Editor’s note: This is the first of new series of columns focused on the most important people in the shop: the technicians who work on the customer vehicles. Have an idea for a future column? Send topic recommendations for upcoming editions of the Technician’s Toolbox to [email protected].
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Recently, I polled a number of technicians on what they would like to read about to help improve their skillsets or knowledge. The one thing that kept coming up was giving out advice on how to prevent warranty claims in our shops.
Warranty claims can strain life as a technician. Repairs cost stores money, and they can lower technicians’ confidence in their ability to take care of customers’ vehicles the first time. Here are a few things that you can do to make sure that you are not the cause of these issues.
In the Pit
In the lower bay, you hang out in a deep, dark pit, unless you are lucky enough to work off two post lifts in the upper bay. If you were to look at the stats, many of the warranty claims that a store has come from this position.
How many oil pans have you had to repair or replace? How about the dreaded drain plug falling out? Here are a few things that you can check on prior to the service to make sure that you are good to go.
As you start the service, do a quick once over with your eyes. Look for evidence of leaking, damage to the under carriage and rust. Make sure to communicate these for your paperwork. As you drain the car, do not just rip out the plug and have at it. Put a wrench on the plug and just barely check the tightness of the plug. If the plug starts to spin, you may be dealing with a stripped pan or plug. As soon as you take that plug out, it becomes your fault as far as the customer is concerned. Always check the drain plug threads when reinstalling. If you see any wear and tear, suggest a new plug. An ounce of prevention is worth its weight in gold.
Adding Oil
Another area of concern for claims is adding oil. Technicians in many shops are expected to multitask. Before moving on to your next responsibility, did you add oil? Check the stick, and it shows full. But did you wipe the stick before starting? It’s easy to see how quickly one can become sidetracked.
One, never leave the primary car you are working on once you have had the oil drained. This will help you stay on top of that process. Another thing that you can do, whether you work on one car or more at a time, is install a quality inspection process. You pull the stick and check your level and then show it to a second person to verify. It only takes a few seconds, but it could be the difference in doing the oil change completely or making a mistake that will cost thousands of dollars.
Say What You See
Finally, back to a sentence in the beginning of the story, communicate what you see. If you see oil leaks, damage to a skid plate or oil pan, broken dipsticks, or more, communicate it so that it can be documented. This is the most crucial step that you can take in preventing warranty claims from hitting your store location. If someone comes back to say that you did something wrong or broke something, including these notes on an invoice could save you.
