad hose and upper radiator support has to come off to remove the alternator.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2022
- Messages
- 5,566
.
Ahh, you're working too hard. Just remove the fan shroud, drain enough of the rad to remove the upper hose and the exhaust manifold heatshield. It will come out.
Are DIY friendly autos going to become a trend?
Sure when we can get an auto fix it robot, that has all the specific info about all systems in the cars, pre programed.
It will be like a mechanic with a built in scan tool. Its that yearly update fee that will hurt though.
Sure when we can get an auto fix it robot, that has all the specific info about all systems in the cars, pre programed.
It will be like a mechanic with a built in scan tool. Its that yearly update fee that will hurt though.
You just can't work on these new fangled cars 
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
These stupid engineers, why they gotta make it like this
Obligatory /s
We've had this discussion for nearly a century, and we'll continue to have it
The DIYer can and will prevail, it just takes a little longer for us to figure it out
My dad didn't have access to 1/100th the information I have at my fingertips, and he was a worse technician for it
Wasn't his fault, just how things were back in the 1900s
I don't know how you did it back then @dishdude , with printed service manual books and Microfiche parts schematics
They said chipped keys would always be a dealer only job
We compromised...
They said hybrid batteries could never be rebuilt
We compromised...
They said that transmission is sealed for life
We compromised...
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
You just can't work on these new fangled cars
I miss when a car was a car
These stupid engineers, why they gotta make it like this
Obligatory /s
We've had this discussion for nearly a century, and we'll continue to have it
The DIYer can and will prevail, it just takes a little longer for us to figure it out
My dad didn't have access to 1/100th the information I have at my fingertips, and he was a worse technician for it
Wasn't his fault, just how things were back in the 1900s
I don't know how you did it back then @dishdude , with printed service manual books and Microfiche parts schematics
They said chipped keys would always be a dealer only job
We compromised...
They said hybrid batteries could never be rebuilt
We compromised...
They said that transmission is sealed for life
We compromised...
Last edited:
if you follow that thought process, then all fatty foods should be outlawed. people with heart disease should be more thoughtful of others who need access to healthcare. stupid rebuttal and the quip about me not wearing my seatbelt, is exactly the kind of thinking that allows seatbelt laws to exist. I explicitly stated that seatbelts increase survivability and never stated that I didn't wear one. That wasn't my argument and you know it. people that support such infringements can never debate in good faith. They are always blinded by the illusion of "doing right".It absolutely does impact others: the first responders that have to respond to crashes. A seat belt can make the difference between an occupant walking away vs an occupant being deceased or worse, having to be extracted in pieces or tying up a bunch of ER and other services (keeping them from being used for people with emergencies that were not easily avoidable) that could have been avoided simply by wearing a seatbelt.
Sometimes you have to expand your thoughts process beyond only the human that you can see in the mirror, and factor in the thoughts and experiences of others.
But please, by all means, continue to not wear your seatbelt. Maybe you'll do the world a favor someday soon.
same as other reply, no one is saying that seatbelts do not increase survivability, nor did I say I didn't wear one. you just think that everyone should be forced to do something that no affect on you, but "its for the common good"
My daughters car has this 'feature' and I really don't see the point of it.....'a solution in search of a problem' IMO ...and one that adds to the constantly rising price of new vehicles and vehicle servicing costs.
Yeah... but...
When it's working, if you pause just a split second before removing your foot from the brake, the car doesn't roll. Living in NH means I don't park on flat ground that often, so an automatic has always had some level of rolling after going into park (who uses parking brakes? not up here, that's a great way to find out that the cable is seized). It is kinda nice, stop, park, wait a hot second, then foot off brake, and absolutely nothing happens.
Of course, the fact that car lurches all of a half-inch is not exactly ruining my day, on a car that doesn't have or that has the rear pads frozen in the caliper bracket (which is likely by the end of winter). Toss in the nuisance of remembering how to turn the darn thing off so I can service the brakes, and yeah, I'm not the biggest fan.
But I'll admit, it is kinda nice... not quite my biggest pet peeve in cars right now.
Newer vehicles becoming DIY friendly? 
I recently downloaded the service manual sections from TIS for the Highlander. This doesn't include hybrid or AWD sections.
If this is any indication, no, not easier. I can't image how many pages this works out to. I'm praying that nothing electrical goes haywire.
I recently downloaded the service manual sections from TIS for the Highlander. This doesn't include hybrid or AWD sections.
If this is any indication, no, not easier. I can't image how many pages this works out to. I'm praying that nothing electrical goes haywire.
Similar threads
