Where does Quality Control begin and end regarding parts? As a Service Manager for our Family Owned Business and a Auto Service Technician myself, you are trained to look at parts and ensure they are compatible to your current job/ vehicle. Over time you trust more in the part supplier(s) and feel more confident with the products you are providing for your customer(s). Not to deflect blame, but the Parts Industry has checks and balances and obligations of providing viable products. Then, the Automotive Technology Industry does a quick match and ensures the part is installed correctly and that the vehicle is operational. Fortunately, here at C.A.R.S., we offer a 24,000 miles/ 2 year warranty for our customer. Unfortunately, we have limited coverage on the labor.
This leads me to a recent repair that had the C.A.R.S. Team questioning every aspect of the repair we completed and researching possible answers. Basic job, CV Axle and Axle Seal. Vehicle comes back after 2 weeks due to observed leaking of transmission fluid from Axle Seal location. Removed CV Axle checked for smooth Axle surface and replaced Axle Seal. Vehicle was fine for 4-5 days, then leaking again. Obviously, the likely issue was no longer the Axle Seal. It was decided, to replace CV Axle and Seal one more time, after cleaning engine and ensuring no other leaks. Also, there was concern the CV Axle may be out of round, so a micrometer would be used to measure CV Axle. Once first replaced part was removed and placed next to new CV Axle, the answer laid in front of our faces. The Axle Seal Guard was MIA from the replaced CV Axle and the new CV Axle's Seal Guard shined as a bright light in front of our eyes!
To say the least, we, to include our customer, learned a valuable lesson that day. Yes, do check the parts next to each other. Look, Feel, and Compare the replacement parts. Don't Get Complacent.
