Check engine
Steady: a fault is stored, often a sensor, coil or vacuum leak. Flashing: misfire, ease off and come in.
Home / Diagnostics & repairs
Find the cause first. Then fix it once.
A fault code points at a system, not a part. We test until we know, then quote the repair with both parts prices.
- First hour diagnosis
- $168
- Credited to the repair
- within 30 days
- Software
- factory-level
- Warranty on repairs
- 24 mo / 40k km
How we read a car
Factory-level software, read by a person.
Generic code readers see the engine and little else. European cars have dozens of control modules, and the useful clues are often in the gearbox, the body or the gateway. Our diagnostic software talks to all of them, reads live data and runs the tests a dealer would.
The software tells us where to look. A technician then tests the wiring, the pressure or the part itself before anything is replaced. That is why we charge for diagnosis: it is the part of the job that saves you from buying parts you did not need.
Book a diagnosisWarning lights
What the dashboard is telling you.
Amber means book soon. Red means stop when it is safe and call us; we can arrange a tow to the shop.
Coolant temperature
Red means overheating. Stop the engine. Plastic cooling parts age on these cars and a leak can turn into a head gasket.
Oil pressure
Red means low pressure, not just low level. Stop straight away. Driving on can destroy the engine within minutes.
Gearbox fault
Rough shifts or a limp mode warning. Often fluid, a sensor or the mechatronic unit. Early diagnosis keeps it cheaper.
The process
Four steps, and you hear from us at two of them.
Listen and scan
You tell us when it happens. We read every module and save the codes and freeze-frame data.
Test the fault
Wiring, pressures, smoke tests, live data on a road test. We stop at the first hour and call you.
Quote with choice
The cause, the fix, and two parts prices. Nothing is replaced until you say yes.
Fix and verify
Repair, clear codes, road test again, and log it all in your PDF logbook.
Common repairs
What we fix most, and what it usually costs.
Timing chains and belts
Several popular four-cylinder engines stretch their chains or wear the guides. A rattle on cold start is the classic sign. Belt engines have a fixed replacement interval.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Chain stretch measured, codes and adaptation values | $168 |
| Timing chain, guides and tensioner, 4-cylinder | $2,400 – $3,600 |
| Timing belt and water pump, belt engines | $1,350 – $2,100 |
Cooling systems
Water pumps, thermostats, plastic flanges and expansion tanks. We pressure test the system to find the leak before we replace anything.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Pressure test and leak trace | $120 – $168 |
| Thermostat housing or coolant flange | $420 – $890 |
| Electric water pump and thermostat | $1,150 – $1,780 |
DSG and automatic gearboxes
Many “gearbox failures” are old fluid, a worn mount or a software adaptation. We check those first, then the mechatronic unit.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Fluid and filter service with adaptation | $389 – $720 |
| Gearbox mount | $310 – $560 |
| Mechatronic unit, replaced and coded | $2,900 – $4,400 |
Prices include parts and labour, before tax, with OE-equivalent parts. Body work, glass and performance tuning we refer to shops we trust.
Next step
A light on the dash?
Tell us which one and when it came on. If it is red, call instead of sending the form.
- Address
- 1742 Harrier Lane, Vancouver
- Weekdays
- 07:30 – 17:30
- Saturday
- Inspections, by booking
- Labour rate
- $168 / h