AUTO 1073 Vehicle Electrical Systems I Syllabus H01 Fall 2026

Attendance, Punctuality & Participation

Attendance is critical to success in this course. Vehicle Electrical Systems I is a hands-on course, and important electrical testing procedures, demonstrations, diagnostic techniques, and laboratory activities are completed during scheduled class meetings.

Students are expected to:

• Attend every scheduled class.
• Arrive on time and remain for the entire class period.
• Be prepared to participate in classroom and laboratory activities.
• Follow all laboratory safety procedures and instructor directions.
• Take responsibility for obtaining information missed because of an absence.
• Communicate with the instructor as soon as possible when an absence is unavoidable.

Make-up opportunities for missed laboratory activities are not guaranteed. When an absence occurs under appropriate circumstances, the instructor may provide an opportunity to make up missed work when practical and when the necessary equipment, vehicles, facilities, and instructional time are available.

Students who miss class are responsible for communicating with the instructor and making a reasonable effort to address missed work. Because this course contains essential hands-on electrical activities, students who repeatedly miss class, fail to communicate about absences, or do not make a reasonable effort to address missed required work may be required to withdraw from the course.

Electude Learning

Electude learning activities are an important part of preparing for classroom and laboratory instruction. Students are responsible for completing assigned Electude activities by the published deadlines.

Electude assignments will be made available after students receive access to the Electude course. No Electude assignment will be due before students have access to the assigned material.

Electude modules are learning activities, not simply quizzes or tests. Students are expected to work through the material, understand the concepts, and use that knowledge during classroom and laboratory activities.

• 🟢 Completed by the deadline with a score of 60% or higher: Full credit
• 🟡 Completed by the deadline with a score below 60%: Credit will be based on the student's demonstrated completion and understanding of the assigned material.
• 🔴 Completed after the deadline: Maximum of 50% of the available credit.

Electude modules remain available after the deadline so students can return to previous material for review and reinforcement.

All homework must be completed before the final class meeting or final assessment. No regular homework assignments will be due after the final class meeting or final examination.

Laboratory Expectations

Electrical diagnosis requires careful testing and accurate information. Students are expected to approach laboratory activities as technicians rather than simply completing a checklist.

Students are expected to:

• Read instructions and service information before beginning a task.
• Identify the correct meter setting before testing.
• Predict the expected measurement before performing a test.
• Use proper meter connections.
• Protect electrical components and test equipment from damage.
• Record accurate measurements.
• Explain what their measurements indicate.
• Verify their work before considering a task complete.
• Ask questions when they are uncertain about a procedure or test.

Students should never continue with an electrical test because they think something is "probably correct." Stop, verify, and ask questions when necessary.

The course emphasizes the diagnostic process:

Observe → Verify → Diagnose → Service → Verify Again

Students will be evaluated not only on whether a task is completed, but also on their ability to explain what they are testing, why they are testing it, what they expect to find, and what the results mean. This reflects the technician expectations established in the Electrical 1 workbook.

Electrical Safety

Students must follow all electrical laboratory safety procedures and instructor directions.

• Clear safety glasses meeting ANSI Z87.1 standards must be worn during laboratory activities.
• Dark, tinted, or sunglasses-style safety glasses are not permitted.
• Inspect test equipment, leads, connectors, and wiring before use.
• Use the correct meter function and lead connections for the test being performed.
• Never measure resistance or continuity on an energized circuit.
• Verify circuit conditions before connecting test equipment.
• Do not intentionally short circuits or electrical components.
• Report damaged equipment, damaged wiring, or unsafe conditions immediately.
• Ask the instructor before performing a test when the circuit or testing procedure is not understood.

Electrical testing can damage components or test equipment when performed incorrectly. When in doubt, stop and ask.

Professional Conduct

Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner consistent with expectations in the automotive service industry.

• Treat classmates, instructors, vehicles, tools, equipment, and facilities with respect.
• Follow instructor directions regarding the use of vehicles, tools, and laboratory equipment.
• Keep the work area clean and organized.
• Return tools and equipment to their proper locations after use.
• Report broken or damaged equipment immediately.
• Cell phones must be silenced and stored away unless their use has been authorized for a course activity.
• Headphones and earbuds are not permitted during classroom or laboratory activities.
• Students are responsible for leaving their work area clean and ready for the next student.

Service Information & Diagnostic Accuracy

Students are expected to use appropriate service information when performing electrical diagnosis and repair. This may include wiring diagrams, OEM service information, ALLDATA, ShopKey, Electude, and other instructor-approved resources. Your workbook specifically treats the wiring diagram as part of the technician's test equipment.

Guessing is not an acceptable diagnostic method. Students should make a prediction, perform the appropriate test, compare the result with the expected value, and use the evidence to determine the next step.

This is especially important when using a DVOM. A meter provides information; the technician must interpret that information.