Report 001 · Check-engine · Electrical · Hybrid & EV · Portland, Maine
Check-engine lights, electrical gremlins, dead batteries and hybrid warnings — diagnosed with a scope and a meter by technicians who test first and replace second. You get the cause in writing before you spend a dollar on parts.
Est. 2014 · Portland, Maine · Every make, gas, hybrid & EV
Test 01 · Voltage drop, engine ground to battery
0.00 V
Half a volt. That is how much a corroded ground can steal from a starter or a sensor — invisible to a code reader, obvious to a meter. A code tells us where to look; a test like this tells us what is actually wrong. Everything on this page exists to close that gap.
Sec 01Services
A code tells us which system noticed a problem, not what caused it. We read every module, then test the circuit, the sensor or the vacuum line the code points at — and you get the cause, photos and a written quote before you spend a dollar on parts.
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A battery that dies every few days, lights that flicker, a window that works when it feels like it. We find the draw, the chafed wire or the corroded ground with a meter and a wiring diagram, then repair it soldered and sealed.
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High-voltage battery capacity tested module by module, cooling fans and inverters checked, charging faults traced — by technicians trained and equipped for high-voltage work.
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Misfires, rough idle, hesitation and stalling are rarely one part. We look at fuel trims, ignition and compression together, and only replace what the data proves is bad.
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New modules coded to your car, key fobs programmed, and driver-assist cameras recalibrated after a windshield or an alignment — with the factory-level software most shops send to the dealer.
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Another shop quoted a big repair? We check the diagnosis before you pay for it. Buying a used car? We scan every module and road-test it before you sign.
Book a diagnosis →Sec 02Process
When it happens, how often, what changed. If it only acts up on the highway, we go for a drive together.
Codes, freeze-frame data and history from every computer in the car — the starting point, never the answer.
Scope, meter, smoke machine and wiring diagram on the circuit the codes point to, until the cause is proven.
You hear what failed, why, and what it costs to fix. Nothing is repaired until you say yes.
Original-quality parts, wiring soldered and sealed, software updated where the maker calls for it.
A road test under the same conditions that set the fault, and a clean scan. The diagnostic fee comes off the repair.
Most check-engine lights are diagnosed the same day. If a fault needs longer — an intermittent one, say — we call with the plan and the cost before the clock goes further.
Sec 03Prices
If the diagnosis leads to a repair we do, the diagnostic fee comes off the bill. Prices in US dollars before Maine sales tax.
Sec 04Technicians
Tech. 01Lead diagnostician · ASE Master · L1 Advanced Engine Performance
Nine years on a dealership drivability desk, getting the cars nobody else could fix. Opened Signal in 2014 so she could test first and replace second. Carries a scope everywhere, including on vacation.
Tech. 02Electrical specialist · ASE A6 · L3 Hybrid & EV
Thirty years of wiring, from points and condensers to 400-volt battery packs. Finds the corroded ground behind the kick panel that three other shops missed, and labels it in the photo he sends you.
Tech. 03Programming & calibration · ASE A8 · factory software
Codes modules, programs keys and recalibrates cameras after windshields and alignments. Reads wiring diagrams the way other people read the news, and explains them better.
Sec 05Readout
Report 01
“Two shops replaced parts and charged me for each one. Signal found a chafed wire behind the engine in an afternoon and sent me the photo.”
Report 02
“My battery died every three days. They ran an overnight drain test and found a module that never went to sleep. One visit, done.”
Report 03
“They tested my hybrid battery module by module and told me it had years left. The dealer wanted to sell me a new one.”
Sec 06Packages
$129per concern
Most check-engine lights take under two hours.
Book a diagnosisMost booked
$149first hour
We call before going past two hours.
Book an electrical test$189per car
Worth doing before you buy a used hybrid.
Book a health checkPrices in US dollars before tax. Every repair we make carries a 24-month / 24,000-mile parts and labor warranty, and you can take our written diagnosis to any shop you like.
Sec 07Questions
A code tells you which system noticed a problem, not what caused it. The same lean code can be a vacuum leak, a fuel pump, a sensor or a wire. We test until we know, so you only pay for the part that fixes it.
Q.02Will you call before doing any repair?Always. You get the cause, photos and a written quote, and nothing is repaired until you say yes. If a diagnosis runs longer than we said, we call before the clock goes further.
Q.03Do I have to have the repair done here?No. Take the written diagnosis anywhere you like. If you do have us fix it, the diagnostic fee comes off the bill.
Q.04Do you work on hybrids and EVs?Yes. Two of our technicians are certified for high-voltage systems, and we have the insulated tools and battery equipment to do it safely.
Q.05My light comes and goes. Should I still come in?Yes. Intermittent faults leave history in the modules, and if we need to catch one in the act we can fit a data logger for a few days of your normal driving.
Q.06How long will it take?Most check-engine lights are diagnosed the same day. Intermittent electrical faults can take longer; you hear the plan and the cost up front.
Q.07Can I get a ride while I wait?We run a weekday shuttle anywhere on the peninsula, and there is coffee and Wi-Fi if you would rather stay. We take cards, cash and checks.
Sec 08Book a diagnosis
When it happens, what the dash says and what has been tried already. We’ll call back within one business day to book a time — and we’ll call again with the cause before any repair.