Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology, and Autel
Watch Full Video Episode
How much freedom should an automotive professional have to deviate from published service information?
In this episode of Automotive Field Theory, Matt Fanslow digs into that question after a recent discussion involving ADAS procedures and Ford brake caliper fasteners that service information specifically instructs technicians to remove and discard.
The debate isn't really about one set of bolts.
It's about the level of confidence we sometimes have in deciding that a procedure isn't necessary when we don't actually know why the manufacturer specified it in the first place.
Matt compares following service information to insurance and personal protective equipment. Most days, neither appears necessary. You don't buy insurance because you expect to crash every day, and you don't wear PPE because something goes wrong every time you use it. They're there for the rare day when something does go badly wrong.
That same idea applies to automotive repair.
Millions of repairs may survive a shortcut without consequence. A rope-style tire plug may last the remaining life of the tire. A reused fastener may never loosen. A skipped calibration may never produce an obvious complaint.
But is a history of getting away with something the same as evidence that the procedure wasn't necessary?
Topics Discussed
- Ford service information calling for certain brake fasteners to be removed and discarded
- The difficulty of finding documentation explaining why Ford requires replacement
- Whether thread locker, bolt coatings, fastener design, or another factor could be behind the requirement
- Why the absence of an explanation doesn't automatically justify ignoring the procedure
- Risk management in automotive repair
- The difference between something working and something being an approved repair
- Rope-style tire plugs versus manufacturer-approved tire repair procedures
- Legal exposure when a repair deviates from accepted or published procedures
- OE versus aftermarket ADAS calibration equipment and procedures
- Why following the OE procedure provides an inherently defensible position
- When departing from an OEM diagnostic trouble tree may be reasonable
- The difference between deviating from a diagnostic process and deviating from a safety-related assembly procedure
- Adding something such as thread locker to improve robustness versus eliminating a required step
- The criticism sometimes directed toward specialists who follow service information
- Why experience alone doesn't necessarily demonstrate that a specified procedure is unnecessary
- PPE, insurance, and service procedures as protection against the exceptionally bad day
Key Takeaways
“I've always done it this way” isn't the same as knowing why the procedure exists.
A repair method can work hundreds or thousands of times without demonstrating that the manufacturer's requirement was unnecessary.
There are different kinds of deviations from service information.
Skipping steps in a diagnostic trouble tree because you understand the system and can perform more efficient testing isn't necessarily comparable to ignoring a torque specification, calibration requirement, preparation procedure, or instruction to replace a fastener.
Following the published procedure is also a form of risk management.
The value of the procedure may not reveal itself during the thousands of repairs where nothing goes wrong. Its value may be on the one repair where something does.
Doing exactly what the manufacturer published is difficult to criticize.
There may be legitimate aftermarket alternatives and there may even be procedures that can be improved upon. But if someone performs the repair exactly as the manufacturer specifies, criticizing them for being unnecessarily cautious is difficult to justify.
The Question
If service information specifically says to discard and replace a component but doesn't explain why, what level of evidence should be required before we decide that replacement isn't actually necessary?
And if documentation exists from Ford explaining why these particular fasteners must be replaced, or providing an approved procedure for their reuse, Matt wants to see it.
Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology
Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Visit PicoAuto.com
Thanks to our Partner, Autel
From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com
Contact Information
The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/
Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/
Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through StoryTelling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/
Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/
The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/
Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/
