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A few weeks back a customer came in complaining that, at times, when he applies the brakes lightly the ABS would come on. He was sure that he was on firm ground, not skidding. We dispatched the job to one our diag techs. He performed his routine visual inspection and then hooked up the scanner for a road test. The tech clearly observed, thru the scanner, that the left front signal was dropping out at times. Having seen countless issues with GM wheel bearing/hub/ABS components, he advised the service writer to order a new wheel hub.

 

After the new part was installed, the tech performs a final road test only to find that the problem is still there. Is it a defective part? After reviewing the process, I instructed the tech to hook a scope right to the left wheel sensor and monitor the signal at the wheel and also monitor what the computer was seeing. Sure enough, the signal at the wheel never faulted, but the computer was seeing something else.

 

We opened up the harness, which is fastened to the suspension, and found a tiny break in the harness which was flexing when the brakes were applied. A new left side ABS harness fixed the problem.

 

The lesson: Never assume; when we see pattern failures over and over again, it can lead us down the wrong path. Always stick to the basics.

 

That is why I'm not the fastest with my diagnosis. I want to see the failure, not assume it's there. I had a similar issue with my personal car. when I bought it it had a code set for the RF wheel speed sensor. Like your tech I knew this was probably a wheel speed sensor issue so I wasn't too concerned with it when negotiating the purchase price. But when it came time to actually fix the car I did the due diligence and tested the WSS and sure enough it was open so I replaced the wheel bearing only to have the code still present. Like you a further inspection revealed the harness had a break in the wire not far from where the control arm attached to the sub-frame.

 

Even though I did test and confirm a failed component with a pattern failure history, like you wrote, "Never assume; when we see pattern failures over and over again..." Luckily it was my own car, that would not have been a happy second phone call to the customer.

 

But it still begs the question, when you find a fault, when you've tested and verified a fault, how much further should you go "just to be safe?" I only ask this because, like in the situation with my car there was more than just one failure. But if you do additional testing every time you do diagnostics you are potentially wasting time and losing money.

Posted

A few weeks back a customer came in complaining that, at times, when he applies the brakes lightly the ABS would come on. He was sure that he was on firm ground, not skidding. We dispatched the job to one our diag techs. He performed his routine visual inspection and then hooked up the scanner for a road test. The tech clearly observed, thru the scanner, that the left front signal was dropping out at times. Having seen countless issues with GM wheel bearing/hub/ABS components, he advised the service writer to order a new wheel hub.

 

After the new part was installed, the tech performs a final road test only to find that the problem is still there. Is it a defective part? After reviewing the process, I instructed the tech to hook a scope right to the left wheel sensor and monitor the signal at the wheel and also monitor what the computer was seeing. Sure enough, the signal at the wheel never faulted, but the computer was seeing something else.

 

We opened up the harness, which is fastened to the suspension, and found a tiny break in the harness which was flexing when the brakes were applied. A new left side ABS harness fixed the problem.

 

The lesson: Never assume; when we see pattern failures over and over again, it can lead us down the wrong path. Always stick to the basics.

How did you charge the customer? Did you reinstall the original wheel bearing/ sensor assy.? Did you charge for the incorrect diagnosis time? I always have trouble with this type of situation as I don't feel ok charging the customer for what I believe is my mistaken diagnosis.

 

Dave

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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