Online Repair Manuals

Many sites offer free online repair guides; others cost money (sometimes lots of money!). Here’s a list of North America sites that we’ll try to update as comments are posted. Please leave a comment to suggest a link for online repair info or to report a dead link. For owner's manuals please see this excellent list at Edmunds - Where To Find Your Car Owner's Manual Online.

Free Sites:

CarSpace Forums:

We have to plug our own site - you won't find a service manual but you will find lots of helpful owners (some of whom own factory manuals and may look up stuff for you at midnight). Go to the Forums tab and Browse by Make/Model for your vehicle. The Maintenance & Repair board is always a good bet for finding help.

AutoZone: AutoZone's repair guides offer you information about your vehicle's operation and step-by-step illustrated repair instructions. Online Repair Guides

Public Libraries:

Your local public library may subscribe to an auto repair database. For example, the Seattle Public Library subscribes to the Alldata.com repair database and offers free access for their patrons (online and in the library). Other libraries subscribe to the Auto Repair Reference Center offered through EBSCO Publishing. You can call your local library to see if access to this database is offered or perform a net search for "Auto Repair Reference Center State" and substitute your locale for "state" in the search string.

Some auto manufacturers also offer free service information online. Hyundai is one - their Webtech page is aimed at dealers but you can access it by registering. More details are available in the Hyundai Online Shop Manuals Access forum here. Kia is another - you can register at their techinfo site and get access to lots of factory information.

If you are trying to install or remove an accessory, many online auto parts companies offer instructions. Crutchfield is well known for offering detailed instructions for car audio and video applications. The Install Doctor is another good site for radio installation info. Installdr.com

Isuzu recently added an online parts catalog that has many diagrams to help you locate where various parts are. MyIsuzuParts  Toyotaparts4u and H and A Accessories are a couple of other sites that offer instructions on installing various parts and accessories.

Hondaautomotiveparts.com has a lot of exploded parts diagrams that can help you see how various components of your Honda fit together (thanks User777!).

American Honda’s Service Express offers free Owner’s Manuals starting with 2002 Honda and Acura vehicles and some specific guides that mainly focus on audio and security options. They also offer a paid subscription version of Service Express at the same link that covers all vehicles back to 1990 plus all active Technical Service Bulletins back to the early 70's (the same info that is available to your local Honda or Acura tech).  (Thanks nearmsp!).

General Motors has MY GMLink. It's a source for digital owner's manuals and includes recall notices. (thanks George!)

BAT Auto has lots of articles that may help you with your repair as well. BAT Auto

Paid Sources:

If you can’t find free access to a manual, you can purchase access to various databases. There are lots of places to buy manuals on CD, DVD and paper - this guide tries to limit sources to those you can access with your computer. If your front axle won’t go back in the splines at midnight on a Saturday, waiting for the UPS truck to arrive Monday morning with a manual isn’t the greatest solution. So here’s a listing of paid online sources - if you know of others, please leave a comment and let others know about them.

Alldata DIY: In addition to comprehensive diagnostic and repair information, you’ll also find the latest technical service bulletins and shop hours estimates here.

(Many sites link to Alldata through their webpages, for example, the AutoZone link above links through to Alldata).

Chilton DIY: Offers detailed information you need to tackle both simple and complex auto repair jobs.

Mitchell1: Subscription online repair information geared for a single make/model.

Mitchell1 also offers a subscription service geared towards pros and the price reflects that, but a one month subscription could be useful if you are doing a major overhaul on several different makes of cars. It's called OnDemand5.

Helm: offers online info for Ford and Honda/Acura owners.

Paid Manufacturer Sources (thanks 0patience and nearmsp!):

 Volvo Cars of North America

Toyota Technical Information Systems

Suzuki Service

Daimler Chrysler Tech Authority Online

BMW of North America

American Honda. A Honda/Acura information source for online manuals, wiring diagrams and the like.

 

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