Air conditioning cabin filter

 A Lexus ES 330 came in with a no air from vents complaint. We proceeded to start testing the blower motor and control circuits, we looked at factory bulletins and tested it's power supplies. To our surprise, all tested fine as we noticed the blower motor in the air condition system was working but not moving any air. We then removed the cabin filter to see if there was anything to impeed the air tra
ffic through the air ducts. This is what we found (please see the photo). It took only 8 months for the filter in the picture to get to that point. Mind you, the vehicle was parked every night under a bottle brush tree. Cabin air filters due a great job at providing vehicle passengers with clean breathable air. How long has it been since the one in your car was inspected and or replaced? On most cases, ABC Auto Care in Ventura will do the inspection as a courtesy if you call them to schedule the appiontment. Go to https://www.abcautocare.com/appointment/

    
Interesting thing. Many times I've asked myself how is it we managed to survive without this wonderful (cabin filter) feature. I'd like to thing that today, we are able to manage our drives with far less respiratory issues such as allergies, colds and flues. The filter is an important part of your health. We are lucky, in the Ventura and Oxnard area, we enjoy a tremendously good quality of air. As you get closer to LA county, that changes dramatically the closer you get to densly populated urban areas. Replacing your air condition cabin filter once a year is good enough around Ventura, unless there are other circumstances such as dust, tree leaves, pollen or recent fires in the way. 

 

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata came into the shop for repair, the owner asked us how much it would cost to replace a purge valve solenoid as the vehicle had failed the smog test. We provided a quote but warned the client that it would be best for us to diagnose the issue and make sure that was indeed the problem.

Upon hearing the price to start the diagnosis and testing, the owner declined and decided to do the work as is. No diagnosis.

The job was done quickly, and the vehicle left. Fast forward to three weeks later and we get an email from the client. He was very disappointed that after bringing the vehicle here specifically to repair the vehicle to pass smog, it had failed for the same reason he had brought the vehicle here. The code P0449 was still in the computer memory just as before.

He further stated he wasn’t the type of client to post a bad review on Yelp or Google because he understood “things happen” and was certain we would take care of it at no additional cost.

This is where I came in. I looked at the initial signed work authorization. It was perfect! We wrote down that the replacement of the valve was an owner request and not we did not guarantee it would correct any problems. It was clearly stated and signed. Imagine my surprise when I read the client’s email to us.

The client further said he would be happy if we provided the diagnosis at no cost as he had already spent money on something he didn’t need.

How would you have handled it? 

  

Pretty much everything here at our repair shop

starts with a phone call. Sometimes we love them, sometimes we dread them, sometimes they start one way and end another.

Back in the first week of January, we had the privilege of working on a 2011 Chevy Tahoe with a Diesel engine.

It was towed here with a large coolant leak. We proceeded to diagnose it as a broken radiator and got the approval to continue with repairs. Along with all the repairs we do, we always suggest to

the client that we perform an inspection of the vehicle as a courtesy. This client agreed, and we performed the inspection. Everything found was documented, the work was performed, and the vehicle left the shop.

Fast forward to this morning when we get a phone call from this client letting us know that “ever since you worked on my vehicle, the air conditioning system is not working, it was working fine prior to your work, so you must have done something to cause it’s failure”

Answering a hostile call is always tricky. You can’t admit responsibility as you don’t know the facts, and you do not want to come across as not caring. It’s a careful balancing act.

The client said he had a friend who had wanted to become an auto mechanic, so he knew what he was talking about. His friend had heard we replaced the radiator and surmised we must have caused the failure with the air conditioner.

As we are talking to the client, we found the electronic copy of the repair order in our point-of-sale system. Under recommendations we had suggested for some diagnostic work on the air conditioning system as it was not working well. When we asked him to look it up on his copy, his tone changed to less combative, and he agreed to an appointment for diagnosis of the air conditioning system, he would pay for the diag work.

I do not think the client was being fraudulent, it’s just that people don’t pay that much attention to their cars, until after they have come back from the repair shop. Then they are very hypersensitive about everything automotive.

When he brings his vehicle for us to work on the air conditioning system, we’ll be sure to perform another courtesy inspection, just in case!

Another video from ABC Auto Care in Ventura, Ca. 93003

The value of a thorough vehicle inspection

I got a phone call and the callers asked me to quote on a set of 4 tires and rear brakes. I asked "what is wrong with the ones you have on the car now?"

 The client was traveling through town when she heard a loud noise while applying the brakes on her car. Turns out, she had it at another shop and wanted another quote on the suggested repairs. I offered to give her my opinion and then, upon inspection, I'd provide a quote. 

She came in for the inspection and she did need both suggested items. This is were things went in different directions between us and the repair shop that had the before. One side of the rear brakes pads were metal to metal.

Tires were down to the steel belts on the inside but had about 60 to 75 % left on the center and on the outside. 

The difference was that the other shop did not to look any further beyond her original complaint. We did. The rear brakes were metal to metal because one of the rear calipers had stuck in the locked position. The tires were down to metal on the inside due to worn struts causing the suspension to sag. Without extra repairs, the replaced components would have failed soon, once again . After we showed proof to our claims, she approved the work. Our client is glad we noticed the underlaying cause of the failed components. Soon after that, she approved the work.

When something fails on your vehicle, ask yourself and your mechanic this question ... "What caused this component to fail?"