Routledge Automobile Electrical and Electronic Systems

Why I Reached for This Book

Modern cars are rolling networks, and even simple jobs now touch sensors, control modules, and serial data. I picked up this book to keep a reliable reference within arm’s reach—something I could use both at the bench and at my desk to refresh fundamentals and check the conventions used across wiring, sensors, actuators, and control strategies. I wasn’t looking for a glossy intro; I wanted a practical, technically accurate guide that respects how cars actually behave. That’s largely what I found.

What It Covers—and How Well

The book spans the core areas you need for day-to-day electrical and electronic work:

• Electrical basics and measurement
• Wiring architecture, connectors, and harnesses
• Sensors and actuators across engine, chassis, and body systems
• Control units (ECUs), logic, and fault strategies
• Vehicle networks (with competent coverage of CAN and how it’s used)
• Diagnostic procedures, from DTC strategy to signal verification

It’s a big text—674 pages—and it uses that space more for breadth than slow, tutorial-style depth. The fundamentals are presented concisely, then the book gets to the practical components you’ll encounter underhood and under-dash. If you’re expecting extended derivations or long sequences of worked examples, you won’t find many. If you’re aiming to understand what a crank sensor should output on a scope, how a heater control might be PWM’d, or how a module uses networked data to make decisions, you’ll feel at home.

Hybrid and EV systems are addressed with useful context for techs who primarily service internal-combustion vehicles but increasingly see high-voltage hardware. It gives you the vocabulary and the big-picture architecture you need to orient yourself, though you’ll want specialized resources for deep high-voltage battery management or inverter control.

How It Performed in the Shop

I used this book as a reference during three recent jobs:

1) Intermittent no-start with a parasitic draw: The section on wiring, grounds, and voltage drop testing helped me structure a methodical process. There’s practical guidance on current measurement (fused jumper, clamp meter) and on approaching draw diagnostics without chasing phantom loads. The emphasis on checking module sleep states and network activity lined up with the behavior I observed on CAN.

2) Erratic wheel speed sensor signal: The overview of common sensor types (variable reluctance vs. Hall effect) made it straightforward to set up the scope properly and interpret the waveform. The text’s short reminders on pull-up circuits and signal conditioning clarified why the captured pattern looked clean at low speed but fell apart at higher RPMs—ultimately pointing to wiring integrity rather than a dead sensor.

3) HVAC door actuator faults after a battery replacement: The book’s explanation of actuator feedback and re-initialization routines guided me toward a bidirectional test on the scan tool, confirming both command and feedback. It also nudged me to check for retained power feeds and module learning procedures, which resolved the complaint without parts.

In each case, I wasn’t relying on a flowchart the book provided; I was using its explanations to choose the right tests and to understand the logic behind what the vehicle was doing. That’s the sweet spot here: it equips you to think through faults rather than just follow a single diagnostic tree.

Strengths in Practice

• Clear schematic conventions and solid descriptions of how components interact. This helps you translate the diagram into expectations for voltage and signal behavior at a pin.
• Network coverage that ties real faults (modules awake, duplicate addresses, noisy lines) to symptoms and test methods. The guidance around measuring and interpreting bus health is pragmatic, not hand-wavy.
• Breadth that mirrors what shows up in a general repair environment, from charging systems to body electronics.

I also appreciate that it treats scan tools as central to diagnosis, not an afterthought. The text assumes you’ll use data PIDs, run output tests, and compare commanded states with observed behavior.

Where It Falls Short

• Fundamentals are brisk. If it’s your first exposure to current flow, semiconductors, or electromagnetism, you may find the explanations too compressed. The book assumes you can connect dots quickly or that you’ll pause and seek a second source when needed.
• Safety content is thin, especially for high-voltage systems. It’s fine as a reminder, but it isn’t a comprehensive safety primer. If you work around hybrid/EV packs, supplement with a dedicated safety resource and follow your shop’s procedures religiously.
• Pedagogy is minimal. Don’t expect end-of-chapter problems, long worked examples, or a scaffolded learning path. It reads like a professional reference rather than a classroom text that holds your hand from first principles to application.
• Editing and layout show the occasional rough edge. I hit a few small inconsistencies in cross-references and phrasing. Nothing derailed comprehension, but it’s noticeable in a book of this size.

Currency and Relevance

Although the edition is a few years old, the core content remains highly relevant. CAN-based architectures, conventional sensors/actuators, and ECU diagnostic strategies haven’t changed so radically that the material feels dated. That said, it won’t carry you through the newest waves of technology—automotive Ethernet, advanced ADAS sensor fusion, or OTA update strategies are not a focus. For those, you’ll need newer, specialized texts. As a foundation and day-to-day reference, it still holds up.

Who Will Get the Most Out of It

• Working technicians who want a single-volume reference for electrical and electronic systems.
• Advanced students or apprentices who already have some basics and want to see how those fundamentals map to real vehicle systems.
• Engineers or serious hobbyists comfortable with basic circuit theory who need automotive context and conventions.

Who should look elsewhere (or at least supplement): absolute beginners seeking a paced introduction with robust safety training and lots of exercises, and specialists looking for deep dives into the latest EV architectures or ADAS networking.

Practical Takeaways I Keep Using

• Always verify grounds under actual load; the book’s emphasis on voltage drop over simple continuity checks saves time.
• Use known-good signal expectations for common sensors (crank/cam, wheel speed) so you can configure the scope correctly and quickly spot anomalies.
• Treat network health as a system-level check. If a module won’t sleep, your parasitic draw diagnosis is a bus problem until proven otherwise.
• Align commanded states with observed responses via bidirectional tests. This text consistently ties that workflow to component behavior.

Pros and Cons

Pros
- Broad, shop-relevant coverage across sensors, actuators, ECUs, networks, and diagnostics
- Practical orientation that supports real-world fault-finding
- Useful explanations of CAN and module interaction
- Strong reference value for technicians and advanced learners

Cons
- Fundamentals and safety sections are concise; not ideal as your only learning source
- Few pedagogical supports (worked examples, exercises, step-by-step tutorials)
- Minor editorial inconsistencies
- Limited coverage of the latest network and ADAS technologies

Recommendation

I recommend this book as a primary reference for technicians and a secondary text for students who already have the basics. It’s at its best when you’re in the middle of a job and need to confirm how a component should behave, what a signal should look like, or how a networked system might be interacting. If you’re starting from zero, pair it with a more beginner-friendly fundamentals and safety resource. If you’re chasing cutting-edge EV or ADAS topics, complement it with newer, specialized material. Used for what it is—a comprehensive, practical guide to automotive electrical and electronic systems—it earns a permanent spot on the bench.