on board diagnostics 2000 sts

[trevor]

now I have the f. s. manuals for this car I am really disappointed the way they continually point you to use a scanner to diagnose problems. The 1990 manual for my seville went to great pains to explain how to use the on board diagnostics to solve any problems. My question is does the extra manual available from helm entitled 2000 unit repair manual include an on board diagnostic section or are we all just supposed to follow the exellent guidelines from this forum.Is there another manual that I am missing out on ? Failing that is there a scanner or computer program I can use that doesnt cost the earth to buy ?For the last 13 years that Ive had the 90 seville there has not been one problem that I have not been able to solve with the help of the on board diagnostics. maybe ive been spoilt.Then again there is not even one cadillac dealer in australia to help should i ever get desperate ausboy

[Cadillac Jim]

You can get much of the information that you need can be had by reading the codes from the DIC. Here's how:

http://www.caddyinfo.com/readingcodes.html

The DIC can be used to read out some data, too. Anything further will require a scan tool. The best ones are PC based and run about $400. I don't recommend a Tech II because it's a pricey industrial-strength thing intended to be used many times a day for years, print out reports, have conversations with Germany over the Internet about new models with minimual operator intervetion, etc. etc. etc. Also, if your wife or neighbor has a Dodge or Subaru, its of little use, while the aftermarket DIY and serious mechanic jobs are just fine with anything that they're designed to hook up with.

Read through the shop manual to get accustomed to it. The main places that you are really pushed to a code reader are Engine Controls and some parts of electrical diagnoisis. In most other sections, you can just read the codes when you get to a troubleshooting item about a scan tool.

In any case, and keep coming by. Subscribe to some topics that interest you so that you get email alerts with links right to the new posts when someone replies. Subscribe to some topics, too, like the 19th Hole, so you get alerts with links for new posts.