It happens every Christmas. A child gets a new toy or gadget, and the
adult is challenged to build it regardless of the disclaimer, “Some
Assembly Required.”
Then, every “smart” adult does the same
thing – he or she pitches the instructions and tackles the task on
their own, sans detailed guidance.
In the past, a similar scene
was sometimes repeated in the service bays of many auto and tire
dealerships. Whether it was a time factor or some other issue, a
technician might disdain instructions for intuition or his own personal
experience.
However, these days, the smart, certified technician
knows that the guidelines, instructions and manuals can actually save
him or her time – and money. This is especially true when dealing with
the relatively new issue of tire pressure monitoring systems, TPMS.
“Manuals
are not just discretionary items in an auto service area any more,”
said Todd Nelson, U.S. editorial manager for AutoData, a leading
worldwide publisher and supplier of technical information for
automotive professionals. “Every shop should have a current manual that
provides detailed and updated guidelines for each area that they
service.”
That’s nice if you have the luxury of plenty of room,
but tire dealers especially value space in their bays and most are
unwilling to add a library annex to their buildings. “All of our
manuals also are available on CD or DVD,” said Nelson, whose company
boasts of its AutoData Information Service (IS).
Regardless of
the format, if you are dealing with TPMS issues (or any high tech
automotive component), a manual is a mandatory shop tool these days.
AutoData has been in North America only since the mid 1990s, but
started its business in Europe in the 1970s and today offers printed
and electronic media-formatted automotive manuals in all major
languages. It is a relative newcomer to the TPMS manual business.
“Our
first TPMS manual came out in 2008, but we have an update that will be
available in October,” said Nelson. He added that AutoData’s TPMS
manual has targeted a specific market. “Some of our competitors supply
information to the bigger companies, but our focus right now is toward
the small or independent technician.”
What makes it attractive
to that market, among several things, is the price. At $89.95, it’s one
of the least expensive manuals on the market. “It’s a relatively
compact manual, too,” Nelson said. “It’s 896 pages, 9x7 inches and can
fit in a small tool box drawer.”
But lest you think AutoData is
an automotive service neophyte, Nelson and his team of seven technical
writers – who have more than 175 combined years of automotive expertise
– came mostly from auto dealerships, and all of them are ASE certified.
“Our
objective in developing the TPMS manual was to have everything
available to the tire technician – all the information they need to
reset TPMS systems,” Nelson said. “This includes mount/dismount
information and torque specs for valves and lug nuts.”
Specifically, the AutoData TPMS manual covers:
• System Identification
• Sensor Removal & Replacement
• Warning Lamp Operation
• System Resetting
• Tire Changing Procedures
As
they say, the product is only as good as what’s fed into it. These days
it’s difficult for AutoData and most publishers of service manuals to
get required information from the original equipment manufacturers.
“We’re especially having trouble getting updated information from
Chrysler and General Motors,” he said. “But we understand the issues
that they are dealing with right now.”
Fortunately for Nelson
and his team, they don’t rely on the manufacturers’ terminology. “We
have our own copyrighted material,” he said. “It’s not on the
manufacturers’ format. Our writers put the material into as readable
text and accompanying graphics as possible. As a matter of fact, our
goal for the new version is to make the terminology more consistent
throughout.”
Nelson adds that his product has been well received
so far. “The feedback has been excellent. It is better than we had
anticipated and several want to license it now.”
Besides
AutoData, there are, of course, other noteworthy offerings in the world
of TPMS instruction manuals. Certainly there are several, but one of
the most popular is the long-time giant, Mitchell1.
Mitchell1
has been in the manual business since 1918 with its Reed Electrical
Manual, but today, Mitchell1 manuals have evolved into TeamWorks, the
company’s integrated family of software-based solutions anchored by the
product that is recognized as a standard for automotive repair
information: Mitchell1 OnDemand5.
However, a standard Mitchell1
TPMS Guide – 5101, lists for $119.99, and the company claims it is a
“must have” for any shop that performs tire service on late-model
vehicles equipped with TPMS.
The popular guide contains TPMS
descriptions and operation specifications listed by vehicle make, model
and year. This includes activation, reset and re-learn procedures,
dismounting and mounting instructions and special tool requirements for
each vehicle. They recommend ordering individually.
Mitchell1 also produces a variety of CRM and business-related manuals and software.
Most
TPMS system and tool manufacturers also produce guidelines for their
products. However, one notable company, SmartWave, that manufactures a
TPMS system specifically for commercial vehicles, provides a 69-page
owner’s manual in a downloadable PDF format.
If you don’t have a TPMS manual (for tools, scanners or systems, etc.), contact your component supplier.