The type of work that mechanics do has changed over the years. It used to be simple mechanical repair. Today it is a high technology job.

Cars and trucks today are run by electronic systems and computers. The computers tell the automotive service technicians and mechanics how well the car or truck is performing.

To do their job, technicians must know a lot about how complex parts of the car and truck work together. They must be able to work with electronic equipment that tells them what is wrong. They must be able to read and understand manuals and machines that are computer-based. At the same time they must be able to use the power and hand tools they have used in the past.

They usually follow a checklist to make sure that they check every critical part, including belts, hoses, plugs, and brake and fuel systems. In fact, there are so many parts to an automobile that some mechanics specialize in fixing only one certain part of it. For example, some technicians will only fix brakes while others will solely work on problems with the air-conditioning system.

Anyone whose car or light truck has broken down knows the importance of the jobs of automotive service technicians and mechanics. The ability to diagnose the source of a problem quickly and accurately requires good reasoning ability and a thorough knowledge of automobiles.

Many technicians consider diagnosing hard-to-find troubles one of their most challenging and satisfying duties. The work of automotive service technicians and mechanics has evolved from mechanical repair to a high technology job.

As a result, these workers are now usually called “technicians” in automotive services and the term “mechanic” is falling into disuse. Today, integrated electronic systems and complex computers run vehicles and measure their performance while on the road.

Technicians must have an increasingly broad base of knowledge about how vehicles’ complex components work and interact, as well as the ability to work with electronic diagnostic equipment and computer-based technical reference materials.