Author: mateja

The Cost of Not Having a Reversing Camera on Your Vehicle

Post author By mateja
Post date October 4, 2021

Reversing cameras are not new tech and have been around for years. Surprisingly however, a great number of vehicles still don’t have reversing cameras installed. And we don’t mean old or classic cars, we’re talking about modern vehicles that are only a few years old.

A lot of new cars these days come with reversing cameras, but many vehicles still don’t. While this may not be a huge deal for a normal small car (even though they are a big help), large vehicles such as trucks and caravans really benefit from having a reversing camera installed.

What is the use of a reversing camera?

The main point of a reversing camera is to allow you to see what is behind the vehicle which you would not otherwise be able to see from the driver’s seat. It’s main job is to eliminate blind spots and help you ensure there are no objects in the way as you reverse. This is particularly useful for vehicles which have little or no rear viability.

So what are the costs of not having a reversing camera?

A reversing camera eliminates a great deal of risk when you are reversing. Obviously it can prevent backing into a small post, mailbox or other low object which can cause damage and cost you literal dollars.

However, it can also help prevent other instances such as the possibility of hitting a person, especially a child which may not be tall enough to see through the rear windscreen.

Having a reversing camera will help to prevent these situations for occurring and will literally save you money since you won’t have to pay to fix the damage, let alone preventing anything else mentioned above.

Since reversing cameras are not very expensive and are comparable to having a stereo installed, there really isn’t much reason not to get one.

We at Eurosparx supply and install reversing cameras for cars and larger vehicles such as trucks and campervans. If you’d like to get one for your vehicle, get in contact with us now by calling 09 218 7789 or emailing info@eurosparx.co.nz.

Car Batteries

Why It’s a Good Idea to Buy a New Car Battery Instead of a Used One

Post author By mateja
Post date August 19, 2021

Whenever we need to buy a replacement for a part that has failed it can be very tempting to go for the cheap option to save some money. However, when it comes to car batteries, here are a couple of reasons why buying a used one may not be such a good idea.

The first and biggest reason is that you will never know exactly how good the used battery is. There are some tests that can be done to give you a general idea, but many times these tests can say a battery is good when it isn’t. Even if the test was right, you don’t know how much longer the battery will last.

Car battery health depends on so many different factors and you just don’t know how it was treated. So even if the battery is good now, it could only last a couple of weeks, and then you are back to square one. And with used batteries there usually isn’t a warranty.

When you buy a new car battery, you get a battery that you know is in perfect condition and you get warranty, which means if it does develop a fault, you can return it for a brand new replacement. Sure, you might spend a little bit more initially, but you can be sure that your car will start every time you turn the key, and you won’t get stranded in the middle of nowhere at night because of a faulty old battery (you’ll wish you spent the little bit extra then!).

If you need to get a replacement battery for your car, get in contact with us today. We sell Hella and VARTA batteries which are top of the line, come with a 2 year warranty and free installation. We will also perform a free charging system check to ensure your car’s electrical system is working as it should.

Air Conditioning

How Is an Air Conditioning Regas Done on a Car?

Post author By mateja
Post date August 4, 2021

If you find that your air conditioning is not blowing as cold as it used to, chances are it needs a regas (also known as a recharge). AC regassing is a normal part of maintenance for air conditioning systems and generally needs to be done every 1-2 years.

Why does AC need regassing?

The way the car AC system is designed, there are lots of seals and parts that are prone to failure overtime, allowing small leaks to happen. In theory, the system should be fully sealed and never leak. But in reality, leaks do happen. Especially as the car ages, seals can become hard or brittle and let some gas to escape. This is one of the reasons that it is recommended to regularly turn the AC on even if you don’t need it, to keep the seals oiled so they last longer.

If you find that your AC system needs regassing often, that is a sign that something is not right and you should have it checked out for faults or leaks.

What’s involved in doing the regas?

The regas procedure involves removing the old refrigerant gas from the systems and filling it with new gas. There is a regas system that hooks up to your AC system which extracts the old gas and then fills it with the correct new gas.

We will also do a performance test before replacing the gas to see if your AC system is working correctly. If there is a fault, we will let you know what needs to be fixed before completing the regas.

Other AC maintenance items

While dealing with the AC system, it may be worth replacing the cabin filter (probably never been done) and doing an anti-bacterial clean if you notice a musty small coming from the air vents.

Get your AC regassed today

If you need to get your car’s AC system regassed, talk to us at Eurosparx today. We are able to service and repair both 134a and 1234yf systems and can do a regas from $280 including GST. Give us a call now on 09 218 7789 or info@eurosparx.co.nz.

Auto Electrical

5 Signs You Might Need to Get Your Alternator Repaired

Post author By mateja
Post date July 19, 2021

Alternators tend to be reliable on most vehicles, but the time does come when they break down and fail. When they do, you will probably experience one of the following symptoms:

Alternator Repair Auckland

Your battery dies. A battery can fail for many different reasons, but you will be able to tell if it’s your alternator by either replacing the battery or jump starting the car. If the car dies again in a short period of time, the alternator is likely at fault.
The battery warning light comes up on the dash. Again, this could come up for a few reasons, but if the alternator has failed this light will probably come on.
Your headlights are dim or have issues. This is a common indicator that the battery is struggling to keep charge and is likely to be the fault of the alternator.
Electrical components are playing up or having issues. Similar to the headlights, when other electrical components start having issues, that’s usually a sign that the battery is struggling to supply enough power, often caused by an alternator fault.
Rattling, grinding or strange sounds coming from your engine. Odd noises coming from your engine could be a sign that the alternator is failing, particularly if coupled with oddly behaving electronics. Alternators have rotating parts that can make noises when they are failing.

If you suspect any of these issues with your car, pop in to see us at Eurosparx. We can do some quick checks on your car to let you know if your alternator is faulty and we also do alternator repairs from our workshop in Avondale.

iDrive Throttle Controller

How the iDrive Throttle Controller Can Improve Your Ute

Post author By mateja
Post date July 5, 2021

Most modern vehicles, including utes, use an electronic system for the throttle known as “fly by wire”. Instead of a cable mechanically connecting the pedal to the throttle, the pedal has a sensor to read how much the pedal is pressed and then operated the throttle electronically to open it accordingly.

The problem with this is that many vehicles have a noticeable delay between the time you press the pedal and the time the throttle reacts. This is where iDrive comes in.

iDrive Throttle Controllers Auckland

The iDrive Throttle Controller allows you to adjust the reaction time of the throttle and the pedal, in order to match it to your driving style.

But there are other throttle controllers that can do that, what makes iDrive so special?

The iDrive unit is able to automatically adjust the throttle response based on pedal pressure and your driving style. That means if you are taking it easy and using the throttle gently, it will set itself to setting 1 (least responsive).

If you accelerate hard, such as in an overtaking maneuver, towing a trailer or just having a good time behind the wheel, it will change the setting to 9 (most responsive).

It also has an economy mode, which reduces responsiveness of the throttle in order to increase fuel economy.

And, should you want full control, you can manually set the controller between 1-9 to give you the exact response you are looking for.

If you are looking for an iDrive for your ute, we at Eurosparx are the official West Auckland distributor for iDrive and have units for:

Holden Colorado
Mitsubishi Triton
Ford Ranger
Nissan Navara
Toyota Hilux

We are able to supply the entire iDrive range so if we don’t have the model you are looking for, we can get it!
Get in contact with us now to get your iDrive by calling us on 09 218 7789 or emailing info@eurosparx.co.nz

Car Accessories

We Supply and Install Reversing Cameras in Auckland

Post author By mateja
Post date June 9, 2021

If you are looking to make maneuvering your vehicle easier and avoid the chance of an accident, a reversing camera is an excellent idea!

We Install Reversing Cameras in Auckland

How do reversing cameras work?

Reversing cameras are a CCTV camera that is mounted to the rear of the vehicle and connected to a screen inside the car. This allows the driver of the vehicle to easily see what is behind the vehicle, preventing blind spots and eliminating the need to turn around to have a look.

Reversing cameras make parking and maneuvering in reverse much easier, making sure you can see a lot better especially in the case of a vehicle with little visibility such as a caravan or truck.

Get your reversing camera installed

We at Eurosparx supply and install a wide range of reversing cameras to suit any type of vehicle. Our range includes all models from AVS and Mongoose, and we can install your camera if you already bought one and need it fitted.

We are able to fit reversing cameras to all types of vehicles, both passenger and commercial including:

Cars
Trucks
Vans
Caravans & RVs
And more

If you want to get your reversing camera installed, give us a call on 09 218 7789 now!

Car Diagnostics

How to Read Car Diagnostic (OBD) Scan Codes

Post author By mateja
Post date May 11, 2021

Modern cars are filled with electronics, and one of the benefits of this is that the car can often tell you what is wrong, eliminating lengthy troubleshooting procedures to find the problem.

Running a diagnostic scan on your car can reveal if there are any issues, and if so, what they are. Here’s how it works.

How to Read Car Diagnostic OBD Scan Codes

Since 1996, all vehicles had to have an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) II diagnostic system, which allows the car to be scanned using universal scanning tools which will produce error codes to tell you what the problem is.

This scan can reveal a wide range of problems all around the car including ignition timing issues, level of buildup in the engine, fuel injector performance, engine rpm levels, coolant temperature, airbag condition, lights and more. Since 1996, the diagnostic system has been further improved and now can tell you almost anything about the car.

The diagnostic tool will generally tell you what the problem is by producing a code. The standard for codes is as follows:

The codes range from P0100 to P1899. Each letter and number in the code represents a different section of the car.

The first letter is often a P, which stands for powertrain (engine, gearbox etc). B stands for the body (includes A/C and airbag), C stands for chassis (includes ABS) and U stands for Network Code (Wiring Bus).

The number 0 (the second digit) is a generic OBD code shared by most manufacturers, but some use a specific code here so the number 1 may show.

The third digit tells you the category of the problem:

1 means there is an air or fuelling problem.
2 means there is something wrong with the fuel injector circuit.
3 means there is a problem with the ignition.
4 means there is an emissions control problem.
5 means there is a vehicle speed or idle control problem.
6 means there is a computer or output circuit problem.
7 or 8 means there is a transmission problem.

The fourth and fifth digits specify in detail what system is having a problem. These codes are set by the vehicle manufacturer so you (or the auto electrician doing the scan) will need to check with the manufacturer what they stand for.

If you need to have your car scanned to diagnose a problem, call us now on 09 218 7789 or pop into our shop at 597 Rosebank Road today!

Auto Electrical

How to Know If You Have A Faulty ECU (Computer)

Post author By mateja
Post date April 19, 2021

How to Tell If You Have a Faulty ECU (Computer)

The ECU, also known as the computer, DME or ECM, is the main unit that controls your motor and allows it to run. When it starts to fail, your car won’t run right, or might not run at all. Here is why and how it fails, and how you can find out if that’s the problem.

Common Symptoms ECU Failure
When your ECU starts failing, you will usually notice at least one of the following symptoms (sometimes more than one):

Check engine light comes on
Erratic idle
Engine turning off for no reason (stalling)
Intermittent starting problems
Overheating ECU
Connection issues between the ECU and the diagnostic scanner
Engine won’t start at all
Excessive fuel usage
Poor running condition of the motor

If you are experiencing any of these issues with your car, the first step you should take is to get the car scanned with a diagnostic tool. This will reveal if the ECU has produced any error codes and may tell you if the ECU is having problems or has failed. However, if the ECU has completely died, the scanner won’t be able to scan anything. This itself can be a sign that the ECU is dead.

If the scanner was unable to connect with the ECU to do a scan, the next step is to test to ensure the ECU is still plugged in properly and that it is getting a strong power and ground signal. This simple test can be done with a multimeter once you know which pins should be getting power and ground on the ECU plug (a simple internet search should tell you for your particular car).

If it is getting power and ground, the best test is to get a known working ECU and replace yours to see if that fixes the problem. If it does, you’ve had a bad ECU. If it doesn’t, the issue lies elsewhere.

Keep in mind that if this does fix the problem, it may pay to get the car checked out, because there was a reason the ECU died in the first place. You don’t want it to happen again.

If you are not getting power and ground, something else is causing the problem, such as a fuse or relay. Diagnosing this can get complicated fast, so unless you have experience it is probably best to go see an auto electrician.

If the scan revealed issues with the ECU, then you’ve got your answer and will have to replace the ECU.

If you are having electrical problems with your car, come and see us at Eurosparx. We have the latest tools and equipment to scan and diagnose all European and Japanese vehicles and can have a look at yours to let you know if you need a new ECU or if it can be repaired.

Auto Electrical

How to Quickly Test Your Car Battery to See If It’s Faulty

Post author By mateja
Post date March 9, 2021

If you think that your car’s battery is faulty, here is a simple test you can do which will reveal if it is or not. You only need a simple multimeter (and possibly a friend) to complete this test.

Grab your multimeter, and if it’s not autoranging, set it to 20V DC.
Turn off the ignition and any accessories that are still on, like lights, radio etc.
Take the red lead of the multimeter and put it on the positive post of the battery
Take the black lead of the multimeter and put it on the negative post of the battery.
Now see what the multimeter says. If it is showing anything below 12.4 volts, your battery could be faulty or needs to be charged.

If the battery has consistently been getting flat and it’s showing less than 12.4v on the test above, then odds are it needs to be replaced.

One further test you can do is a cranking test:

Follow steps 1&2 above, then disable your vehicle’s ignition or fuel system (a quick way to do this is to full the fuel pump fuse out). This will allow the vehicle to crank without firing, which is what we need.
Place the leads of the multimeter on the battery posts like before, red on positive and black on negative.
Have your friend/helper to crank the car – for no longer the 15 seconds – and see what the multimeter says. If the voltage drops below 9.6 volts, you’ve got a weak battery on your hands.

One last quick tip. If you are seeing a negative reading on your multimeter (such as -12.6v), it means you have connected the multimeter leads the wrong way round to the battery. Don’t worry, this won’t cause any problems, it will just show you a negative reading.

If you’ve performed these tests and find you have a weak battery, give us a call now on 09 218 7789 and we will be able to sort you out a quality replacement car battery for an excellent price.

About Us

Welcome to Our Blog!

Post author By mateja
Post date March 9, 2021

Welcome to the Eurosparx blog! Here we will be putting the latest news about what’s happening at our shop in Avondale, as well as tips, information, how-tos and other cool stuff that will help you with your car.

Make sure to check back regularly to see what’s new. If you need any help with your car in the meantime, email us on info@eurosparx.co.nz or call us on 09 218 7789.