Auto Mechanic Courses

An Inside Look at UTI’s Automotive Mechanic Classes

From vehicle electronic technology to diagnostics and drivability, the courses offered in UTI’s Automotive Technology program are designed to provide you with the knowledge and hands-on experience you need to succeed as an automotive technician in today’s world. Each class covers specific aspects of the automotive industry to provide you with a foundation you can build upon as you pursue your career.¹

Why Choose UTI for Auto Mechanic Classes?

UTI’s mechanic classes can help you build skills employers value. We collaborate with nationwide employers and industry-leading brands to ensure our courses meet the evolving standards of the automotive industry.

You’ll also train in an environment that mirrors the one professional technicians work in. Through hands-on training and online modules, students get practical experience that helps prepare them for real-world scenarios.¹⁸

From customer service to diagnostics tools, you’re taught to use the same technologies seen in the field so you can gain the confidence to pursue automotive roles once you graduate.

Keep reading to learn about the mechanic class subjects we teach.

Please note the following course titles reflect the Automotive Technology II program taught at our Austin, Avondale, Bloomfield, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miramar and Orlando campuses. Courses will vary at other campus locations.

Introduction to Engines

This is one of the first subjects students are taught when starting their mechanic courses. Students learn the fundamentals of a vehicle’s internal engine operation and how to repair it.

As a student at UTI in the automotive and/or diesel program, you will have the opportunity to completely disassemble an engine to become familiar with how individual parts work together and contribute to the inner workings of the engine.

You will also review all engine components, including valve train components, gasket types and different applications, how the oil system works and how compression ratios relate to speed, horsepower and torque. Then, you will reassemble the engine.

Upon completion, students will understand the internal workings of an engine and possible causes of failure.

Key Takeaways:

• Use hand tools for engine assembly and disassembly
• Learn how to read precision tools and use them for measuring various components
• Learn to read and understand a repair manual

Introduction to Powertrains

Through hands-on training in automotive powertrains students build essential diagnostic and repair skills for both manual and automatic transmissions. They are taught how to diagnose issues in components like driveshafts, U-joints, differentials, and axle assemblies, practicing these skills on industry-standard equipment.

The course topic also focuses on diagnosing leaks, shift concerns and fluid maintenance. By getting hands-on with clutch trainers, transmission trainers and rear axle trainers, students gain practical experience in a controlled, realistic environment. This approach helps aspiring technicians prepare for the challenges of the automotive repair field.

Key Takeaways:

• Use hand tools for transmission assembly and disassembly
• Learn to use precision tools for measuring various components
• Use specialty tools and fixtures for automatic transmissions
• Learn to use a hydraulic press

Steering and Suspension Systems

Students in this course topic are taught to identify, diagnose and safely service wheels and tires, steering and suspension systems, and components. You will practice with front- and rear-wheel alignments and understand how the suspension parts all need to work together to ensure the car travels straight on the road and the tires wear normally.

Struts, ball joints, tie-rod ends, rack and pinion and steering gear boxes are a few of the components that will be covered in your coursework. You will also be taught the basics of tire mounting and balancing.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn to use hand tools for basic suspension assembly and disassembly
• Use a variety of specialty tools, such as alignment tools, spring compressors and ball joint presses
• Learn to use alignment, tire and balancer equipment

Braking Systems

In this course topic, you can learn to diagnose and service wheel bearings, brake power assist systems, brake hydraulic systems, parking brakes, brake electrical systems, anti-lock, traction control and stability control systems. You will be taught the different components used in hydraulic brake systems, including the assembly and disassembly of the master cylinder, calipers, drum assembly, and proper bleeding.

Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are on every vehicle built today, and there are multiple ways to make them work. Upon completion of this course, students understand the fundamentals.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn to diagnose ABS and hydraulic systems
• Use specialty tools for removing and replacing brake pads and shoes
• Learn the basics of machine brake rotors and drums
• Use tools to bend and repair brake lines and fittings
• Learn to use proper tools for brake bleeding
• Diagnose ABS wave forums using an oscilloscope
• Learn how to use a scan tool to diagnose brake faults

Advanced Electrical Applications

In these mechanic courses, students learn the science of electrical principals and electricity and how they relate to automotive technology. The electricity in a vehicle cannot be seen, which is why it’s important to understand how it flows through a circuit and what it does.

You can learn Ohm's and Watt’s law, and how to use a digital multi-meter to read voltage, resistance and amps. Your coursework will also cover how various electrical components operate, how to read wiring diagrams, and how to build and test circuits. You will even practice troubleshooting and performing electrical tests on vehicles. The knowledge gained in these courses will be built upon throughout the rest of your education.

Advanced Diagnostic Tools for Electronic Systems

As you practice diagnosing electronic system faults, you’ll get hands-on with tools found in modern auto shops. You can learn to operate diagnostic scanners that connect to a vehicle’s network, allowing you to read system data, control certain components and identify faults in real-time.

You’ll also train with oscilloscopes, which provide detailed readings on electrical signals, helping you troubleshoot issues multimeters may not detect. Your introduction to these tools can prepare you to and repair intricate electronic systems – a critical skill in today’s technology-driven automotive industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn to use various tools including, multimeters and oscilloscopes
• Use a diagnostic scanner that connects to the vehicle’s network to read and control some components of an electrical system
• Learn how to understand and diagnose an electrical fault using the correct tools

Technology Principles and Consumer Communication of Automotive HVAC

In this course topic, you will have the opportunity to learn about EPA rules and regulations, including the different types of refrigerants and oils in the market today and how to handle them. Your coursework will also cover the different systems vehicle manufactures use.

Additionally, students will learn how to avoid the potential dangers of working with refrigerant and high system pressures. Upon completion of this course, you will have learned the technology principles of automotive heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) through diagnosis and service of HVAC systems and subsystems, refrigerant systems and electronic climate control systems.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn the HVAC electrical system and how to diagnose it
• Learn how to remove and reinstall HVAC components and diagnose electrical and HVAC related faults
• Use basic hand tools, A/C specific tools and scan tools
• Learn to use a refrigerant machine for evacuating and recharging

Power & Performance

*These mechanic classes are not offered at NASCAR Technical Institute.

Power & Performance I: Engine Build

Students in Power & Performance will learn about calculating compression ratios, calculating bore/stroke, port matching, camshafts and more. Students also disassemble a V-8 engine, inspect and measure every component, reassemble and time the rotating assembly.

You’ll practice with various tools, including basic hand tools, basic engine assembly/ disassembly tools and precision measuring tools. At the end of the course, students will have an assembled V-8, which they will take with them to Power & Performance II.

Power & Performance II: Bolt-On Performance

Building upon the material covered in Power & Performance I, students in this learn about fuel flow, ignition timing, exhaust flow, engine add-on performance, engine installation and dynamometer operation. Students can even install their engine on a rolling chassis and install carburation, ignition and an exhaust system.

Once completed and checked, you will hear your engine run for the first time. You will then strap your chassis to the chassis dyno and do full pulls to see what horsepower and torque your engine produces!

You will also install a heavily modified V-8 on your chassis and dyno it. You will compare your engine numbers to the modified one and add nitrous to the modified engine to see what happens to the power and torque. This is a hands-on course where you will have the opportunity to see your hard work come to life!

Power & Performance III: Computer Performance Tuning

In this course, you will be taught to use different types of tuning software and tune normally aspirated, supercharged, turbo-charged and nitrous-powered vehicles on a chassis dynamometer. To do this, you will modify vehicles by changing parameters in the engine computer while the car is sitting on a chassis dyno.

After the dyno run, you will look at fuel trim and ignition timing to see if the engine is lean or rich. Then you will make adjustments to obtain the maxim power and torque, while still being emissions legal.  

Key Takeaways:

• Learn about EPA emissions requirements and aftermarket performance accessories
• Learn how to calculate the correct turbo/supercharger for a specific engine
• Utilize tuning software and a five-gas analyzer

Advanced Technology/Hybrid & Service Advising

Our hybrid vehicle training teaches students to safely and effectively service alternative fuel systems. You will learn how the engine, powertrain, HVAC, brakes and electrical system of a hybrid vehicle differ from a conventional vehicle.

Using a scanner, you will observe hybrid-specific data to diagnose and repair induced faults. This practical learning experience teaches students to address the unique challenges presented by these vehicles, helping them develop valuable skills in an everchanging industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Comprehensive understanding of hybrid vehicle systems and alternative fuel technologies
• Proficiency in diagnosing and repairing hybrid and alternative fuel vehicle components
• Hands-on experience with industry-standard tools and equipment used in servicing advanced automotive technologies.

NASCAR Technical Institute

*If attending NASCAR Technical Institute, you will take the following mechanic classes as part of the NASCAR Automotive Technology program:

NASCAR Engines I:

Students learn techniques for assembling and disassembling a high-performance, competitive NASCAR engine. Topics covered in this course include engine rules, cylinder head preparation, camshaft selection and installation, engine rotating assembly, and working in a zero-defect environment.

NASCAR Engines II:

Students learn to install ancillary equipment and test a high-performance, competitive NASCAR engine. Topics covered in this course include race-day longevity; fuel, cooling, lubrication and exhaust systems; restrictor-plate issues; working with dynamometers; and adjustments that can be made at the track.

FAQs

How long does it take to complete UTI’s automotive mechanic courses?

You can complete UTI’s mechanic classes in just 51 weeks, meaning you can train for and begin pursuing a new career in less than one year!⁷

What certifications can I earn through UTI’s automotive program?

While UTI does not directly award certifications, the auto mechanic classes prepare students to test for industry-standard credentials like those from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)!

How does UTI prepare students for ASE certification?

The auto mechanic program at UTI is accredited by the ASE Education Foundation, meaning their mechanic courses align with the organization’s standards for technicians.¹⁶ All automotive instructors are ASE-certified and can provide students guidance on becoming certified.

Our graduates can also substitute their 51 weeks of training for one of the two years required to test to become ASE certified. 

Does UTI offer specialized training for hybrid vehicles?

Select UTI campuses offer mechanic classes on hybrid vehicle systems that can help aspiring automotive techs build a more diverse skill set.