| By Chilton Staff |
We all know someone who likes to fix things. They like to take things apart to see how they work and their joy of discovery often starts at a young age. When combined with a passion for cars, it can lead to a high-tech career as an automotive technician.
Whether a middle, high school or technical college student, classroom instruction combined with hands-on experience is essential to becoming an automotive technician. Learning to use proper tools is also a crucial part of automotive education.
To repair today’s vehicles, technicians rely on increasingly sophisticated tools. Reliable information is one of those tools. Available online 24/7, ChiltonLibrary contains data from the vehicle manufacturer, which is called original equipment manufacturer (OEM) data. For the last 12-20+ model years ChiltonLibrary information is entirely OEM information from the vehicle manufacturer. This vetted information is also what professional automotive technicians use.
When Accuracy Matters
Time-tested methods such as using one’s senses to hear, see, and smell vehicle issues are still valuable to a technician. However, modern vehicle technology also requires precision. Step-by-step procedures and measurements keep systems on point—and that’s where ChiltonLibrary comes in. Chilton’s diagnostic and testing procedures, trouble codes, wiring diagrams, specifications, and more give students the opportunity to work with this essential information.
Specifications are an example of how students use ChiltonLibrary. Automakers specify how much oil is needed, what type of oil to use for certain conditions, and how often to change it. Without access to accurate specifications, someone could use too little or too much, or the wrong type, leading to engine problems.
Another critical specification is torque. Torque specifications tell how much and in what order to tighten fasteners, like a nut or a bolt. Imagine a wheel or a brake caliper that’s not tight enough. It could loosen while the vehicle is being driven, potentially causing a crash. Or, if something is tightened too much, it could overstress and lead to a failure. With the stakes so high, accuracy matters.
ASE Certification
The ChiltonLibrary knowledgebase contains multiple choice quizzes to help prepare for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification in areas like Automotive Engine Repair, Automatic Transmissions & Transaxles, and Automotive Electrical/Electronic Systems. After completing an online test, the app presents the results.
ChiltonLibrary Coverage
Some automotive technology programs are sponsored by a vehicle manufacturer, such as GM ASEP or Toyota T-TEN. These students may be provided with access to the sponsor’s manufacturer data, at least at the training site. But often, students are working on their own cars, or those of family and friends, and these vehicles are a variety of makes. At times like this, ChiltonLibrary is unsurpassed because it includes information for many different makes and models over many years and it’s accessible online 24/7.
ChiltonLibrary is a great resource for automotive students. Its authoritative data is indispensable for those learning to fix cars, and the video and animation library simplifies concepts and procedures. Students with a library card to a subscribing library can tap into this resource through their home computers, phones, or tablets around the clock.
