Guide to Inspecting a Student's First Used Car
Ford F150 Intermittent No Start / No Communication
Vehicle: 2011 Ford F150, 4WD, V6-3.5L, Turbo Automatic Transmission/Transaxle
Mileage: 162,966 miles
Problem: The owner had his F150 towed to the shop because the engine would crank over but wouldn't start.
Mercedes SL 550 Battery Light on After Starter Replaced
Vehicle: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 (230.471), V8-5.5L (273.965), Automatic Transmission/Transaxle
Mileage: 39,453 miles
Problem: After the technician installed a new OEM starter motor, the battery light came on. There were no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs).
Ford Escape Overheats at 80MPH
Vehicle: 2007 Ford Escape, 2WD, V6-3.0L VIN 1, Automatic Transmission/Transaxle
Mileage: 175,633 miles
Problem: The Escape was in the shop because the water pump had failed. The technician replaced the water pump and thermostat and vacuum-bled the system. The vehicle came back two weeks later with a complaint of overheating at 80 mph.
Fuse Block Causes Chevy Express Left Engine Bank to Misfire
Vehicle: 2016 Chevy Express 3500, V8-6.0L, Automatic Transmission/Transaxle
Mileage: 166,964 miles
Problem: The customer’s concern was that while the van usually runs great, it sometimes barely runs at all. Also, the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) comes on. The customer, who owns a lawn care service and pulls a trailer with the van every day, said it seems like the problem occurs when the StabiliTrak light comes on.
Before they leave for college
Some of your customers will soon experience their child leaving for college. In many of these cases, these young adults are taking the family car with them. Unfortunately, many of your customers have not prepared their children for using and maintaining that car while it is far away from home (and from you).
As their trusted automotive service expert, you have the opportunity to provide them guidelines for their child’s use of the car – which could also potentially build stronger customer relationships.
How ALLDATA’s making a CAIS for education
ALLDATA provides a certification program for ALLDATA Repair®: the CAIS (Certified Automotive Information Specialist) Program. It’s essentially a test to show how well you can use ALLDATA Repair. As soon as you pass with an 80% or higher, you’re a Certified Specialist; the personalized certificate is immediately available for download and you can then request to receive a free CAIS patch for shop uniforms.
Where OE Information matters most—more shops use ALLDATA
Who Pays for What? survey by
Collision Advice | CRASH Network
For years, ALLDATA has delivered OEM-accurate mechanical and collision repair information to professionals. According to the latest findings from the annual “Who Pays for What? Frame & Mechanical Operations” survey, ALLDATA remains the most trusted source for shops nationwide.
ALLDATA Tech-Assist Helps Technician Wrangle with Disaster
One of the biggest fears in most technicians’ minds is a job that comes back. Comebacks don’t just cost the shop valuable hours; they can also damage a technician’s reputation and potentially impact their career. Still, they’re sometimes unavoidable. After all, modern vehicles are packed with advanced technology, complex wiring, and the occasional gremlin that comes with it.
High Water Mark Escapes from Behind Headliner
TRENDING TSB
2013-2018 Escape customers have reported suspicious water stains surfacing on their headliner, despite never submerging their vehicles. These water marks show staining on the headliner caused by a leak from areas like the roof opening panel, fixed glass, roof rails, or roof ditch moldings. Since nothing says “customer concern” than a ceiling that sweats more than the tech on flat rate, Ford issued technical service bulletin 17-2218.
Trusted by more than 400,000 automotive technicians worldwide, ALLDATA Repair® is the industry leader for up-to-date, unedited OEM automotive repair information.* Our database covers over 38,000 engine-specific vehicles – 95% of all vehicles on the road today.
