Diagnostic Questionnaire (Telediagnosis)
You have been asked to fill out this form because your customers vehicle has had previous checks or repairs for the same, similar, or a possibly connected issue and you require a telediagnosis session for assistance.
This includes service, vehicle modifications, Retro fitted parts or any other checks / work done, regardless of if you may think it is relevant or not.
Completion of this form does not guarantee that we will commit to looking at your vehicle.
If we are not satisfied with the information supplied, we may decline to make you a booking.
All fields are mandatory.
PLEASE READ ALL THE INFORMATION HERE BEFORE SUBMITTING THIS FORM.
(SEE THE DROP-DOWN BOX BELOW FOR A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF WHY WE ARE REQUESTING THIS INFORMATION)
If you do not have all this information. Please obtain the answers from the customer in this case.
Do not assume the answers or put what you consider is correct.
Any backward and forwards correspondence to gain incorrect or missing information will only increase the chargeable timescale of the process.
DIY mechanics and some vehicle repairers can do basic checks or diagnostics with handheld scanners and little or no experience.
Without the correct technical information and diagnostic equipment, they can sometimes get lucky and fix the issue for a few pennies.
Or they may not.
After doing some repairs or checks, one or more of the following could apply.
- Someone has plugged a code reader in to read any fault codes. (Basic code readers do not read all fault codes. Sometimes they only read emission related faults)
- A fault code reader has been plugged in and cleared any codes.
- You or someone else have replaced parts purely because a fault code mentioned that part. (No conclusive diagnosis has been carried out)
- Fuses have been removed to check.
- Components disconnected to check.
- Parts substituted or already replaced.
- Repairs, service or modifications have been carried out previously that could have an effect or even caused the fault.
- Replaced parts because an online Forum, Google or YouTube says it’s a common fault.
- Had a service, hoping that would cure the issue and mentioned it to the garage for any advice or a quick look.
- The customer has performed repairs or checks themselves.
- A garage has performed repairs or checks.
You may still have the same fault you started with or sometimes worse.
Time and money already wasted. What to do next?
You contact a specialist.
Please then consider the following.
IN DOING ANY OF THE ABOVE, ADDITIONAL FAULTS CAN BE INDUCED, AND CRUCIAL “FIRST HAND” DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION IS NOW EITHER MISSING OR CORRUPTED. THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED OR REPLACED CAN STORE FAULT CODES. THIS CAN LEAD US TO ASSUME THAT THESE ITEMS COULD BE FAULTY.
Previous repairs, checks or incorrect advice makes it harder for any repairer to find a fault. Meaning more cost to the customer if we are not aware. This can make the issue worse by doing more damage or causing additional faults.
A “red herring” is something that can be misleading and direct a technician down the wrong path. A fault that has been induced by someone else, can often suggest that is the issue, when it’s completely different.
We then go completely down the wrong route to find the issue, due to something that has been caused by an outside influence. (Previous repairs or checks)
Our checks will normally tell us the last time and date any faults were cleared down.
Everything is relevant. Please do not withhold anything.
We do not need to know what it says on the forums or what your mechanic says is wrong with it.
An initial assessment charge to analyse the information given and run basic checks on the vehicle for each reported issue is 2 hours diagnosis.
If extensive diagnosis is required additionally, you will be advised of any further costs beforehand.
We reserve the right to charge an additional fee for any incorrect, misleading or withheld information, that we have not been made aware of.
To avoid wasted time and unnecessary cost for yourself, a detailed trail of events is required in order of when they occurred.
Please answer all the following questions and supply as much information as possible. The more detailed you are about the issue; the less time will be required to find it. It is very important we have all the correct information to hand.