An automotive service technician finds out why a vehicle is not working right, fixes it, and proves the fix against the manufacturer's specifications. The job is less about swapping parts and more about diagnosis: you collect symptoms, test, and narrow down the cause before you pick up a wrench. You learn this by doing, so the plan here is built on drills you can run on a real car, such as a family car, a friend's car, or a junk-yard project. Start with safety and maintenance (oil, tires, brakes, fluids), then add electrical basics, scan tool diagnosis, and finally the advanced systems: drivab
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Stage 1 of 4 · about 12 weeks
Learn shop safety, tools, and how the main systems work (engine, brakes, steering and suspension, electrical, HVAC, cooling). Do a full multi-point inspection, change oil and a filter, rotate tires, and replace brake pads on a real car, following the factory procedure.
Shop safety and lifting
Cars are heavy, hot, and full of fluids and stored energy. Most serious shop injuries come from skipped basics, so safe habits come first and protect your whole career.
Tools, fasteners, and measuring
Technicians are judged on whether they can pick the right tool and use it without damaging parts. Torque and measurement are where a lot of comebacks (cars returning for repeat repairs) start.
Engine, lubrication, and cooling systems
Most routine service touches the engine and its fluids. When you understand what oil and coolant do, an oil change becomes a chance to spot problems instead of a chore.
Tires, steering, suspension, and brakes
These systems decide whether a car can stop and steer. Brake work in particular is a core entry-level job, and a mistake here is a safety failure, so you must follow the factory procedure exactly.
Electrical and HVAC basics, and the multi-point inspection
Modern cars are electrical machines, and every inspection touches the battery, lights, and climate system. A multi-point inspection is how shops find work, so doing it well makes you valuable on day one.
Then 3 more stages (about 152 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 10 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.