What Does the ARRC Do?

The Auto Repair Reference Center database provides repair procedure information, wiring diagrams, service bulletins and other information for a variety of cars and light trucks for manufacturer model years 1945-2004.  The repair and wiring information found in this database is nearly identical to that found in the Chilton’s series of repair manuals available at the Modesto Library’s Magazine Desk.

Access

From home (via the internet): Go to the library’s homepage, http://www.stanislauslibrary.org.  From the options on the left choose “Online Databases" .  Select the “ Auto Repair Reference Center ” option.  Be prepared to enter your library card number and the last 4 digits of your phone number.  From the library terminals: Choose “Online Databases”, then the “ Auto Repair Reference Center ” option.

Locating Repair Information

The process is fairly simple:

• You will be prompted in a series of screens to enter the year, make and model (and sub-model/engine size, if applicable).  Click on the appropriate information for your vehicle at each prompt. 
• Following that, you will be asked to choose what kind of information you want: repair procedures, wiring diagrams, specifications, labor, maintenance intervals and service bulletins may be among the options presented, depending on what kind of information is available.  (For example, some newer model autos don’t have full repair information listed in this database.)
• Repair Procedures section: use the column at the left to navigate through the procedures for the various sections.  For example: if you need to replace the alternator, choose “Engine Electrical”, then “Engine Repair”, then “Alternator”.  The window on the right of the database screen will display the repair information you selected from the left-hand column; you can also navigate page-by-page by using the left and right arrows in the window.  To print pages, click the icon marked “Print Repair Data”.
• Wiring Diagrams and other sections: Choose from the presented options; diagrams, service bulletins, or other selected info will appear in PDF format.  Click on the little printer icon (on the toolbar) to print.

Other Features

You will notice that along the top of the screen there are two tabs marked “Care & Repair Tips” and “Troubleshooting”.  Both of these can be navigated using the left-column format of the Repair Procedures section described above.

• Care & Repair Tips covers a wide variety of subjects: necessary tools for auto repair, general information about how engines and engine components work, fuel conservation, buying and owning a vehicle, and a variety of other topics.
• As one might expect, the Troubleshooting section describes various car problems and possible solutions; these problems are organized much as the Repair Procedures are—Engine, Drive Train, Electrical, Brakes, etc.

If you need help, please see a librarian at the Reference Desk or call 558-7814.