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Hey all,
I am not sure if any of the techs that post in this section have access to Identifix or not but what are your thoughts?
In the long term, do you think it takes away your critical thinking skills? as i see allot of techs rely on that site way too much when trying to troubleshoot certain problems.
Or, do you think its a money maker (research the issue first on the vehicle your working on) giving you the most common cause/answer enabling you to move onto the next vehicle on your bay?
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What exactly is it? How does it exactly work? At the point cars are at, any helpful resource is welcome.
https://www.identifix.com/Default.aspx
Its a website that you can look up per se a P0351 code and it will list all the reported issues and and reported common fixes.
I’ve always heard about this resource, but never tried it. Is it free? I was told that it’s worth it. I would definitely like to try it.
[quote=”SpawnedX” post=32453]So it’s basically just another AllData/Mitchell style company?[/quote]
Somewhat.
Again, its used by Techs who can not figure an issue with a vehicle so they will look on Identifix to see if any other techs have posted the same problem as well as the fix if that makes sense?
[quote=”dreamer2355″ post=32554][quote=”SpawnedX” post=32453]So it’s basically just another AllData/Mitchell style company?[/quote]
Somewhat.
Again, its used by Techs who can not figure an issue with a vehicle so they will look on Identifix to see if any other techs have posted the same problem as well as the fix if that makes sense?[/quote]
So it’s like a paid for support group for techs? Or like my DSM forums, but for all makes of cars. What’s it cost?
I love it. I’ve used it for a couple of years now and you can find common issues and fixes. It also has OEM resources and online manuals.
It does cost a pretty penny a couple grand a year.
Here is there free version with a select few cars:
Just click on Click Here to try it out
I have never personally used it but there was a technician I worked with that relied heavily on them when working on German Manufactures. It seemed to help him, but in the time it took him to use it i am fairly confident that most technicians could have diagnosed the faults themselves and it would have saved the shop the money for using identafix and the time that car sat there
I have used it and it is extremely helpful with the diagnosis of pattern failures from makes you aren’t familiar with. It is also helpfull to have in those cases where you are just completely stumped and dont know what direction to take next in your diagnosis.
If the cost of it wasn’t so expensive I would have it myself but for a couple grand a yr I will stick to the forums lol.
To answer your question about the critical thinking though, I don’t think it does. I mean just because the blinker doesnt work and identifix has 31 responses saying corosion in the light socket, doesn’t mean that the combo switch, wiring, bulb, isnt also bad…
When I was in school my teacher would always repeat “Everything works till it doesn’t.”
[quote=”dseries16″ post=37443]I have used it and it is extremely helpful with the diagnosis of pattern failures from makes you aren’t familiar with. It is also helpfull to have in those cases where you are just completely stumped and dont know what direction to take next in your diagnosis.[/quote]
I completely agree with this. Its great for the guys at independents out there. At a dealership since you are always working on the same car line and systems, you get to a point where if car X comes in with symptom Y, you have seen it 10 times before and know that its probably the fuel pump like it was the other 10 times. But for us independent guys we see every make and model out there, so its hard to get a feel for pattern failures sometimes. Identifix lets you take a shortcut, instead of spending an hour doing diag on the whole system in question to pinpoint something, you can jump right to whatever has a high number of confirmed fixes.
I used it alot when I was working at the independant shop and I agree over reliance on it makes u look stupid and leads u in circles but not having it and replacing parts needlessly while another shop finds the pattern failure on the site checks it out and fixes the car for the customer on the first try can look like a hero! To me it’s no different then a tech calling a fellow tech at a dealer for some help or a silver bullet it’s just on a national scale instead! It also helps as grounds to show a questionable customer in why you’re taking the diagnostic route you’re taking.
“It’s worked 30 times before on the same kinda car as yours Mr Smith I think we should at least check it out!”
You still need to be proficent at reading schematics and scan data but any indy without it is putting themselves at a disadvantage in my opinion!
We have it at the shop that I am at. I think its about 180 a month.
I love it it saves lots of time, which means more money..I dont just go off the fixes that are posted I use it as a guide. You can get a direct pin out test without trying to use a trouble tree.
I have also used there tech hotline. That guy stayed on the phone with me until we fixed the problem. So all in all I think its great,if used as a guid and not a bible..Im the only tech in the shop I work at, so identifix is the only thing to save my ass since I cant brainstorm with anyone.
We have Indentifix at the shop I work at. It’s a sister company to IATN. We use both as well as Michell and Alldata.
Some of the Techs go to it right away while others like myself only use it if we get stuck. It’s pulled me out of some real head scratchers and wasted my time on others but it points you toward a pattern failure type fault or to something unusual. It’s up to you weather you follow their test procedures or your own.
I kinda like it.
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