Auto Repair: The Top Ten Mistakes Made By Your Mechanic

Number One:
Not confirming the concern. Confirming a repair concern is a basic diagnostic principle frequently overlooked. To fix a problem, the first thing one must do is recognize it.

Number Two:
Insufficient Road Testing. The importance of a thorough road test (even for an oil change) is well documented in automotive training manuals. Yet, many technicians consider driving the vehicle into the shop good enough.

Number Three:
Misdiagnosing. For the above reasons and a multitude of others, your vehicle is misdiagnosed more often than not. Mechanics will spend hours chasing the wrong problem, wasting your time and money.

Number Four:
Throwing parts at a problem. To compensate for lack of skills, mechanics often just throw parts at the problem in the hope of getting lucky. It's common to hear mechanics say I replaced this, this, this, and that, and the problem�s still not fixed. This goes right back to mistake number one: confirm the problem with diagnostics, then proceed.

Number Five:
Not addressing primary concerns first. Technicians often spend an inordinate amount of time looking for easy sells that will fatten their paychecks. There�s nothing wrong with this provided there�s no charge for the inspection, it doesn�t conflict with your time, and the upsell suggestions are valid (they�re frequently not). However, this type of free inspection and the subsequent upselling too often overshadows the primary concern. So�what�s wrong with my car?

Number Six:
Overconfidence. Too often unqualified technicians get in over their heads. Rather than defer to a more experienced technician or facility, they often keep going and do more harm. How�s it go�The road to hell is paved with good intentions?

Number Seven:
Taking shortcuts. In the ongoing effort to beat the clock, technicians will create a host of problems: breaking parts, snapping bolts, short circuiting sensitive electronics. Refer to Auto Repair: How Can They Screw Up an Oil Change for a great discussion.

Number Eight:
Poor Repairs. Whether through incompetence or laziness, mechanics frequently don�t do repairs correctly. It�s often sloppy work. Forgotten bolts, parts not lined up correctly, or components not re-installed properly are common. It gets worse with computer repairs: incorrect software programming, coding, and resynchronization protocols are just a few.

Number Nine:
Not confirming repairs. After a repair is complete, it�s important to re-check to ensure that the problem is indeed fixed. Too often parts are thrown in and the car is pulled out only to pull in another victim.

Number Ten:
Making a mess. If the above nine mistakes weren�t bad enough, there are now greasy fingerprints on the hood and steering wheel, and two big greasy boot marks on the carpet.





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