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Chapter 9
Ask-a-Tech Operations
Currently available in North America only, the Ask-a-Tech module provides a forum to network
with other professional technicians and gives you access to a vast database of repair and
diagnostic tips along with proven field fixes. The information on the website is developed by
technicians for technicians and cannot be found in a service or repair manual.
9.1 Ask-a-Tech Tips
An Ask-a-Tech Tip is a concise description of a repair for a particular problem on a specific vehicle
developed by your fellow technicians. Tips go through various stages of development as they
evolve from a question posted to the group to a verified repair for the posted question.
Depending upon the complexity of the problem, it may take several days or weeks to find a
solution. Established tips may also change when technicians develop better ways to perform the
task. There are two basic types of Tip:
•
Certified Tips—these tips have been closely scrutinized and adhere to established quality
control standards
•
Community Tips—these tips were developed solely by the community of Ask-a-Tech users
Tips display as a list on the website with an icon along the right-hand edge. The icons indicate the
type of information the tip includes and how the tip was developed:
Icon
Type of Tip
Description
Certified
This Tip has been subject to strenuous quality control.
Community members are free to comment on or edit the
Tip to improve it. As soon as a Certified Tip is edited it
becomes an Edited Certified Tip.
Edited Certified
This Tip originated as a Certified Tip but has been
changed by the Community. The Community is given the
opportunity to make Certified Tips more specific to a
vehicle, and to expand and enhance the content. It is
expected that as time passes, tips evolve to provide
better ways of repairing a specific problem.
Community
Indicates a Tip that generated by the Community. These
tips were developed by the network of technicians to
address a problem on a specific vehicle.
Question
This icon denotes a Question that is being asked by
somebody in the Community looking for information on a
problem they are experiencing.
Reference
Indicates a Fast-Track Troubleshooter Reference. Search
for a Fast-Track Troubleshooter Reference either by
entering the reference number into the search box, or by
selecting vehicle attributes from the navigation pane.