- Where is Auto Electric Specialist based?
- Auto Electric Specialist is an independent auto electrical engineering workshop near Stirling, Central Scotland (FK12 area). The exact workshop address is provided to customers and referring workshops on booking — it is a purpose-built facility with manufacturer-level diagnostic and electronic repair tooling.
- What sort of work do you actually take on?
- Auto electrical engineering — the complex end. Parasitic current draw traced to root cause, vehicle network (CAN / LIN / FlexRay / Ethernet) fault diagnosis, ECU and control module coding and programming, gateway authentication on modern locked vehicles, key and immobiliser programming, component-level board repair on ECUs and modules, wiring-harness and connector work, charging-system electronics, and full high-voltage diagnostics on hybrid and battery-electric vehicles. We do not take on routine servicing, tyres, exhausts or mechanical work.
- Do you take subcontract diagnostic work from other garages?
- Yes — and it is a substantial part of our work. Independent garages, main dealers and fleet workshops refer vehicles to us when the fault is outside their own scope. We operate professionally as a referred specialist: technician-to-technician communication throughout, a documented diagnostic report on completion, a clear written quote before work begins, and an agreed turnaround. We do not contact your customer and we do not offer a competing retail price.
- Can you authenticate to gateway-protected modern vehicles?
- Yes. We hold the live online manufacturer authentication accounts required to open security gateways and perform read, code and programme operations in-house — no third-party subcontracting. Many modern vehicles from 2017 onwards require gateway authentication just to clear a fault code or replace a module. For the majority of referring garages, this is the primary reason a vehicle is sent to us.
- Do I need an appointment?
- Yes. Auto Electric Specialist operates by appointment only. Call 01786 625624 or email hello@centralscotlandautoelectrician.co.uk to book a slot or refer a vehicle in. For trade subcontract enquiries with a vehicle already on a ramp, please call — we can often advise quickly.
- How quickly will I hear back?
- All enquiries are responded to within one working day. For trade calls with a vehicle on a ramp elsewhere, phone rather than email — we can generally discuss the fault picture and advise on likely scope and turnaround within the hour.
- Do you do component-level / board-level repair?
- Yes. We have a dedicated soldering and board-level rework station for ECUs, instrument clusters, body control modules, ABS / ESP modules, and similar electronic assemblies. Common repairs include capacitor replacement, driver-chip failure, cracked solder joints and PCB trace damage. We repair where the cost and reliability case is sound, replace where it is not, and document the decision with photographs.
- Do you work on hybrid and electric vehicles?
- Yes. High-voltage battery capacity, cell-balance and isolation testing, on-board charger diagnostics, inverter and DC-DC converter fault finding, plus the wider 12 V, 48 V mild-hybrid and HVAC systems on modern hybrid and battery-electric vehicles. All HV work is carried out under a full CAT III safety procedure — PPE, isolation verification, discharge and lock-out before any HV circuit is accessed.
- What information helps you scope a job up front?
- Vehicle year, make, model, engine / variant, mileage and full VIN or registration. A clear description of symptoms — when the fault occurs, under what conditions, and whether it is consistent or intermittent. Any fault codes already retrieved (full freeze-frame data is useful, not just the code number). What has already been tested or replaced, and the results. For trade referrals, the previous workshop's notes and any scope captures save significant time.
- Do you take vehicles from outside Central Scotland?
- Yes. Customers and referring workshops travel to Auto Electric Specialist from across Scotland — Stirling, Falkirk, Perth, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and further — for complex auto electrical work other independents cannot perform, particularly gateway authentication and vehicle network fault tracing. For longer distances, collection and delivery can be arranged — ask when you call.
