Haynes manuals get 21st century update with digital guides for modern cars

Automotive manual publisher Haynes is bringing its famous workshop manuals up to date with a new online service to cover maintenance and repair for modern cars.

Despite many motorists’ worries that 21st century vehicles are too complex to work on at home, the publisher says the new AutoFix tool debunks the myth that DIY tinkerers can’t work on modern cars and offers all the necessary knowledge and advice needed to carry out maintenance at home along with new features, including an interactive fault diagnosis service.

The new online tool covers 90 per cent of cars on the roads and includes DIY guides for regular servicing and basic maintenance - ranging from changing lightbulbs to adjusting clutches – as well as a guide to elements such as dashboard warning lights, MOT preparation tips, and details of the specific fluids and settings for each vehicle.

Unlike the old paper manual, the guides are backed up by full colour photographs of key steps and even include video tutorials for some tasks, as well as tips on the level of difficulty, necessary tools and common problems to look out for. It will even suggest other jobs to take on in conjunction with the one selected.

Searchable colour wiring diagrams and technical drawings also form part of the new tool, along with an interactive fault finder that can help owners diagnose 400 common faults by entering the symptoms into its search engine.

Andrew Golby, global digital director at Haynes, said the new £25 tool was the next step in the brand remaining the go-to source for home mechanics as cars become increasingly complex.

He commented: The way that people use automotive repair information has significantly changed since Haynes was first founded in the 1960s. Indeed, today, our online workshop manuals, based upon the original book, outsell print manuals.

“What’s more, our customers constantly ask us for more vehicle coverage, more and better help with diagnostics and electronics topics, fault finding and also data and information that is hard to find on the internet. In response, we’ve tapped into Haynes’ extensive, market-leading data to create an advanced repair tool that everybody can use.”

From later this year the AutoFix tool will take the diagnosis help a step further, offering a fault code interpreting service. Owners using their own fault code reader to connect to the CAN-Bus electronic “brain” of any modern car will be able to view any fault codes. These can then be entered into the AutoFix database for a fault description along with suggested elements to check.