How to Make Your Car Last Forever: Avoid Expensive Repairs, Improve Fuel Economy, Understand Your Warranty, Save Money

Today, the average automobile has more computing power than Apollo 13.
How does the drivability system work in an average computer-controlled car?
For argument’s sake, let’s say that we have components A, B, C, D, and E.
Component A is the computer; B and C are sensors gathering information from
sources within the engine (specifically, water temperature and the amount of
oxygen in the exhaust). These sensors send the information in the form of
electrical impulses to the computer. The computer “reads” these impulses and
then makes the necessary adjustments based on pre-set parameters from the
factory (taking into consideration performance, emissions, shift points, and so
on). These adjustments are translated into commands to the engine controls,
which in this example are D and E (electronic fuel injection and ignition timing).
These work in concert with one another on the fly to make sure that your car
delivers optimum performance.
Problems start when there’s a glitch in the system such as a broken wire or a
bad component. That’s when the Domino Theory takes flight. Since the
computer works in a certain parameter, and it can only read what is fed to it by
the sensors, it will “tax” itself and any component within the system in order to
operate within factory set parameters—even if it means over-compensating or
under-compensating the adjustments of other systems and components. As a
result, more often than not, systems and components suffer. For this reason,
keeping your car’s performance system maintained according to factory
specifications is so important! In a properly maintained vehicle, the computer
can achieve automotive synergy, harmony, peace, and balance within.