![]() As a technician, you just have to follow the instructions. The OEM has already done all the hard work by identifying the symptoms, diagnosing the issue and providing the corrective procedure. TSBs should be the first pieces of information you look up as part of a diagnosis. You don’t want to have to explain to the customer why you charged them for something they could have had for free. Aftermarket shops want to make to catch those prior to starting the job. If there is an open recall on the vehicle, the OEM dealership will service that recall for free (for campaigns it depends on the situation). GARY: Generally, recalls and campaigns should be looked for when the tech first identifies the vehicle. MOTOR AGE: When should a technician look for these bulletins? The OEMs recognize that it is in everyone’s interest to have all technicians able to service their vehicles as efficiently as possible. Not only will a repair shop benefit because the OEM has already identified the problem, but they’ll also give technicians the step-by-step correction procedure. OEMs release TSBs based on seeing pattern failures for their vehicles. GARY: Put simply, a bulletin is a form of diagnosis. MOTOR AGE: From an automotive technician perspective, why are these bulletins important? The repair cost for a campaign may or may not be covered by the manufacturer. But campaigns do not involve a safety issue and, therefore, are sent out by the OEM (not by NHTSA). Typically with a recall, the consumer is able to return to a licensed dealership to have their vehicle or equipment serviced for free.Ĭampaigns are similar to recalls in that the consumer is notified about a problem with their vehicle. The OEM must send out notifications to the consumer, so the consumer knows to take action to repair the vehicle. I used the word transportation because NHTSA could issue recalls on vehicles, tires, car seats or any type of equipment. GARY: Within ProDemand auto repair information, TSBs are grouped with recalls and campaigns because these items all represent post-production information based on lessons learned using and servicing the vehicle.Ī recall is released by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) when there is a potential transportation safety issue. MOTOR AGE: How is a TSB different from a recall or a campaign? The TSB is written to alert the service technician of the proper way to service/repair the vehicle. Below is an example.ġ.) The OEM could have noticed a pattern failure as the vehicle is driven by consumers. There are many possibilities why a manufacturer would release a TSB:The OEM could have noticed a pattern failure as the vehicle is driven by consumers. GARY: A TSB - Technical Service Bulletin - is a type of service information released by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) based on service issues they are seeing in the field. Gary, let’s start at the beginning with what a TSB actually is. Also, as more TSBs are issued, making sure they are the most recent ones is important. What’s the big deal?” However, with the complexity of today’s vehicles, it is a big deal! Technicians must know where to look in their shop’s auto repair information, what to look for and how to determine if the TSB is applicable. ![]() ![]() It might seem simple and techs could say, “Well, I know to look them up. MOTOR AGE: Today, we are discussing TSBs. ![]()
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