General and Specialty Repair Manuals Service manuals are also published by independent companies rather than the manufacturers. However, they pay for and get most of their information from the car makers. The manuals contain Component information, diagnostic steps, repair procedures, and specifications for several makes of automobiles in one book. Information is usually condensed and is more general than the manufacturers manuals. The condensed format allows for more coverage in less space and, therefore, is not always specific. They may also contain several years of models as well as several makes in one book. Finding Information in service Manuals Although the manuals from different publishers vary in presentation and arrangement of topics, all service manuals are easy to use after you become familiar with their organization. Most shop manuals are divided into a number of sections, each covering different aspects of the vehicle. The beginning sections commonly provide vehicle identification and basic maintenance information. The remaining sections deal with each different vehicle System in detail, including diagnostic, service, and overhaul procedured. Each section has an index indicating more specific ares of information