I don't think luck is involved. Mr. O is a pure diagnostician of the finest caliper. Give him credit for all his knowledge and tenacity. Great work done professionally by a master mechanic.
You are right, Beth..it isn't luck, it's logic and Eric has a full head of it. I could never stand "part cannon shooters" "Hey let's throw parts at it till 1 sticks" Glad Eric is around to investigate, determine..and then repair properly.
Beth DeCarlo I Call him the Diagnostic Professor simply one of the best technicians I have seen in a long time and I live in the U.K. and when dealerships send him their own cars well what can you say.
Your experience shines here and it's very apparent you've gained a reputation for being spot on in your diagnostics. Hence, the other shops say "Take it to SMA"!
Thank goodness most of the time you do it correctly. When watching the Arabs over at Northridge electronics, he always says, better than factory. Now that is what I may aim for, better than factory, but since I am 74 that may not happen but it won't fail in the next year Gott em Himmel accordingly.
Eric O., I had a two hour diagnosis fee added on to a bill with a new battery cable solving my problem. $249.00 bill that I was ecstatic to pay. I'd been chasing a slow start on my 2014 Ford Expedition for 7 months, the cables looking brand new. But 7'' from the battery post there was green corrosion between the cables, the outside sheaf hiding the defect. Tech. said he'd never seen that on my model. Now I take everything to this guy because he doesn't guess, he tests. Best money I 've spent in a long time. This is the way to go.
I work for advance auto parts, and I can tell you that at least at my store, we don't tell people the code means replace this part and you're all good. We'll give them the codes and recommend one of our commercial shops to have it properly diagnosed and repaired. Matter of fact I recommend your RUclips channel to customers including commercial customers.
My Advance auto store diagnosed a missing cylinder on my daughter's chevy truck. He told me which cylinder it was, told me how to swap the coils and bring it back to confirm. I did. He was right. $45 coil and a happy truck. He's my parts man of choice.
I worked at O'Reilly's. There was this lady that asked to get her vehicle scanned, and it came back with some O2 sensor codes. I let her know that it could be anything and recommended her to head to one of our commercial customers to diag. She refused and bought all new O2 sensors, spark plugs, wires, etc. Her and her boyfriend/husband changed em out in the parking lot, didn't fix the issue (Surprise!). They threw about 300 bucks of parts at it all while I was recommending getting it diag'd lol. Some folks just don't get it.
It’s really nice to see such a honest and through mechanic and someone that diagnoses problems instead of throwing parts at it and the entertainment is a bonus!! That’s why we all keep coming back thanks Dr. O keep the videos coming!
I think some people are just lazy AF !!!. I like working on my own stuff too. Now, I can't bust down a motor, tranny, or dif, but, I'm purty handy with ev'ry thang else. Plus RUclips channel and Google are your friends. Case in point. Drum brakes. RUclips channel and Google got it done.I have a friend. Helicopter mechanic. Refuses to work on his cars. Got the tools, space and time. Mercedes Benz needs a driving lite. $360.00 USD to shop replacement. Told him I would do it for a nice dinner. 1 year later, it's still broke. Door handle on SUV, same thing. Won't have me do it, Can't afford the shop, sooo ???
too bad you cannot teleport yourself all over to fix everyones car and truck problems, you are truly a joy to watch and listen to, thank you for what you do!
Most viewers of this channel understand that the reason we love watching a "true technician" perform the correct diagnosis is because we're tired of shops doing this kind of shoddy work. I don't care how much Eric O denies that he's the best, I have never found any other mechanic who has the quality of workmanship and integrity with his customers. It kills me to watch these videos because I know that I have 100 mechanics in my town and not 1 of them could find or fix this problem.
If 100 mechanics miss a diagnosis but get paid, do they really care? Eric does! His 'bring-back' ratio has to be almost ZERO after seeing him do work on various vehicles.
You definitely don't know that, unless you have tested all 100 shops with a car with that problem. People that work with cars all day long, tend to learn a thing or two, over the years. A lot of shops are small businesses, and maybe the owner of the shop is the one working on your car.
@@the_hate_inside1085 .. Well, I've had several vehicles and 2 brand new ones that I've taken to the dealership and totally effed them up. Brand new Dodge truck. Sprayed oil all over the new engine. Went to the dealership closer by. Overfilled the oil. Almost coming out of the dipstick. Left the hood unlatched. So, could've had a blown motor or ran into a tree and killed myself when the hood flew up blocking my view. ASE certified techs and this is what happens. Toyota dealership locked my clutch and tranny up after work on the clutch.. Had to send a tow truck to pick it up. I got a Coupon for a free oil and filter change.. I laughed... Hell, no. You ain't never working on my vehicle anymore !!!. So, no Mom and Pop business did those kinds of eff ups...
3 года назад
@@ToyManFlyer1100 because mom and pop businesses tend to treat you and your car better because they have a reputation
Charging a customer to diagnose a problem is the proper way to operate a success automotive repair shop. I've been "turning wrenches" for many years and I think you're a top notch guy. Great videos!
I watch Eric and Ray only. I'm 84 and wheelchair bound. Yeah I modify my wheelchairs 😂. I see the tools these guys use, the cordless tools especially and just marvel. I buy a few tools now just because I would almost have done an Abraham on my oldest brat for some of the tools. Yea, literallyturning wrenches because that was the only way . I watch Curtis in Australia at CEE. He would of course, wrench a spanner. Except when he is using a flogging spanner. The correct name for what we call a washer is' bearing plate." We call them washers because people would by using a chamois impregnated with a grinding compound rub gold coins to wear them down The chamois would therefore be gold laden and burned to recover the gold. A gold coin worn down was called a washer. My meds have worn off and Im out
Your troubleshooting skills are quite good. Many people get confused when multiple seemingly unrelated symptoms are displayed, but not you. Very enjoyable to watch your process and understand how you get right to the problem. And Mrs. O - like a ray of sunshine!
So this other shop's running theory is that ALL of these sensors that have nothing to do with each other just happened to all fail at the same time? Amazing, what luck!
I am in the industry, and a big part of my income is based upon finding the actual root cause of a problem. And too often, the biggest problem is the guy with a scan tool, but no knowledge about how to use it properly. The guys who just shotgun parts at symptoms make us all look bad, so, if you find someone who can do a proper diag and repair, stick with him. No matter what the sign out in front of the shop he works at says, but be sure to make sure only he works on your car.
There's a difference between a technician and a parts replacer. And the sad thing is the parts replacers don't know any better and call themselves technicians.
@@abyssalreclass Yeah, just yesterday, my first 3 jobs were to correct other people's mistakes. First one was the customer's, fair enough. The other 2 were from the same coworker, and he has no business being in ths industry. Good for me, though, since I got paid. But, the clowns who can't do the job proplerly make me cringe, since their lack of ability reflects on me. They are the ones that the term "grease monkey" was invented for, decades ago. You can't back into auto repair these days, because there is nothing else for yo to do. Many cars have over 50 computers , being good at this job means having proper technical knowledge. Sorry for the long winded response, I love what I do, and cringe at those who refuse to learn.
Possible first guy didn't think 10 different problems all happened at the same time, but rather happened one at a time until customer decided to get it all fixed... but still, a little troubleshooting goes a long ways!
I disagree...your ecm is low on fluid and the circuits need to be rotated. Also check the ecm for leaks. If no leaks are found, I recommend an ecm flush with full synthetic electrical fluid. Hope this helps.
It's frustrating as an apprentice at a company with a heavy duty/CT fleet that they encourage, and pressure you to load the parts cannon. Just last week I had a truck with an open or shot code on a fuel pressure sensor, the sensor is part of a fuel dosing module. supervisor says "well change the module" I throw a $1000 module in. sure enough following week, truck comes back, same code. ends up being a broken wire inside the insulation, right out of the ECU at the 90°. sure it took a couple hours to find, but even if I took three days to find, it would have still been cheaper
Would have been cheaper, but they don't care. In HD fleet, there is rarely a metric for vehicle comebacks, rarely does anyone care WHAT the repair costs unless it's over $10k, but there is ALWAYS a metric for vehicle downtime. As long as each individual shop visit is less than 2 days, they're happy. Doesn't matter if it makes 5 visits a month. Guess which metric managerial bonuses are tied to? Accountants are a cancer. Fleet jobs are the country club for techs, but you have to check your conscience at the door. Been working HD fleet for the last 10 years and ended up with all the specialty transfer case rebuilds, engine fails and hard diags but rarely will anyone else in the shop even be allowed to get that far. "Throw $5k in parts at it, still fucked. Send it to the dealer, still fucked. Send it to tr0n and let him sit on it for a week." When they get it back, i've re-wired the thing, fixed the hydraulics and whatever problem it came in for initially. I basically refuse to kick shit out the door until I'm happy with it, but I've proven that they can trust me.
@@BlindBatG34 Heh, unfortunately I'm always under an NDA/social media ban etc! That and I'm certainly not fast or good, just thorough. Appreciate it, though. I did a little math one month, and I figured between 70% and 90% of my work that month was just unfucking the previous "repairs" or playing cleanup after the parts cannon was fired. Between hooking up air actuators backwards, installing wrong parts, replacing $20k in emissions equipment instead of the $60 MAP sensor that was sooted off, bypassing control relays, rags stuck in intercoolers, sensors only half plugged in and the almighty operator error...man it gets frustrating. Just have to remind myself that if everyone else had half a clue about how to do their job, nobody would need me!
@@-tr0n you're right, regarding fleets being a country club, and some of the other guys I work with love it. Luckily my fleet is the perfect size where it's not too big and not too small, where I am able to tinker away in my corner figuring / learning it out to get it done, or if I wanted, I can load up the parts cannon without too much question. It's kind of the ultimate country club
@@Mr79elk That's awesome. Sounds like a good balance for learning how to become a true master tech without having that flat rate pressure sitting on your shoulders. Good luck buddy!
I'm a 50 + year appliance/refrigeration service man/ trainer. (and a pretty good 'geezer gear head'). I was very impressed how you did your trouble shooting. I would run into more than my share of 'jury rigged' appliance and house hold refrigeration repairs. And yes, none of us work for free. I would tell customers that I certainly had to charge them to 'undo' what had been done to their machine, in order to repair it properly. Thank you for your videos.
these electrical problems are tough but its worthwhile teaching yourself in detail and getting really comfortable with electrics because its satisfying to be in a position where no problem and no situation can stump you
Been turning wrenches since I was 10, but love your videos I pick up tips every time I watch one of your videos. Really like the ones where you fix things that other shops can't fix.
I used to work at Advance and I hated it when customers would come in and say my check engine light is on. The commercials deceive people into thinking we could scan it and magically tell them exactly what's wrong. Moving on from that I'm now a vehicle mechanic in the military and I constantly learn something watching your videos. Thank you Mr.O and South Main Auto.
Thanks Eric for making these videos. I know it must be a pain in the cajones to do them. I've learned a lot and enjoyed them all so keep them coming. Thanks again.
Eric, I used to work on TV's back in the day. People would come in and ask for a free est. I would try to explain to them that it costs a tech some time to clearly tell them what is wrong. One guy came in, and told me that the shop down the street could give free est. I was having a bad day, so I put on the invoice - Free Est. Diag: Broken!... The guy came in to pickup the TV to take it to another shop. He was hopping mad.... Long story short, he brought it back 3 days later, and signed for the diag fee. I found a broken wire feed to the power side of the tubes. Bill was only 40.00 to fix it. That customer brought the shop alot of business after that... People don't understand that there is no magic light that tells us where the problem is.. You have to pay for quality repairs. Keep up the great work! Thanks.
20 year old Dodge in excellent condition according to Eric. Worn out ignition switch with the rest of the issues due to human screw ups and garbage work.
What percentage of the time does dropping $$$ on a PCM fix anything? I tried it on my '00 GMC Sonoma but the whole kit and kaboodle preprogrammed was $90. As I suspected, didn't fix $&!# (at least I could confirm to the other folks on the forum that it wasn't the problem). Spark advance still flew around like a bat out of hell until I realized a Labrador had adjusted the throttle set screw instead of replacing the failed IAC.
@@NicholasAndre1 Funnily enough, I avoided it on my car longer than I should have! My dash lights and windshield wipers didn't work, and I kept looking for a wiring problem. Turns out all of the power goes through the ECM! Fortunately the car is old enough that a $25 ECM from the junkyard fixed it with no programming required!
@@javaguru7141 the main ECM problem is a failed driver circuit. They’re pretty resilient computers as is but you need to conclusively identify that the driver and power supply is the problem before you spring for a ECM. There are a lot of other issues that can appear to be a driver problem like corroded or loose terminals and wiring shorts.
It just blows my mind that there's a shop out there that would look at all these different problems and then try to start from the far end instead of looking at the commonalities and starting from what would fail to cause all the other things to fail.
Good video. Especially the ending. I allways try an explain to my service manager why diagnosis takes time and we should be payed for all of the time it takes us to do the diagnosis. He is one of those managers that thinks your master tech everything should only take 10 minutes. Thanks for all you do.
"Hey girl ... whatcha doin' ... just out scootin on your scooter" ... such a cool family oriented business and always seems to have a calm demeanor and has time for everyone, including this little scooter girl :-)
@@SouthMainAuto Our group is based in Long Beach CA - named "Charlie Works". The name is derived from 1) Charles Taylor, the first ever airplane mechanic 2) "Works" - akin to the famous Skunk Works - whose doctrine was to work smart and lean.We have four guys in our team - all engineers with FAA A&P licenses. We watch your troubleshooting (TS) vids and use them as discussion teaching points - the principles of TS remain the same, be it applied to an automotive vehicle or a large commercial airplane. Eric, in our world you are a true TS Rock Star !!!!! When this COVID-19 slows and we can return to our main Lab/Office I will send you some swag.
I, not being an paid mechanic, had to DIAGNOSE and officially inform Chrysler of an Ignition issue with their Key-less vehicles. NONE of their certified technicians could diagnose and confirm what was causing the problem. After 4 weeks of me relentlessly studying, diagnosing and ultimately repairing my RAM, I informed Chrysler that an LED bulb if placed in the 3rd Brake Light of the 2019 - 2021 RAM'S, will cause a signal interference issue for the Key-less Ignition & Fobber System. The LED's emits a frequency that interferes with the communication between the Fobber and Ignition Module. Thus generating the message "FOB NOT DETECTED" or "FOB HAS LEFT VEHICLE".............The moral of the story (I'm smarter than the average rabbit compared to Chrysler's technicians)
I worked at all points towing and service in Stroudsburg pa my uncle's is the owner and his father before. He had the county contract to service there police vehicles. I learned so much from him and working there my teenage years. Eric you sir are a honest trustworthy intelligent mechanic! I can tell you take pride in your work! Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge!
Nice job. My HVAC and Plumber Step-dad would always say. "When diagnosing a problem always remember, 'If you heard hooves think horses not zebras'.......meaning .....don't make the problem unusual or spectacular when it problem is simple and common.
You brought up the subject of bad customers, and bad mechanics. They kinda feed off each other. One makes the other possible when you think about it for a bit.
You and Joe from Joe’s Auto Electric are some very thorough and reputable mechanics. If I lived in the northeast part of the country, I’d only bring my vehicle to you. Such a shame that so many shops out there can’t figure out the problems, and then end up throwing parts at them.
I've had a dealership charge me a $100 diagnostic fee to replace a belt idler pulley that was the only reason I brought it to them. Being on the road, I needed it NOW!When I asked the manager what this was for, his answer was every customer gets charged this fee went it comes in for any purpose! Nice going Chrysler! (Jeep)
@@davidvoinier6008 incorrect. you only get charged the $100 diagnostic fee if we have to diagnose the problem, its not every single car. if you know the problem already then you wont get charged diagnostics, you'll only get charged parts and labor to put it in. for example if you know you need brake pads and say " i want new brake pads installed" thats all you will pay for. if you come in and say "my brakes feel a little squishy and it pulls to the right" then we have to go find the problem and diagnose it hence the "diagnostic fee". this is not a scam you are paying the technician for the skills and knowledge they have acquired and also the time that it will take them to complete the job. do some research on the topic next time or learn to fix your car yourself and these fees are out of your life. but the reason you are paying that fee is because you are incapable of finding the problem and need to pay a professional who is capable. checout 40:23 eric says it himself in great wording.
I've seen everything. I had a guy come in after he had been to a BMW dealership who chaarged him $400 to "reprogram his light module". The problem wasn't fixed at all. One i remember in particular is a guy brought a Escalade to us and we figured out it's probably the suspension module. We told him it's probably that as we tested the wiring to the shock that the module was complaining about and everything seemed fine. We didn't have the scan tool necessary for the module so we told him to go to the dealer. He leaves it with them and the replace the shock without even asking him, it doesn't fix the problem, and he has to argue with them that they should have actually diagnosed the issue rather than just throwing parts at it and charging him without notice. I don't know how they think they can get away with it. I suppose enough can and do do this so they just find it to be common and acceptable practice.
Well im glad that the official dealership shop i brought my Seat to didnt charge me for their incompetence. Had an immobilizer issue, dumped it there. 3 days later they said there was nothing wrong with the car, it had no fault codes. Except they had failed to start the car due to immobilizer saying "no" and it was parked in the very same spot i left it in. They were literally helpless due to the computer not showing the exact issue. No clue what to do, no clue how to find the fault. I took it home and was never sent a bill. Took me around 20 minutes to locate the issue and another 5 to fix it (cracked solder in the instrument cluster on the cable from the transponder reader).
Wow! Great guy. I wish that you were in Las Vegas. I truly enjoy watching you. Actually you help me with a transmission oil pan. The mechanic couldn't stop the leak so I just replace the pan ...new. All leaks stopped. Bad pan. I also love how patient you are when it comes to electrical. Keep up the excellent job. Thanks and double thanks.
You are a blast to watch and listen to. Brings back memories, was a Chrysler tech for over 30 years. I love your honesty and that's exactly how it should be. I always treated a customers car as if it was my own. Fix it right the first time.
I guess I've watched every one of your videos, as soon as you said you knew what the problem is, I immediately thought ignition switch. It's the only thing they all have in common.
At one time in my life I was an engine builder, I always thought I was pretty good at it, but never looked at myself as a mechanic. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy watching your videos, the approach you take is one my Father instilled into me early on, DON’T try to fix something without finding out just what is it that really needs fixing. Again Thanks Ron
Love mechanics that do the shotgun approach! I make a great living because of them. Eric the same type of "mechanics" are in the aircraft field. Troubleshooting is an art. We have parts changers and true mechanics.
That's a scary thought while bad on land, but for flying crafts in the air?! Holy biscuits that make folks feel a bit uncomfortable. Makes me wonder about ships and trains.
I’m having flash backs to my Air Force days...nothing like shooting wires out on the wing at 0200 in the morning with freezing rain running down your back.
They also pay aircraft mechanics sh t wages, at least the big airlines do. Private sector mech make more than union mechanics . But it’s also a crapshoot, union bus mech make more then non, and union truck mech working for government make more than union mech working for the public.
Man, you make it all sound easy and logical. I have manged to do some of my own maintenance after watching and re-watching your videos. You take the time to explain everything as you go along, thank you for striving for quality in both your videos and your work
Years ago, I needed a root canal. I went to a dentist who specializes in doing route canals. He said about 2/3 of his practice is fixing the mistakes of other dentists
Three guys looking at a lady's car and can't figure it out. She was getting ready to call a wrecker. I fixed it in a min......took everything off her key chain but ignition key. Car fired right up. Free diagnosis and labor...no tow fee no mechanic diagnosis fee.
When it comes to mechanical work on my vehicle(or any thing else for that matter) I admit I am a complete idiot and don't know a thing. I am therefore completely depended on the knowledge and expertise of the mechanic. In my life I have only met 2 mechanic shops that have done a fantastic job with diagnosing and fixing some of the things I had problems with and a number of them have just raked me over the coals. It's nice to see you checking and double checking your work and being as thorough with your work. I wished you were my mechanic.
Hi Eric. Over time, I try get things fixed . When ,I didn't have the tool. Then the shop make other problems. I end up fixing myself. Near the end of the video. You bring up some good points. Very well said
unfortunately the time to dispute the bill has passed other than disputing on credit card within 90days most credit cards have some protection (if they didnt pay by cash/debit card) . Small claims court is possible however that would take energy filing and some costs (which could be recouped if the plaintiff won). The lesson learned here for all unskilled or uneducated consumers on knowing how to ask the correct questions of mechanics. Dont hire/contract a mechanic that doesn't find the problem (most charge a diagnostic fee- which dont pay if they dont find the problem in diagnosis and verify- NO GUESSING), fix and test to confirm the fix. We don't refer any of our clients to any other trades companies because most clients dont know how to ask the correct questions to determine qualifications and expertise of a referral.
Nice job with the diagnosis of the problem(s). My daughter took her car to a shop and they threw over $1500 into parts and labor at her Honda Pilot and the problems were still there. I went through it with similar thought process as you just did and figured out that a simple fix 3A fuse was blown as it had a poor connection in the fuse block which caused higher amp draw across the circuit. I liked your comment about loading up the parts canon and seeing where they stick....
I ain't done an oil change in 2 years and now my engine blew up. I need a new one. I'm in a hurry so I'll be back tomorrow to pick it up. Some customers are just a little bit selfish and can be a little...let's call it dense.
Gotta love intermittent faults. The problem is, obviously the other shop loaded up the parts cannon, including an ECU (?????) & figured $300 later that they were out of their depth and the customer called in the Master. Good job Mr O!
It is so refreshing to see someone that knows how to trouble shoot!!! People don't realize how many people just throw parts at problems until it's solved.
@Timothy Salomon Or actual common sense (rare these days). All these problems happen at once. The first question should be: What is common to all of them? Basic stuff first. How many cars has Eric fixed with a good visual inspection (The absolutely most simple diagnostic tool)?
Technicians or ASE certifed are over used terminology. More like parts swappers. I worked with a guy whom is ASE cert. He told. All you do is take test to get your certs..
Love seeing a real diagnosis! "Tech's" of all sorts are turning in to Parts Changers rather than actual technicians. Appreciate you letting us look over your shoulder while you work.
I love the way you stop what you're doing to give your family your attention to see what they have on their minds. You seem to go right back to where you were at.
Awesome work man. Nice to see a great honest guy doing things the right way and trying to help out other people. My het is off to you. Love watching your videos.
It's amazing how alot of the people who call themselves mechanics and have shops are way worse than some home DIYers like myself who don't actually call themselves a "mechanic." I have spent years learning proper diagnoses from real mechanic friends and fix alot of cars/trucks these days and have a decent little garage and I'm constantly amazed by the shotty work that "shops" do to peoples cars and they feel good about charging them money when they can't even figure out the problem right. Watching you diagnose these problems so calmly and collected is so intriguing and I always learn something new.
You always do a great job and take time to explain how and why. I have learned a few new things from watching and look forward to learning more. Keep up the great job.
An old 'wrench turner' myself back in '79', early 80's took over as service manager at a local Honda dealership. Long before OBD ports and handheld diagnostic tools. We still had to do diagnosis the hard way...test lights, volt meter, jumper wires. Had a handful of cars with similar intermittent running/starting problems. Each and every one of those had one common denominator... a HUGE bundle of keys on the key chain. Enough to make a janitor jealous. Probably close to a pound or more of brass and steel tugging away at that poor little ignition switch tweaking the internal contacts. Bit of a PITA to access the electrical portion of the switch, had to grind away at the anti-theft shear bolts but with a new switch in place, all was fine. At least until they hung the half gazillion keys on it again.
This is a true mechanic right here, most now just throw parts at cars till the issue is fixed by itself of customer goes somewhere else, I wish i knew of a decent shop like yours around my area
You always crack me up with the singing the old school jams! Haha! “I’ve got the power”, gold digga, etc... but you added the bonus today with sending wife to massage parlor! Haha! Mahalo for the laughs and Aloha from Hawaii!
Refreshing to see a repair person as good and honest as Eric. Like watching Richard from Precision Transmission, a competent craftsman is enjoyable to watch. It is amazing how many hacks charge good money, and do not get the job fixed. Like the other shop replaced the blend motor and did a half a$s job. And charged good money. Gives honest places like Precision Transmission and South Main a bad name. Kudos Eric, as well as Richard from Precision, enjoyable to watch.
It is so very hard to find a reputable shop anywhere they always want to do things like that including most dealer shops !!! I realy like the way you go about diagnosing things!!!!😊👍👍👍👍👍👍
I feel your pain on the free estimates, I just went back to being a full time handyman, and a few people have gotten upset that a) I don't give free estimates and b) that I only do jobs on time and materials. Even so I could be working 80 hours a week if I chose.
You can always do free estimates if you are reasonably sure of getting the job. You just pad the cost of the estimate plus 20% into the cost of the repair. That's how its done. The 20% is to average out the one job in six that you diagnose and don't get.
@@lwilton Why should a person pay that for people who just want to know whats wrong so they can fix it. Then the person who wants you to fix it pays for people that don't have you fix it. Not the way to do business IMO.
I really enjoy watching him work,I know nothing about cars ,I am an instrument tech and always learn something from him that can can help me do my job.
Please do more "other shop drop offs" please. I love seeing how easy the actual problem was haha
Ya we love these ones but who the heck wants to work on them hahaha
I don't think luck is involved. Mr. O is a pure diagnostician of the finest caliper. Give him credit for all his knowledge and tenacity. Great work done professionally by a master mechanic.
True master.....
You are right, Beth..it isn't luck, it's logic and Eric has a full head of it.
I could never stand "part cannon shooters" "Hey let's throw parts at it till 1 sticks"
Glad Eric is around to investigate, determine..and then repair properly.
Beth DeCarlo I Call him the Diagnostic Professor simply one of the best technicians I have seen in a long time and I live in the U.K. and when dealerships send him their own cars well what can you say.
Caliper? Or caliber? Or was that a pun?
@@SeanONeill13 I would say caliber but caliper makes sense too haha
Your experience shines here and it's very apparent you've gained a reputation for being spot on in your diagnostics. Hence, the other shops say "Take it to SMA"!
Well said wyatt
Thank goodness most of the time you do it correctly. When watching the Arabs over at Northridge electronics, he always says, better than factory. Now that is what I may aim for, better than factory, but since I am 74 that may not happen but it won't fail in the next year Gott em Himmel accordingly.
Eric O., I had a two hour diagnosis fee added on to a bill with a new battery cable solving my problem. $249.00 bill that I was ecstatic to pay. I'd been chasing a slow start on my 2014 Ford Expedition for 7 months, the cables looking brand new. But 7'' from the battery post there was green corrosion between the cables, the outside sheaf hiding the defect. Tech. said he'd never seen that on my model. Now I take everything to this guy because he doesn't guess, he tests. Best money I 've spent in a long time. This is the way to go.
These videos are so damn satisfying. When you can narrow down, locate and fix a problem 100%. Keep posting, the absolute best repair channel, ever.
Gotta say, as an automotive warranty inspector I LOVE working with shops/techs like you!!
I work for advance auto parts, and I can tell you that at least at my store, we don't tell people the code means replace this part and you're all good. We'll give them the codes and recommend one of our commercial shops to have it properly diagnosed and repaired. Matter of fact I recommend your RUclips channel to customers including commercial customers.
Too bad Eric is 3000 miles from me or he would be my mechanic.
@@hikerJohn He's 3000 miles away from everyone.
@@gwcrispi I used to live a few miles from him.
My Advance auto store diagnosed a missing cylinder on my daughter's chevy truck. He told me which cylinder it was, told me how to swap the coils and bring it back to confirm. I did. He was right. $45 coil and a happy truck. He's my parts man of choice.
I worked at O'Reilly's. There was this lady that asked to get her vehicle scanned, and it came back with some O2 sensor codes. I let her know that it could be anything and recommended her to head to one of our commercial customers to diag. She refused and bought all new O2 sensors, spark plugs, wires, etc. Her and her boyfriend/husband changed em out in the parking lot, didn't fix the issue (Surprise!). They threw about 300 bucks of parts at it all while I was recommending getting it diag'd lol. Some folks just don't get it.
It’s really nice to see such a honest and through mechanic and someone that diagnoses problems instead of throwing parts at it and the entertainment is a bonus!! That’s why we all keep coming back thanks Dr. O keep the videos coming!
This is why I work on my own vehicles. If someone screws something up, it's going to be ME!
i love working on my own vehicles, the only problem is "the guy who touched it last is such a hack" lol.
I think some people are just lazy AF !!!. I like working on my own stuff too. Now, I can't bust down a motor, tranny, or dif, but, I'm purty handy with ev'ry thang else. Plus RUclips channel and Google are your friends. Case in point. Drum brakes. RUclips channel and Google got it done.I have a friend. Helicopter mechanic. Refuses to work on his cars. Got the tools, space and time. Mercedes Benz needs a driving lite. $360.00 USD to shop replacement. Told him I would do it for a nice dinner. 1 year later, it's still broke. Door handle on SUV, same thing. Won't have me do it, Can't afford the shop, sooo ???
My wheels stopped falling off on the highway,since I went back to working on my own vehicle's
jjt228 yeah I have the same problem but at least he doesn’t charge much...
@@ToyManFlyer1100 I'll mess with anything but an Autotragic Gearbox
too bad you cannot teleport yourself all over to fix everyones car and truck problems, you are truly a joy to watch and listen to, thank you for what you do!
Most viewers of this channel understand that the reason we love watching a "true technician" perform the correct diagnosis is because we're tired of shops doing this kind of shoddy work. I don't care how much Eric O denies that he's the best, I have never found any other mechanic who has the quality of workmanship and integrity with his customers. It kills me to watch these videos because I know that I have 100 mechanics in my town and not 1 of them could find or fix this problem.
If 100 mechanics miss a diagnosis but get paid, do they really care? Eric does! His 'bring-back' ratio has to be almost ZERO after seeing him do work on various vehicles.
I've found a total of 2 people that I'd trust to work on any of my vehicles. Their both worth the five hour drive.
You definitely don't know that, unless you have tested all 100 shops with a car with that problem. People that work with cars all day long, tend to learn a thing or two, over the years. A lot of shops are small businesses, and maybe the owner of the shop is the one working on your car.
@@the_hate_inside1085 .. Well, I've had several vehicles and 2 brand new ones that I've taken to the dealership and totally effed them up. Brand new Dodge truck. Sprayed oil all over the new engine. Went to the dealership closer by. Overfilled the oil. Almost coming out of the dipstick. Left the hood unlatched. So, could've had a blown motor or ran into a tree and killed myself when the hood flew up blocking my view. ASE certified techs and this is what happens. Toyota dealership locked my clutch and tranny up after work on the clutch.. Had to send a tow truck to pick it up. I got a Coupon for a free oil and filter change.. I laughed... Hell, no. You ain't never working on my vehicle anymore !!!. So, no Mom and Pop business did those kinds of eff ups...
@@ToyManFlyer1100 because mom and pop businesses tend to treat you and your car better because they have a reputation
Charging a customer to diagnose a problem is the proper way to operate a success automotive repair shop.
I've been "turning wrenches" for many years and I think you're a top notch guy. Great videos!
I watch Eric and Ray only. I'm 84 and wheelchair bound. Yeah I modify my wheelchairs 😂.
I see the tools these guys use, the cordless tools especially and just marvel. I buy a few tools now just because I would almost have done an Abraham on my oldest
brat for some of the tools.
Yea, literallyturning wrenches because that was the only way .
I watch Curtis in Australia at CEE.
He would of course, wrench a spanner. Except when he is using a flogging spanner.
The correct name for what we call a washer is' bearing plate."
We call them washers because people would by using a chamois impregnated with a grinding compound rub gold coins to wear them down The chamois would therefore be gold laden and burned to recover the gold. A gold coin worn down was called a washer.
My meds have worn off and Im out
Your troubleshooting skills are quite good. Many people get confused when multiple seemingly unrelated symptoms are displayed, but not you. Very enjoyable to watch your process and understand how you get right to the problem. And Mrs. O - like a ray of sunshine!
Never stop making videos. You teach me something every video.
So this other shop's running theory is that ALL of these sensors that have nothing to do with each other just happened to all fail at the same time? Amazing, what luck!
I am in the industry, and a big part of my income is based upon finding the actual root cause of a problem. And too often, the biggest problem is the guy with a scan tool, but no knowledge about how to use it properly.
The guys who just shotgun parts at symptoms make us all look bad, so, if you find someone who can do a proper diag and repair, stick with him. No matter what the sign out in front of the shop he works at says, but be sure to make sure only he works on your car.
Well, follow SMA or DD and can bus is kinda obvious..
There's a difference between a technician and a parts replacer. And the sad thing is the parts replacers don't know any better and call themselves technicians.
@@abyssalreclass Yeah, just yesterday, my first 3 jobs were to correct other people's mistakes. First one was the customer's, fair enough.
The other 2 were from the same coworker, and he has no business being in ths industry.
Good for me, though, since I got paid.
But, the clowns who can't do the job proplerly make me cringe, since their lack of ability reflects on me. They are the ones that the term "grease monkey" was invented for, decades ago. You can't back into auto repair these days, because there is nothing else for yo to do. Many cars have over 50 computers , being good at this job means having proper technical knowledge.
Sorry for the long winded response, I love what I do, and cringe at those who refuse to learn.
Possible first guy didn't think 10 different problems all happened at the same time, but rather happened one at a time until customer decided to get it all fixed... but still, a little troubleshooting goes a long ways!
diagnosis VS a part changer. Thanks for your time.
I applaud your professionalism, talent, and honesty. Kudos to you and your shop.
"My front tires wear unevenly"
"You need a new ECM"
Also, you have too many screws holding your car together, and, you didn't really need that part connected.
I disagree...your ecm is low on fluid and the circuits need to be rotated. Also check the ecm for leaks. If no leaks are found, I recommend an ecm flush with full synthetic electrical fluid. Hope this helps.
@@justinjeannette8082 You're such a comfort. LOL
It's your Bluetooth that needs to be refilled.
I am new to this channel, It’s scary to think the previous shops prior to coming here are still in business.
It's frustrating as an apprentice at a company with a heavy duty/CT fleet that they encourage, and pressure you to load the parts cannon. Just last week I had a truck with an open or shot code on a fuel pressure sensor, the sensor is part of a fuel dosing module. supervisor says "well change the module" I throw a $1000 module in. sure enough following week, truck comes back, same code. ends up being a broken wire inside the insulation, right out of the ECU at the 90°. sure it took a couple hours to find, but even if I took three days to find, it would have still been cheaper
Would have been cheaper, but they don't care. In HD fleet, there is rarely a metric for vehicle comebacks, rarely does anyone care WHAT the repair costs unless it's over $10k, but there is ALWAYS a metric for vehicle downtime. As long as each individual shop visit is less than 2 days, they're happy. Doesn't matter if it makes 5 visits a month. Guess which metric managerial bonuses are tied to? Accountants are a cancer.
Fleet jobs are the country club for techs, but you have to check your conscience at the door. Been working HD fleet for the last 10 years and ended up with all the specialty transfer case rebuilds, engine fails and hard diags but rarely will anyone else in the shop even be allowed to get that far. "Throw $5k in parts at it, still fucked. Send it to the dealer, still fucked. Send it to tr0n and let him sit on it for a week."
When they get it back, i've re-wired the thing, fixed the hydraulics and whatever problem it came in for initially. I basically refuse to kick shit out the door until I'm happy with it, but I've proven that they can trust me.
tr0n You, sir, need to start posting videos. Something tells me you’ve unwound a few bodge jobs in your day. Cheers!
@@BlindBatG34 Heh, unfortunately I'm always under an NDA/social media ban etc! That and I'm certainly not fast or good, just thorough. Appreciate it, though.
I did a little math one month, and I figured between 70% and 90% of my work that month was just unfucking the previous "repairs" or playing cleanup after the parts cannon was fired. Between hooking up air actuators backwards, installing wrong parts, replacing $20k in emissions equipment instead of the $60 MAP sensor that was sooted off, bypassing control relays, rags stuck in intercoolers, sensors only half plugged in and the almighty operator error...man it gets frustrating.
Just have to remind myself that if everyone else had half a clue about how to do their job, nobody would need me!
@@-tr0n you're right, regarding fleets being a country club, and some of the other guys I work with love it. Luckily my fleet is the perfect size where it's not too big and not too small, where I am able to tinker away in my corner figuring / learning it out to get it done, or if I wanted, I can load up the parts cannon without too much question. It's kind of the ultimate country club
@@Mr79elk That's awesome. Sounds like a good balance for learning how to become a true master tech without having that flat rate pressure sitting on your shoulders. Good luck buddy!
The little one is so funny when she gets near the camera. That dear in the headlights look is great.
I'm a 50 + year appliance/refrigeration service man/ trainer. (and a pretty good 'geezer gear head'). I was very impressed how you did your trouble shooting. I would run into more than my share of 'jury rigged' appliance and house hold refrigeration repairs. And yes, none of us work for free. I would tell customers that I certainly had to charge them to 'undo' what had been done to their machine, in order to repair it properly. Thank you for your videos.
these electrical problems are tough but its worthwhile teaching yourself in detail and getting really comfortable with electrics because its satisfying to be in a position where no problem and no situation can stump you
That interaction with his younger daughter.....Eric O is my spirit animal.
Been turning wrenches since I was 10, but love your videos I pick up tips every time I watch one of your videos. Really like the ones where you fix things that other shops can't fix.
"Jerry was in there and brought his rig with him". So classic Eric O., so glad I can have a laugh and diagnose cars with you while I watch.
It's jury
Damn jerry need to learn to leave shit alone.
Jerry built but jury rigged?
JERRY THE JERK
"heard the story a million times". Truth! Test dont guess. Thank you, Eric O. You the man.
Turning to roll down the window to talk to Mrs. O was the ultimate chill flex. You knew it would work. 😎
Technician with cool hand Luke reference..... I trust him....
Such fun to see intelligent and systematic diagnoses!!!
Great job. Great shop.
I used to work at Advance and I hated it when customers would come in and say my check engine light is on. The commercials deceive people into thinking we could scan it and magically tell them exactly what's wrong. Moving on from that I'm now a vehicle mechanic in the military and I constantly learn something watching your videos. Thank you Mr.O and South Main Auto.
Thanks Eric for making these videos. I know it must be a pain in the cajones to do them. I've learned a lot and enjoyed them all so keep them coming. Thanks again.
A pleasure to see a real mechanic at work
I feel like I'm in the shop, the fam making appearances. I love it. Great stuff
Eric, I used to work on TV's back in the day. People would come in and ask for a free est. I would try to explain to them that it costs a tech some time to clearly tell them what is wrong. One guy came in, and told me that the shop down the street could give free est. I was having a bad day, so I put on the invoice - Free Est. Diag: Broken!... The guy came in to pickup the TV to take it to another shop. He was hopping mad.... Long story short, he brought it back 3 days later, and signed for the diag fee. I found a broken wire feed to the power side of the tubes. Bill was only 40.00 to fix it. That customer brought the shop alot of business after that... People don't understand that there is no magic light that tells us where the problem is.. You have to pay for quality repairs. Keep up the great work! Thanks.
Tubes???? Now we know what "Day" you meant. Lololol.
I don’t own a Dodge, but you never know when you have to ride in one! Excellent work sir!
20 year old Dodge in excellent condition according to Eric. Worn out ignition switch with the rest of the issues due to human screw ups and garbage work.
My 2014 Ram HD with Cummins has been in for recalls, but no problems. My chevys were way more problematic and costly. That's why I changed to Ram.
PaцḶєє BlцєṢтяєєт are you referring to the live front axles? Death wobble can happen on Jeeps too.
Steve Ricketts
Love this comment!
My 01 1500 had 180k and still going. Loved that truck, I only sold it to a friend because I wanted to graduate to a diesel
We call it a “Parts Dart Board 🎯 “. You throw darts at it and the bullseye is an ECM😂
What percentage of the time does dropping $$$ on a PCM fix anything? I tried it on my '00 GMC Sonoma but the whole kit and kaboodle preprogrammed was $90. As I suspected, didn't fix $&!# (at least I could confirm to the other folks on the forum that it wasn't the problem). Spark advance still flew around like a bat out of hell until I realized a Labrador had adjusted the throttle set screw instead of replacing the failed IAC.
@@NicholasAndre1 Funnily enough, I avoided it on my car longer than I should have! My dash lights and windshield wipers didn't work, and I kept looking for a wiring problem. Turns out all of the power goes through the ECM! Fortunately the car is old enough that a $25 ECM from the junkyard fixed it with no programming required!
@@javaguru7141 the main ECM problem is a failed driver circuit. They’re pretty resilient computers as is but you need to conclusively identify that the driver and power supply is the problem before you spring for a ECM. There are a lot of other issues that can appear to be a driver problem like corroded or loose terminals and wiring shorts.
It just blows my mind that there's a shop out there that would look at all these different problems and then try to start from the far end instead of looking at the commonalities and starting from what would fail to cause all the other things to fail.
Watching you for years. You have great talent and integrity. If I didn't live 2500 miles away I'd visit and have you fix my truck.
Good video. Especially the ending. I allways try an explain to my service manager why diagnosis takes time and we should be payed for all of the time it takes us to do the diagnosis. He is one of those managers that thinks your master tech everything should only take 10 minutes. Thanks for all you do.
"Hey girl ... whatcha doin' ... just out scootin on your scooter" ... such a cool family oriented business and always seems to have a calm demeanor and has time for everyone, including this little scooter girl :-)
FATHERS. One of the most important parts of a family. MOTHERS. Being the other most important part.
Democrat socialism wants "the state" to care for YOUR children. Resist
@@nickmalone3143 have you ever tried like, sittin the fuck down and shuttin the fuck up?
This prominent USA airplane manufacturer uses your discipline and methodology to teach aviation maint technicians - you are a industry hero!
Oh gosh, airlines are dependent on me!?
@@SouthMainAuto Our group is based in Long Beach CA - named "Charlie Works". The name is derived from 1) Charles Taylor, the first ever airplane mechanic 2) "Works" - akin to the famous Skunk Works - whose doctrine was to work smart and lean.We have four guys in our team - all engineers with FAA A&P licenses. We watch your troubleshooting (TS) vids and use them as discussion teaching points - the principles of TS remain the same, be it applied to an automotive vehicle or a large commercial airplane. Eric, in our world you are a true TS Rock Star !!!!! When this COVID-19 slows and we can return to our main Lab/Office I will send you some swag.
@@SouthMainAutonew title idea for cars that come in from other shops, Chop Shop Corrections # whatever or CSC # lol.
These videos are better than trade school I swear, thanks for the uploads SMA!
I, not being an paid mechanic, had to DIAGNOSE and officially inform Chrysler of an Ignition issue with their Key-less vehicles. NONE of their certified technicians could diagnose and confirm what was causing the problem. After 4 weeks of me relentlessly studying, diagnosing and ultimately repairing my RAM, I informed Chrysler that an LED bulb if placed in the 3rd Brake Light of the 2019 - 2021 RAM'S, will cause a signal interference issue for the Key-less Ignition & Fobber System. The LED's emits a frequency that interferes with the communication between the Fobber and Ignition Module. Thus generating the message "FOB NOT DETECTED" or "FOB HAS LEFT VEHICLE".............The moral of the story (I'm smarter than the average rabbit compared to Chrysler's technicians)
Too bad you weren't smart enough to stay away from ANYTHING built by Chrysler/ Fiat. You couldn't GIVE me one.
@@JamesAgans they use GM's system as well as Ford. It's the same exact system. Doesn't have anything to do with Maker.
I worked at all points towing and service in Stroudsburg pa my uncle's is the owner and his father before. He had the county contract to service there police vehicles. I learned so much from him and working there my teenage years. Eric you sir are a honest trustworthy intelligent mechanic! I can tell you take pride in your work! Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge!
2000 is now "old school." Man, I am old.
Yeah, I was an adult by then. Now I'm feeling it
In NY, you can now probably get "classic" plates for an '89 vehicle, since it's 31 years old. Not sure but I think the transition happens at 25 years?
I love those lights with the back probe pins in them, especially the low voltage one. I plan to make be some. Great Video! I try to watch one a day.
Just something soothing about Mrs. O playing with that seatbelt lol so calming
Nice job.
My HVAC and Plumber Step-dad would always say. "When diagnosing a problem always remember, 'If you heard hooves think horses not zebras'.......meaning .....don't make the problem unusual or spectacular when it problem is simple and common.
thank you, that is a great quote!
👍
Some people think rainbow unicorns.
You brought up the subject of bad customers, and bad mechanics. They kinda feed off each other. One makes the other possible when you think about it for a bit.
You and Joe from Joe’s Auto Electric are some very thorough and reputable mechanics. If I lived in the northeast part of the country, I’d only bring my vehicle to you. Such a shame that so many shops out there can’t figure out the problems, and then end up throwing parts at them.
How can a shop charge a customer for NOT fixing the problem? I'd be too embarrassed.
I've had a dealership charge me a $100 diagnostic fee to replace a belt idler pulley that was the only reason I brought it to them. Being on the road, I needed it NOW!When I asked the manager what this was for, his answer was every customer gets charged this fee went it comes in for any purpose! Nice going Chrysler! (Jeep)
I am embarrassed, shops like that give people and shops that have a clue a bad name.
@@davidvoinier6008 incorrect. you only get charged the $100 diagnostic fee if we have to diagnose the problem, its not every single car. if you know the problem already then you wont get charged diagnostics, you'll only get charged parts and labor to put it in. for example if you know you need brake pads and say " i want new brake pads installed" thats all you will pay for. if you come in and say "my brakes feel a little squishy and it pulls to the right" then we have to go find the problem and diagnose it hence the "diagnostic fee". this is not a scam you are paying the technician for the skills and knowledge they have acquired and also the time that it will take them to complete the job. do some research on the topic next time or learn to fix your car yourself and these fees are out of your life. but the reason you are paying that fee is because you are incapable of finding the problem and need to pay a professional who is capable. checout 40:23 eric says it himself in great wording.
I've seen everything. I had a guy come in after he had been to a BMW dealership who chaarged him $400 to "reprogram his light module". The problem wasn't fixed at all.
One i remember in particular is a guy brought a Escalade to us and we figured out it's probably the suspension module. We told him it's probably that as we tested the wiring to the shock that the module was complaining about and everything seemed fine. We didn't have the scan tool necessary for the module so we told him to go to the dealer.
He leaves it with them and the replace the shock without even asking him, it doesn't fix the problem, and he has to argue with them that they should have actually diagnosed the issue rather than just throwing parts at it and charging him without notice. I don't know how they think they can get away with it. I suppose enough can and do do this so they just find it to be common and acceptable practice.
Well im glad that the official dealership shop i brought my Seat to didnt charge me for their incompetence. Had an immobilizer issue, dumped it there. 3 days later they said there was nothing wrong with the car, it had no fault codes. Except they had failed to start the car due to immobilizer saying "no" and it was parked in the very same spot i left it in.
They were literally helpless due to the computer not showing the exact issue. No clue what to do, no clue how to find the fault. I took it home and was never sent a bill. Took me around 20 minutes to locate the issue and another 5 to fix it (cracked solder in the instrument cluster on the cable from the transponder reader).
Wow! Great guy. I wish that you were in Las Vegas. I truly enjoy watching you. Actually you help me with a transmission oil pan. The mechanic couldn't stop the leak so I just replace the pan ...new. All leaks stopped. Bad pan. I also love how patient you are when it comes to electrical. Keep up the excellent job. Thanks and double thanks.
I loved the Cool Hand Luke reference Mr.O - thanks again.
You are a blast to watch and listen to. Brings back memories, was a Chrysler tech for over 30 years. I love your honesty and that's exactly how it should be. I always treated a customers car as if it was my own. Fix it right the first time.
I guess I've watched every one of your videos, as soon as you said you knew what the problem is, I immediately thought ignition switch. It's the only thing they all have in common.
At one time in my life I was an engine builder, I always thought I was pretty good at it, but never looked at myself as a mechanic. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy watching your videos, the approach you take is one my Father instilled into me early on, DON’T try to fix something without finding out just what is it that really needs fixing.
Again Thanks
Ron
Love mechanics that do the shotgun approach! I make a great living because of them. Eric the same type of "mechanics" are in the aircraft field. Troubleshooting is an art. We have parts changers and true mechanics.
That's a scary thought while bad on land, but for flying crafts in the air?! Holy biscuits that make folks feel a bit uncomfortable. Makes me wonder about ships and trains.
I’m having flash backs to my Air Force days...nothing like shooting wires out on the wing at 0200 in the morning with freezing rain running down your back.
They also pay aircraft mechanics sh t wages, at least the big airlines do. Private sector mech make more than union mechanics . But it’s also a crapshoot, union bus mech make more then non, and union truck mech working for government make more than union mech working for the public.
@@billmoran3219 the big 3 airlines pay over 50$ an hour, that isn't a shit wage.
Kevin Myers
More money and less drama in general aviation. My son in law can make six figures working on private aircraft.
Man, you make it all sound easy and logical. I have manged to do some of my own maintenance after watching and re-watching your videos. You take the time to explain everything as you go along, thank you for striving for quality in both your videos and your work
I'm actually starting to understand the wiring diagram for automotive watching SMA. Thanks Sir 👍
I am always amazed how talented you are in diagnosing and fixing the problems. Great video. Thanks.
Years ago, I needed a root canal. I went to a dentist who specializes in doing route canals. He said about 2/3 of his practice is fixing the mistakes of other dentists
Kevin Barry Every doctor, lawyer, dentist, plumber, carpenter and electrician says that same thing. It is just human nature.
@@LTVoyager Accountant. I say the same thing for spreadsheets.
Another quality job by SMA! Mrs.O is part ninja! she just pops out of thin air. I can't believe how much older your kids are getting.
Well there's your problem Lady!! Bad giggley bits in the ignition switch!!!; )
i stuff googly eyes in the ones i work on
Three guys looking at a lady's car and can't figure it out. She was getting ready to call a wrecker. I fixed it in a min......took everything off her key chain but ignition key. Car fired right up. Free diagnosis and labor...no tow fee no mechanic diagnosis fee.
When it comes to mechanical work on my vehicle(or any thing else for that matter) I admit I am a complete idiot and don't know a thing. I am therefore completely depended on the knowledge and expertise of the mechanic. In my life I have only met 2 mechanic shops that have done a fantastic job with diagnosing and fixing some of the things I had problems with and a number of them have just raked me over the coals. It's nice to see you checking and double checking your work and being as thorough with your work. I wished you were my mechanic.
When you relocate to Brisbane, Queensland Australia I will definitely bring you my car when trouble arises. Waiting with hope Please
If it is a big job, it may be worthwhile shipping it to him.
They dont use road salt in Australia! Eric wouldn't have much to do lol.
Hi Eric. Over time, I try get things fixed . When ,I didn't have the tool. Then the shop make other problems. I end up fixing myself. Near the end of the video. You bring up some good points. Very well said
That customer needs to go back to the other shop and get a refund For half ass work.
good luck with that, charged for diag. prolly
sad for all the self made "mechanics"
I agree, it chaps my a$$ whenever I see someone charged a big garage bill for a problem the garage was not able to fix
unfortunately the time to dispute the bill has passed other than disputing on credit card within 90days most credit cards have some protection (if they didnt pay by cash/debit card) . Small claims court is possible however that would take energy filing and some costs (which could be recouped if the plaintiff won). The lesson learned here for all unskilled or uneducated consumers on knowing how to ask the correct questions of mechanics. Dont hire/contract a mechanic that doesn't find the problem (most charge a diagnostic fee- which dont pay if they dont find the problem in diagnosis and verify- NO GUESSING), fix and test to confirm the fix. We don't refer any of our clients to any other trades companies because most clients dont know how to ask the correct questions to determine qualifications and expertise of a referral.
In my opinion the customer got what they paid for from both shops
That’s why I use a credit card with satisfaction guarantee for services then you can just cancel it out
Nice job with the diagnosis of the problem(s). My daughter took her car to a shop and they threw over $1500 into parts and labor at her Honda Pilot and the problems were still there. I went through it with similar thought process as you just did and figured out that a simple fix 3A fuse was blown as it had a poor connection in the fuse block which caused higher amp draw across the circuit. I liked your comment about loading up the parts canon and seeing where they stick....
I ain't done an oil change in 2 years and now my engine blew up. I need a new one. I'm in a hurry so I'll be back tomorrow to pick it up.
Some customers are just a little bit selfish and can be a little...let's call it dense.
Gotta love intermittent faults. The problem is, obviously the other shop loaded up the parts cannon, including an ECU (?????) & figured $300 later that they were out of their depth and the customer called in the Master. Good job Mr O!
Vintage SMA video, brilliant diagnostics. I hope to see you do the ignition switch, this is a younger version of the truck I drive, ha ha.
stay tuned for tomorrows vid ;)
@@SouthMainAuto I got me an '06 Dakota... Any help I can get with it is gonna help a crap ton. You rock!
Another GOOD FIX from a real Mechanic who knows his beans and isn't just a parts cannon changer. Good Job Eric O.
Just lost my fresh/recirculate door in my ram last week. 2nd time. Had to pull it out to reestablish air flow. Nice and cool again.
"This just got awkward." Found that funnier than I should have.
If I had a nickle for every time you call out the incompetence of another shop.
You would be a poor guy because Eric kinda doesn't...
Probably would have $3
You are very good at diagnostic. What a humble and thorough mechanic. I would not think twice about dropping my vehicle off at your shop.
Great job as always Eric 👍 Best bit for me is whenever Trinity passes, you turn to mush and say "hey girl!" 😂
Had me laughing too. Had to show to my wife and daughters. They got a kick out if it too.
The world has an over abundance of “parts replacers” and not enough intelligent experienced technicians. Always enjoy watching the videos. Stay safe..
I can tell Eric's an old man like me because he references the same pop culture as I do -- "I got the power," etc.
What we have here is a failiure to communicate!
I don't get it.
@@ShainAndrews From the movie - Cool Hand Luke (1967)
@@MostlyChrisJ Right...
I feel ya.
It is so refreshing to see someone that knows how to trouble shoot!!! People don't realize how many people just throw parts at problems until it's solved.
Bad ignition switch was a really easy diag. The other shop couldn't figure it out? Sheesh, how can they call themselves technicians?
Yeah, really!! I want to know who the utter brillance was with the wire in the fuse box hooked to nothing!!
Probably even ASE certified.
@@craigroth8710 probably was testing with it and forgot it was there even when opening the door due to tunnel vision.
@Timothy Salomon Or actual common sense (rare these days). All these problems happen at once. The first question should be: What is common to all of them? Basic stuff first. How many cars has Eric fixed with a good visual inspection (The absolutely most simple diagnostic tool)?
Technicians or ASE certifed are over used terminology. More like parts swappers. I worked with a guy whom is ASE cert. He told. All you do is take test to get your certs..
Love seeing a real diagnosis! "Tech's" of all sorts are turning in to Parts Changers rather than actual technicians. Appreciate you letting us look over your shoulder while you work.
Short bus Window licker...lol. Great vid Eric, I love the in depth diagnosis.
I love the way you stop what you're doing to give your family your attention to see what they have on their minds. You seem to go right back to where you were at.
Awesome work man. Nice to see a great honest guy doing things the right way and trying to help out other people. My het is off to you. Love watching your videos.
It's amazing how alot of the people who call themselves mechanics and have shops are way worse than some home DIYers like myself who don't actually call themselves a "mechanic." I have spent years learning proper diagnoses from real mechanic friends and fix alot of cars/trucks these days and have a decent little garage and I'm constantly amazed by the shotty work that "shops" do to peoples cars and they feel good about charging them money when they can't even figure out the problem right. Watching you diagnose these problems so calmly and collected is so intriguing and I always learn something new.
You always do a great job and take time to explain how and why. I have learned a few new things from watching and look forward to learning more. Keep up the great job.
An old 'wrench turner' myself back in '79', early 80's took over as service manager at a local Honda dealership. Long before OBD ports and handheld diagnostic tools. We still had to do diagnosis the hard way...test lights, volt meter, jumper wires. Had a handful of cars with similar intermittent running/starting problems.
Each and every one of those had one common denominator... a HUGE bundle of keys on the key chain. Enough to make a janitor jealous. Probably close to a pound or more of brass and steel tugging away at that poor little ignition switch tweaking the internal contacts.
Bit of a PITA to access the electrical portion of the switch, had to grind away at the anti-theft shear bolts but with a new switch in place, all was fine. At least until they hung the half gazillion keys on it again.
Great to see your stuff Eric! Interesting to watch your diagnosis progress and the explanations you provide. Happy New Year Sir!
Loved the Car Talk reference halfway through. Always a pleasure to watch your videos and listen to those guys. RIP Tom.
36:16 "Where's your hole baby" LOL Informative and entertaining. Doesn't get better than this.
This is a true mechanic right here, most now just throw parts at cars till the issue is fixed by itself of customer goes somewhere else, I wish i knew of a decent shop like yours around my area
You always crack me up with the singing the old school jams! Haha! “I’ve got the power”, gold digga, etc... but you added the bonus today with sending wife to massage parlor! Haha! Mahalo for the laughs and Aloha from Hawaii!
"Cuz you always put a BCM in if it doesn't work" :D Eric, appreciate your detailed, logical diag and fixes! If only all mechanics would be this way!
They need to keep that truck forever...a 2000 dodge in that shape beats a 2000 rusty Chevy any day.
That kinda goes without saying doesn't it...
Refreshing to see a repair person as good and honest as Eric. Like watching Richard from Precision Transmission, a competent craftsman is enjoyable to watch. It is amazing how many hacks charge good money, and do not get the job fixed. Like the other shop replaced the blend motor and did a half a$s job. And charged good money. Gives honest places like Precision Transmission and South Main a bad name.
Kudos Eric, as well as Richard from Precision, enjoyable to watch.
Welloilbe, I actually guessed correctly for a change! No parts Cannon required 🤭
Guessing is fine but verifying is better. Sometimes even the best guess is wrong.
It is so very hard to find a reputable shop anywhere they always want to do things like that including most dealer shops !!! I realy like the way you go about diagnosing things!!!!😊👍👍👍👍👍👍
I feel your pain on the free estimates, I just went back to being a full time handyman, and a few people have gotten upset that a) I don't give free estimates and b) that I only do jobs on time and materials. Even so I could be working 80 hours a week if I chose.
You can always do free estimates if you are reasonably sure of getting the job. You just pad the cost of the estimate plus 20% into the cost of the repair. That's how its done. The 20% is to average out the one job in six that you diagnose and don't get.
@@lwilton Why should a person pay that for people who just want to know whats wrong so they can fix it. Then the person who wants you to fix it pays for people that don't have you fix it. Not the way to do business IMO.
I really enjoy watching him work,I know nothing about cars ,I am an instrument tech and always learn something from him that can can help me do my job.