Finding Automobile Repair Manuals Online

Example Questions that can be answered by this FAQ:

• Is there a repair manual for my 1983 Toyota Tercel online?
• Can you find me an electrical schematic or diagram for my truck on the Internet?

Many of our patrons are interested in saving money by repairing their cars themselves. They know from experience that repair manuals and diagrams can make their work a lot easier. When their local library doesn’t have the manual they need, they decide to see if they can save a little more money by finding a free copy of the manual or diagram on the Internet.

Unfortunately, these materials are almost NEVER available on the Internet for free! The reason for this is that the people who publish the manuals and own the copyright aren’t about to give the material away free--they want to get paid for their work!! Also, many of the manuals are so large, it would be very costly to place them online and store all the Web pages or provide access to them from a database.

The Internet, though, has a large number of web sites where you can buy service manuals and schematics from bookstores, publishers, and other collectors. Here is just a sampling of what sites are out there:

• Chilton Repair Manuals (http://www.chiltonsonline.com/)
• Factory Automanuals (http://www.factoryautomanuals.com/)
• Haynes Publishing (http://www.haynes.co.uk/)
• Vintage Books (http://www.Vintage-Books.com/autos/manual.htm)
• AutoLit.com (http://www.autolit.com/home.htm)
• Motocom (http://www.motocom.com)

You may also want to check out Yahoo’s category for Automotive Booksellers, or more general on-line bookstores such as Amazon.com.

Don’t forget that public libraries are also great places to find such manuals -- many libraries have them in print or on cd-roms. They may also be able to get the manual or diagram you need from another library if you use their Interlibrary Loan Service. Not every library offers this service, but it never hurts to ask if they do!

Finally, there are many web sites out there where you can at least ask an automobile expert for advice. AutoGuide.net’s Automotive Advice category is a good starting point for finding these services.