Do Recalls Cost Customer Anything?

Say Chrysler recalls all its cars for a defective door latch, air bag, or
fuel pump connection. Anything, it doesn't matter. That must cost a great
deal of money.

Are the service managers instructed to suggest additional work on unrelated
matters to help offset the cost of recalls? For instance, while my car is
up on the rack, for say replacement of a recalled set of rear shocks, is
the mechanic looking for worn brake shoes to tell the s.m. so the s.m. can
scare me into buying an expensive brake job I don't need?

Does a dealer mechanic get a commission on work sold to the hapless
customer? He should, because the service manager would never have found
those worn out brake shoes if it wasn't for the keen eye of the mechanic.
What's worse is when a lube mechanic finds metal to metal brake shoes, gets
not a nickel commission for selling the job, and he doesn't get any labor
split because the brake man does the brake job.

I don't think that's fair. If the lube jockey finds bad brakes he should
do the brake job and collect the labor split, not the brake man.

 

That would depend on the recall

I have never heard of someone trying to scare someone into buying work,
Recalls to me are also a form of advertisement, and they bring new customers
to the dealer, and yes if the recall calls for raising the vehicle we will
give it a quick check over. Just as we would any other customers vehicle

Most get paid a flat rate. Some are on salary. The service manager gets paid
by the hour we turn.

I dont think I would want a lube jockey performing work on my vehicle,
normally they are young kids

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

I would think this to be typically normal customer service. Looking out
for the safety of the customer. Shop I deal with does a no charge
safety check every time I bring the car in, for whatever reason. If
something is noted, the service writer calls me and informs me of their
concern and what it would cost to fix. Ultimate decision on the repair
is up to me.

Mechanic gets paid for the work he does.

I wouldn't want the oil jockey anywhere close to my brakes, except to
fill the crankcase, where he might get close to the master cylinder.
Most liely hte lube jockey has no brake system training doesn't know
squat about brakes. Most shops in this area are union, and union rules
typically dictate what a oil jockey can touch.