Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [electronics]

Electrical components that monitor or control the engine and other vehicle systems, or that provide entertainment, information, or network access. Engine Control Units (ECUs), their sensors, radios, navigation systems, and rain sensors are examples of electronic components. Compare with electrical components which distribute, switch, and consume electricity as a source of power – such as the battery, alternator, fuses, lights, starter, and sparkplugs.

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Why don't cars have circuit breakers instead of fuses?

While there are exceptions the majority of cars use fuses instead of circuit breakers to protect electronics and I'm wondering why circuit breakers are not more widely used. Is it practicality, cost, regulations or a combination of those factors?
GdD
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What are the risks of jump-starting a modern car?

I'm aware of the general risks, i.e. igniting hydrogen gas with a spark, and accidentally hooking up the leads backwards. But I have been reading conflicting information about whether one should even try to jump-start a modern vehicle. One…
Michael
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Is it normal to connect the positive to a fuse and the negative to the chassis

I am try to install an after market usb breakout box on my vehicle. It has a red wire and a black wire coming out of the back. The instructions say to connect the red wire directly to a fuse in the fuse box and the black wire to the chassis. In…
Aaargh Zombies
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How stable is voltage in a 12V car outlet?

I want to use a Mini-ITX PC board in a car. I plan to use the 12V "cigar" outlet or take the 12V elsewhere, but from the same 12V source that is dedicated to be used for user devices within a car's cabin. How stable is the 12V voltage? My PC will…
Kozuch
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Skoda Fabia - reverse parking sensors not working?

I bought a used Skoda Fabia that is fitted with a parking assistant (reverse parking sensors) which does not seem to work. According to the manual when I change into reverse it should either make a short beep (for everything alright) or a long beep…
magnattic
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what sensors and formula are used to control VGT/VNT turbos?

I want to fit a variable geometry turbo to my car. Its vanes are usually controlled an electrical actuator (otherwise sometimes it's on vacuum). What information is used to to inform the state of the turbo vanes, though - throttle position, intake…
Aaron Brick
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OBD Accessory External Power Supply

I recently purchased the Zubie Car Hotspot from Verizon that connects to the OBD port on a car. I have mine connected to the Tesla Model X, unfortunately I need the connection to remain always on but the Zubie shuts off after 15 minutes when the car…
MTG
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Which electrical parts in motorcycles are obligatory for basic driving capacity?

According to this survey, electrical parts in motorcycles are the most probable to fail. Which of the electrical parts in modern motorcycles are necessary for maintaining basic driving capacity? In order to make the question more clear, I would like…
zepp133
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Are all drive-by-wire cars completely (brakes, clutch, gas, steer) by wire?

I've recently purchases a manual transmission 1.5 Honda Mobilio. Which claimed to be a drive by wire vehicle and I assume it really is (don't know how to tell if a car is drive by wire). I am a new driver and not sure which parts of a drive-by-wire…
Jomar Sevillejo
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cigarette lighter is always on

In my 2006 ford ka the cigarette lighter socket is always on, which means that when I turn off the engine I have to unplug the USB thingy I've got in there. It's a bit annoying and I'm constantly worried that I've forgotten to unplug it and I'll…
Issy Szemeti
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Are mechanical relays still used for turn signal circuits? If not, where does the clicking noise come from?

I noticed that when I activate the turn signal of my 2017 Jeep (full of computerized electronics), the flasher makes a very mechanical sound, just like cars have done for I-don't-know-how-many decades. These days, you don't need mechanical relays to…
Anthony X
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Can radio communications be fully disabled in a Tesla?

Can radio communications be fully disabled in Tesla vehicles like the Model S ? I guess this question has two parts: software disablement and hardware disablement as follows: (1) Software disablement. Are you able to "turn off" any and all radio…
Cooter Davenport
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What happens if I disconnect the battery while the car is running?

There are some comments on the question Are there any modern diesel engines that require electricity to continue running? suggesting that disconnecting the battery while the car is running can damage electrical components. In the 1960's to 1980's…
James Jenkins
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Why do cars still use mechanical blinker relays?

I think the electronic relays may be cheaper; and having less moving parts they are theoretically less prone to break. So, why do cars still use mechanical relays for turning lights?
sergiol
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Fixing a water-damaged remote key

I have a Toyota Camry 2011 and two remote keys. One of the keys was soaked with water two years ago. Of course, it is not working. I went to a dealer and they failed to recover it. Is there something I can try to fix it myself?
Love
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