Techs Need Input!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Jun 6 2007, 04:53 PM) [snapback]456815[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for your good work and info. We, as a consumer, need a person to stand out and help us. You're the right person.

 

I had mine done when the brakes started to make the barking noise. It is gone now and the dealer performed it without question. It was because I had the TSB printed out probably from the result of the hard work you and other techs put in. Thank you. The process is working.

 

Thank you for the insight!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(usbseawolf2000 @ Jun 6 2007, 05:07 PM) [snapback]456833[/snapback]</div>

excuse me, but i have a 2006 prius as well, and i have experinced this "barking" in my brakes as well.. last time i took it into the shop they gave my car back to me with "no problem found" even after i showed them exactly what the car was doing!.. the service manager said that they couldent do anything because there was no TSB and no part has actually failed yet.. i insisted, however i didint get anywhere with them. could you tell me where to find this documentation so this problem finally gets fixed

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Jun 6 2007, 04:53 PM) [snapback]456815[/snapback]</div>

At this point, this is where a good SERVICE MANAGER should step-in-and-take-over and "offload" the burden from you, at least 50% of it.....................

THANKS for being "honest" with us and contributing to this fine forum, GREATLY appreciated !!!!

 

Having seen a bit of this from the independent side and heard a few
other horror stories, I really feel for how techs are caught between
a rock and the side of an engine block. Everybody's rushing, trying
to crank as much finished work and maximize the bottom line as
possible, at the expense of work quality in too many cases. Typical
problem but it seems to nail auto techs particularly hard. One thing
everyone seems to agree on is the importance of *training*, so that
guys [and the occasional gals!] know what they're looking at and how
best to proceed, even if it's a routine tire or brake job or oil
change -- there are enough little caveats about working safely that
a lot of places are *still* throwing up their hands about hybrids.
.
It really sucks when you *want* to do a good, competent job, and
someone's effectively preventing it... on the flip side they're
probably getting a lot of pressure from above too, so yeah,
continued escalation is key.
.
For what it's worth...
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(robincx @ Jun 6 2007, 02:14 PM) [snapback]456839[/snapback]</div>

This website is for Toyotas, not Hondas.


:-D

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Jun 6 2007, 09:52 PM) [snapback]457030[/snapback]</div>

isn't that the truth.

it is hard to get toyota to pay for any time involved in filing these reports. it's hard to get decent pay for diagnostics, period. (or warranty, or extended warranty...)

still haven't seen a stuttering brakes issue here either, but DH is thinking it's the brake assist function- the pedal doesn't correspond quite the same way in prius vs standard drive cars. maybe it's a little too sensitive? who knows. can't diagnose that over the internet- hold the car closer to the computer...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Jun 6 2007, 09:52 PM) [snapback]457030[/snapback]</div>

The Chrysler Dealership (at one time rated 5 star) I worked at (for about a year) as SERVICE MANAGER was a VERY small, "family owned and operated" business (Father handed down to his Sons after his death, Sons getting old and co-handed down to one's Daughter) and employed only two sales persons (one of the Sons <owner> and other the Daughter) and four mechanics (one was part time), one lube and prep person (and lot boy), one office person, one parts guy and ME !! I wore MANY hats, as they say, doing additional jobs like Emissions testing (along with the prep boy helping me), organizing and handing out TSB's as well as making "reports" to Chrysler about "bad products and procedures". Being a small shop, I knew exactly what every mechanic was currently working on and I (in addition to the Owner) would meet and greet nearly everyone that walked in the door. Now when I say "small" I mean that maybe they sold ONE new vehicle a week, or TWO on a very good week. Same for used vehicles, maybe two per week max. They made most of their "income" doing repairs, tire sales, brake jobs, and "guaranteeing" they would do whatever it took for a vehicle to pass emissions tests (at the customer's expense) which usually meant replacing the EGR valve, leaning out the carb, overall engine "tune-up", or in some rare cases, a valve job or new short block (very rare, though!).
The mechanics were quite "lazy" and "I" ended up doing most, if not ALL of the Repair (S.O.) "paperwork", assigning hours, writing explainations of work performed, etc.

Being an EX-Auto. Mechanic myself, helped me understand so much more than the "average" Service Manager we see now-a-days !!

I imagine when working in a MORE "PROFESSIONAL" SHOP, as you do, things are so much different.........

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Jun 7 2007, 03:55 PM) [snapback]457543[/snapback]</div>

why should we put in many many extra hrs to get something fixed ? it is a shame that people need to go an extra length just to get decent service.
like taking our own time to bark up trees to get something looked at.

 

flat rate is not conducive to your tech going above and beyond. because he has to do it for free. DH donates a lot of time...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bear68 @ Jun 7 2007, 02:58 PM) [snapback]457588[/snapback]</div>

That has been the best comment I think I have ever heard coming from a Tech.
The ones I have been in contact (before I owned a Toy) was " is it quitting time" and thats it close the bay door'

Thanks , as you said Life is a learning process, we all can learn something new everyday and since it's all High-tech we need techs like yourself and Galaxee's DH to help us along the way.

 

Isn't it a shame that 'donating' time is expected these days in many fields.

Your DH sounds like a man with a passion for his job....a good thing for his customers!


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Jun 7 2007, 04:18 PM) [snapback]457604[/snapback]</div>