E6
TH E BULLETIN• SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2015
UNDAY D
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e jgj g g gmj e Anin-depthlookat
professionalscanners
By Terry Box The Dallas Morning News
Vanilla ice cream and tan
By Brad Bergholdt
Dockersbelongin every Toyota
Tribune News Service
Camry, America's favorite midsize car.
Q
• I see you recommend such as variable valve tim• using a profession- ing, electronic throttle control al scanner to see what's and intake manifold tuning, wrong with a car. Can you turbocharger systems. These explain the difference be- systems can vary by manutween these and the one facturer,so specific access is I've bought at the auto parts needed. Examples of capabilstore'? ities beyond simply looking at • Practically the entire data includes performing an • car is now connected evaporative system leak check, in a network that can be a crank sensor angle learn accessed using a scan tool. procedure, running a cylinder These tools have become an balance test and commanding essential part of diagnos- the camshaft actuator to verify ing engine, transmission, phasing accuracy. brake, air c onditioning, A top-notch aftermarket or lighting and accessory sys- manufacturer-specific s c an tems just to name a few. tool also allows access to transThe inexpensive tool mission and all-wheel-drive you purchased is likely an systems, braking, stability conOBD-II generic scan tool. trol, traction control and other These are capable of obtain- under-car systems. Also, body ing and clearing emissions electronics such as lighting, inrelated diagnostic trouble strumentation, climate control, codes (generic and manu- SRS (air bags), communication facturer specified), check- and navigation systems are ing system readiness (com- typically accessed, diagnosed pletion of onboard diagnos- and verified using a scan tool. tic tests for various systems- Examples include performing important for emissions aradaraimingprocedure relatcertification), and viewing a ed to the adaptive cruise confreeze frame (data captured trol or collision mitigation syswhen a code sets). Some tem, initiating a new ignition tools may indicate diagnos- key to the immobilizer system, tic trouble code definitions ABS system bleeding, initiatand other helpful features. ing a new tire pressure monSome higher-end gener- itoring sensor, checking for a ic scan tools also provide correct passenger side window ABS capability for certain switch input, controllingthe devehiclemakes and addi- froster mode door to fully open
They might give the tepid Toyotas a dash of flavor and color.
Make mine white with gray interior and a "Honk if you love life" bumper sticker. May I also borrow one of your Julio Igle-
A
sias CDs?
So equipped, REVIEW th e stalwart sedan should not be even a blip on revenue-hun-
gry police radars — effectively invisible, I think Granted, few flaws leap out
Courtesy Toyota viaTribune News Service
The 2015 Toyota Camry's curvy new body seems to settle comfortably onto the gray18-inch wheels
at you from the solid-citizen, and 225/45 tires. super-reliable Camry, a car that with the Honda Accord came to
define quality andvalue. It just possesses all the ex-
citement of a potluck supper at the community rec center. But even super-conservative Toyota realizes that quiet
competence doesn't attract the buyers it once did — or many promotions, for that matter.
Though the Camry is still the top-selling sedan in America, its yearly volume over the last five or six years has dropped nearly 10 percent. Not only has this soft-shoe segment gotten more compet-
2015Toyota CamryXSE
a couple of years ago, this one the landscape. The door panrode with firm, athletic confi- els and dash are all or mostly
Base price:$26,150 Astested: $35,688 Type:Five-passenger, front-wheel-drive, midsize sedan Engine:3.5-liter V-6 with 268 horsepower and248 pound-feet of torque Mileage:21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway
have a few shreds of German
sedan segment, including the abandoned it altogether, opting Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu, instead for more interesting HyundaiSonata and Kia Opand usefulcrossover vehicles. tima, now roll solely on fourSo I figure Toyota made the banger power. right move in ordering up a As with many of Toyota's thorough restyling and tweak- engines, though, the V-6 genering of the Camry for 2015. ates about the same horsepowThe stylish new Camry al- er and torque that it did back most looks as if it could dance when I had dark hair and a — maybe a little low-key shuf- carefreesmile. fle to a moody Drive-By TruckThe aging 3.5 still cranks out erstune. a decent 268 horsepower and As partof its more "emo- is tied to a modern six-speed tional" look, every panel on the automatic. car's body got changed but the Torquey and smooth down roof. low, the engine pushes the The glossy maroon XSE 3,500-pound Camry around model I had recently featured a with relative ease, sprinting lower, sleeker front end with a to 60 in a quick 5.8 seconds, simple single-bar grille up high according to Car and Driver's and a deeper blacked-out grille timing gear. beneaththe bumper. The front-wheel-drive sedan Newly curved sides wore a is also rated at a reasonable 21 couple of well-placed character miles per gallon in the city and lines — one dashing jauntily impressive 31 on the highway. through the door handles at a But under hard acceleration, slight angle and a second down the engine got kind of coarse low curving up Lexus-like in above 4,000 rpm, and it lacked front of the rear wheels. the sharp responses of a diMy high-end$36,000 model rect-injected V-6. even exhaled through dual exL ikewise, while t h e s i x hausts, tied to a familiar 3.5-li- speed automatic typically shiftter V-6 up front. ed seamlessly, it occasionally And Toyota should be laud- stumbled asitsearched for a ed for still offering a V-6. Many downshift. big competitors in the midsize But unlike the Camry I drove itive, some consumers have
Sovin a
dence — seeming at times to
relieves some of the hard dark-
same dimensionsas lastyear's
looked pretty luxurious. With perforated suede centers and
sedan, but it got additional spot-
corners pretty deanly with relatively little lean, the car's skin-
I understand that, and may-
be it's too much to expect from a mainstream midsize sedan. But with competitors like
Q
• My daughter has a 2005 • Subaru Legacy wagon
that this issue affects many manufacturers if for no other
the inertia switch terminals
unscrewing it from its mount,
reason than the headlights are
tinuity tester or an ohmmeter on the inertia switch'? Does it
continuity.
far more often due to daytime
for continuity. Do I just unplug unplugging the c onnector "on" a higher percentage of the connection and use a con- and test the connections for time, and are switched on/off
"draw" test should show 3 to 4
tion near the front of the tank
I f thi s
d oesn't start t h e
provide an answer, a scan tool
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Check the lamp socket for
STK¹D15090NVIN¹500409
discoloration, burning or distortion from overheating. A
Vehiclessubject to priorsale, pricedoesnot includeDNIVFees.Imagesfor illustration purposesonly. OfIiersexpire 4/19/15
affect lamp life, Subaru rec-
ommends using H7LL "long life" halogen headlights. And make sure you don't touch the
and check for power. If there's pump, try the jumper trick at glass envelope during instalpower, then the pump is likely the DLC, which is located be- lation because dirt and oils bad. If there's no voltage, then hind the instrument panel be- from your skin will also rea relaymay be bad, but the low the glove box. duce lamp life. Wear light linmanual states that checking If these simple tests don't en or vinyl gloves to avoid this the relay on a 1994 and later
STK¹P15010NIN¹306595
running lights and "automatic" headlights.
jumper wire from the "FP" ter- fuel tank with a rubber mal- poor connection can create minal on the data link connec- let. "Tired" fuel pumps will of- arcing and shorten lamp life. tor or the diagnostic test con- ten start with a little "outside" Overvoltage can also shorten nector to ground. If the pump help. If this works, the fuel lamp life, so check the voltage runs, it means that the PCM is pump itself is the likely prob- at the battery with the engine probably bad as this process lem. Since the fuel pressure running. It should be between bypasses the PCM. The prob- should be 30 to 40 psi with the 14.1 and 14.8 volts. lem is that I cannot find the engine running, an amperage Since heat and vibration Lastly, the manual says to amps — roughly one amp per unplug the fuel pump connec- 10 pounds of fuel pressure.
p n e
headlights burn out about ev-
To reset the switch, just push
DTC/DLC on my car.
S60 Tj PREMIER
with about 100,000 miles. The
box and it showed continuity. the reset button downward. The manual then said to check You can test the switch by
pound on the bottom of the
201 5 YOL YO
Inside, plastic still dominates
• I've received regarding A short headlight life. Recognize
the manual then says to run a
K)E
screen.
out. • Yours isn't the first email
just pull apart or is it screwed with the car in park and foot together? on the brake, have a helper If the inertia switch is OK, try to start the car while you
also is the doorway to the bur-
s ome Lexus-like lines as it
position, I do not hear a "whir-
If that's not the problem,
A loaded midsizer can easily cost $35,000 or more, which
wrapped around a large center stack. Meanwhile, the big center stack resembled one in a late-model Hyundai Sonata — broad with smartly placed buttons and large knobs, and topped by a 7-inch display
cannot find the problem. They say all the electrical checks
fuse in the power distribution
sedans.
seats and doorpanels. A big, flat dash featured
ery six months, and the dealer
crash, this magnetic switch
and sweeping the instrument
as Mode 6 (noncontinuous panel gauges up to 50, and then monitor test results). Mode 100 percent. Being able to see 6is helpful withintermittent if incoming switch requests problems, as one can check aresuccessfuland performing to see how close a system or output commands rules out a component came to passing lot of unnecessary disassembly or failing a test. and testing, as one can quickly A professional grade (af- determine if the fault may be termarket) or manufactur- caused by a switch, the neter-specific scan tool goes work, or actuator. far beyond the OBD-II sysAn OBD-II generic scan tool tem, allowing access to the is a great addition to anyone's manufacturer's in-depth in- toolbox.
red stitching on the dashboard,
appears to have spark. When the vehicle suffers a big bump the key is turned to the "on" or hit as could happen in a ring" sound from the fuel will open the electrical conpump. I checked the fuel pump nection to stop the fuel pump.
tional OBD-II features such
EcoBoost Ford Fusions, high- geoning near-luxury segment end Mazda 6s and V-6 Honda and vehicles like the MerAccords becoming more Eu- cedes-Benz CLA 250 and Audi ropean in feel, Toyota needs to A3. keep moving in that direction. Ironically, though, vehicles in The biggest hurdle may be the midsize segment are better the steering, which while quick, than ever, and the Camry is no is numb and lacking in feeling. exception. Take solace in the fine highway ride of the Camry, best appreciated from its new upgraded interior. The one in my Camry was black with faux
seconds on starter fluid, so it
the driver's side in the trunk. If
But what about the long run'?
The midsizesegment appears to be stagnating, and cross-
ny tires lacked sporting grip, and thesuspension in general overs — those car-based SUV didn't much like being under pretenders — aren't the only duress. challenge to keeping buyers in
might. DTC fault codes P0230/ P231/P232 identify specific problems with the fuel pump circuitry and voltage.
A
ness, and the leather seats
welds for more rigidity. leather bolsters, the seats felt as In addition, high-end XSE good as theylooked. models ride on firmer shocks Moreover, legroom andheadand springs and harder bush- room inback were ample even ings, and benefit from a more for contemporary large adults. aggressive tune for the electric In short, it would be a pleaspower steering. ant place to watch the miles fly While the Camry turned into by on a day trip.
car is not a DIY project. Does this sound like a reasonable • I have some questions approach or do you have a bet• regarding the fuel pump ter DIY troubleshooting plan'? on my 1995 Mercury Cougar • Remember the " K I SS" with the 4.6-liter V-8. The car • principle? Try the simple was garaged for about three stuff first. First check the inermonths and now won't run. tia switch for the fuel pump, loIt will start and run for a few cated behind the trim panel on Star Tribune(Minneapolis)
plastic. But the faux red stitching
init. The new Camry has t he
m ster
By Paul Brand
Q
formation, tests and calibration functions for engine systems
contamination.
541-749-2156 20630 Grandview Drive, Bend, OR
KMQL ILHVOLVO.coM