Bugs in the System
How to ensure your techs know the service information system. Have you ever taken in a vehicle that your techs struggled to diagnose? They might be great Toyota techs, but with a Ford do they spend too much time on…
Columns
Tune Ups July/August 2015
ASA Announces New Hire The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has welcomed a new staffer to its North Richland Hills, Texas, headquarters. Dan Risley, ASA’s president and chief executive officer announced the staff addition this…
Structural Integrity
ASA works like a complex machine. Our structure isn’t unique; other organizations operate in similar ways. But, unlike ours, their members don’t govern the organization. So here, I’d like to answer some questions I hear asked on a regular basis.…
Why We Support State Vehicle Inspection Programs
Policy proposal presents opportunity for safety improvements. The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has prioritized the task of urging states to adopt periodic motor vehicle safety inspection programs in its policy objectives. This action has included annual events on the subject…
Generationally Speaking - May/June 2015
See what makes us different ... and the same! In this issue’s “Generationally Speaking,” we feature RON HAUGEN, owner/president, and HEATHER ALBERTSON, service adviser, of WESTSIDE AUTO PROS in Des Moines, Iowa. See what makes us different … and the…
What Would You Do?
Every shop owner runs into ‘situations.’ How they handle them is important ... do you agree with these fellow ASA members? Dilemma: This scenario comes from a collision shop that we’ve been doing business with for more than 25 years.…
Perplexing Puzzle: Grand Cherokee - Something ‘crazy’ causes systems to quit.
The speedometer drops off,” my friend Lee told me when he brought in a Jeep Grand Cherokee he wanted fixed. “Then the gauges quit and all the warning lights come on. This thing has been acting crazy on and off…
Beat the Competition With Focused Training Models
In the last issue (March-April) we introduced the idea of Service Readiness. Now, we’ll take a look at individual elements of this concept. Let’s begin with creating a Service Readiness Training Model designed to ensure that owners of late-model vehicles…
ASA’s New Chapter
The past two years have been quite a ride. Your association has seen major change and made an unprecedented comeback. When Darrell Amberson, AAM, took over as chairman, he and the board had much to do. The ASA board and…
EPA Proposes New Smog Standards
Public hearings set for proposed NAAQ ground-level ozone standards. On Nov. 25, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new regulations designed to strengthen the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAAQ) for ground-level ozone. According to the EPA, the…
Generationally Speaking - March/April 2015
See what makes us different ... and the same! In this issue of “Generationally Speaking,” we feature Mark A. Clark and Keegan Niccum, service advisers for Chumbley’s Auto Care in Indianaola, Iowa. Chumbley’s Auto Care is owned by Tim Davison.…
What Would You Do?
Every shop owner runs into ‘situations.’ How they handle them is important ... do you agree with these fellow ASA members? Dilemma: This shop owner had just hired a new apprentice technician. The technician was supposed to change the automatic…
Unfixable Dodge Magnum
For the most effective diagnostics, don’t just rely on the codes to troubleshoot. Actual testing will give you a bird’s-eye view. Last issue, we talked about a problem created by technician error and made worse by hanging parts without knowing…
ASA Working on Your Behalf
It’s been a busy legislative season in the nation’s capitol and around the country. Here are some news items about legislation moving through state legislatures in North Carolina and New Jersey. Be sure to visit ASA’s legislative website, www.TakingTheHill.com, for…
Serviceability Report: Kia Soul
Let’s take a look at Kia. Is it easy to service? Kia was a poorly made car when this Korean car company brought its 1994 Sephia to America. Kia made cars for Ford/Mazda prior to 1994, but most people had…
What Is Service Readiness and Why Is It Important?
To quote a good friend of mine, Mark Saxonberg from Toyota, “Service readiness is the act of having received the service training, information, tools and parts necessary to perform any diagnosis, repair and/or adjustment that might be required to support…
News Briefs, speedy facts, and other quick bits of info
Welcome, ASA-Connecticut! The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced a new affiliate: ASA-Connecticut. Dan Risley, ASA’s president and executive director, in making the announcement, said: “We are extremely excited to welcome ASA-Connecticut – formerly known as the Connecticut Collision Repair…
