Things people miss on a service

[sierraman]

What sort of things do you find people miss or forget on a service or things that you should really do but it probably doesn’t fall into the service schedule?

[mercedade]

Greasing hinges 

[Supernaut]

Pollen filters!

[grogee]

Cabin filter

Brake fluid

Adjust handbrake

Check exhaust and mountings

Set tyre pressures

Check radiator hoses

Check CV gaiters

Check lights and wipers

Sometimes set timing/dwell on older stuff

These were all part of any service I did as a young mechanic. It meant the vehicle owner got an idea of what might be needed in the near future, as well as the easy/boring fluid and filter swap. 

Some manufacturer specific stuff as well eg grease radius arm bearings on Mini/Metro, pump up hydrolastic (Issypiss extra charge) 

 

[Split_Pin]

On Rover 75 diesels, the PCV filter is usually missed.

The solution is to either fit a BMW vortex maintenance free item or bin it altogether.

Ironically, before I got my 75, the maintenance free item that had been fitted was removed, replaced with a regular sponge item  and because neither the PO or myself knew about this, it was left and blocked up, causing erratic oil level readings.  I thought the high pressure fuel pump was leaking diesel into the oil system!

[barefoot]

My man with the bay window shaped spanners never ever changes wiper blades. I honestly think he believes that I never drive it in the rain.

[danthecapriman]

Checking tyre sizes across axles. Back in my garage days I found a few that had different sized tyres on the same axle!

Crankcase breathers. Some vehicles are notorious for them blocking up. Usually all it needs is a good clean out or a new element that costs pence.

Battery security. I know it’s on an MOT but…

Blocked drain holes for things like cabin air filters, those little cubby bits where ECU’s and electrical crap tends to sit. Get plugged with dirt & leaves then make the electrics damp.

Spare wheel tread, condition and pressure. Usually missed or ignored as it’s tucked away out of sight and never* gets used anyway.

[Spiny Norman]

I once picked up a car from Arnold Shark after its 24,000 mile service and on the way home the low brake pad warning light came on. 

[DavieW]

One of our clients sacked one their  technicians for not changing the pollen filters during services despite the garage charging the customers. He was found out because he hid them down the back of his toolbox still in their boxes. 

[sierraman]

1 minute ago, DavieW said:

One of our clients sacked one their  technicians for not changing the pollen filters during services despite the garage charging the customers. He was found out because he hid them down the back of his toolbox still in their boxes. 

Why 😂😂😂

[Bear]

Differential/transmission fluids/UJ greasing.
Actually clipping things back properly...
Using the right grade of oil (seriously, VW dealer was broken by me wanting to have the correct long life oil but at 1 year/12,000 miles and put the cheap stuff in. They had to change it again after I looked at the dipstick).

Props to Mazda at Border Cars though - when I took a new RX-8 in leased from a broker they treated me like a valued customer - and I saw them do the service from the waiting room, including wearing little blue gloves and oiling the door hinges with a proper old-school oil can!

They even included more oil filler funnels for the top-up bag, and it was only £85 😕

[Bear]

8 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Why 😂😂😂

"Next hayfever season Rodney..."

[warch]

14 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Why 😂😂😂

They're often a real sod to change, so you end up having to partially disassemble the dash or remove the glovebox or something. 

Regarding things people miss on a service, this is why old Land Rovers often get into a poor state.

They have grease points on the steering joints (lots of these on a Land Rover) and the propshaft ends and centre splines, plus the oil levels need checking in both axles, both front swivels, both gearboxes and the steering and steering relay box. Of course no one ever bothers, EP90 is expensive and changing or topping up the fluid is a horrible messy job. 

[twosmoke300]

Taking brakes apart and greasing sliders etc 

Plenum drains esp on Audis 

Brake / clutch fluid changes

Coolant change . I’m convinced this is why Fiat Fire engines and D series Honda engines do head gaskets . Esp the Honda because they get so badly neglected “ cos it’s reliable innit “

[MVX11V]

I ended up doing quality control for the Citroen garage I worked at as the return %age for servicing was high. Most missed and out the door was brake lamps and tyres. Bang it out m8, bonus yeah...

The other techs hated on me for slinging their service back in for things like a bulb. They expected me to change it. Get fucked.

[bigfella2]

3 hours ago, sierraman said:

Why 😂😂😂

If you had a MK3 megane I could understand that not changing the pollen filter. Clutch pedal off, I saw a YouTube video doing it without removing the pedal could I bollox duplicate it. Obviously designed left hand drive. Bet @Brigsycould manage it.

[MantaGTE85]

6 hours ago, sierraman said:

Why 😂😂😂

Took me less than 5 minutes to change the pollen filter in my 9N3 VW Polo, just slides out from under the dash by the glovebox, clip the new one into the holder and push it back up the dash. The holder is flimsy as fuck so I had to take great care in refitting.

[sierraman]

The Mondeo is a PITA but I’ve done it that many times it’s a 15 minute job. Could do it blindfolded which is fortunate as you can’t see what you are doing it’s done by feel 😂

[hairnet]

the fact its a honda when they thought it was a citroen?

[Metal Guru]

The battery in the key/ remote. Twice I’ve almost been stranded  due to the tiny watch battery being expired. 

[ProgRocker]

Handbrake not set up properly. I recall taking one of my cars back to whatever garage done the service after an MOT advisory about the slack handbrake.

[Shite Ron]

The first thing I thought on seeing the title that most people including myself usually miss out is setting the tappets. If the engine sounds ok then I would normally leave the rocker cover on.

An interesting one I saw when a friend took his Carlton to a main dealer for a service was the oil filler cap was not replaced, there was oil everywhere! It was also common not to change oil, filter or spark plugs due to bonuses the mechanics were paid for ridiculously low expectation / demands on time allowed for each job at some dealers.

[Brigsy]

15 hours ago, bigfella2 said:

If you had a MK3 megane I could understand that not changing the pollen filter. Clutch pedal off, I saw a YouTube video doing it without removing the pedal could I bollox duplicate it. Obviously designed left hand drive. Bet @Brigsycould manage it.

Frigging nightmare them mk3 pollen filters, they are definitely missed unless they go to a specialist.

Fuel filters in tricky locations are another common one to miss. Tbf theres quite a few garages i know that even miss the oil and filter😬

[Bear]

Nissan Juke pollen filter is a faff also. Seems like a lot of the time they just give up on LHD/RHD packaging.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Changing\bleeding clutch hydraulics. 

[Spiny Norman]

1 hour ago, Bear said:

Nissan Juke pollen filter is a faff also. Seems like a lot of the time they just give up on LHD/RHD packaging.

You actually have to cut the dashboard apart to replace the cabin filter on some K11 Micras. 

[colino]

A service manager at an eponymous chain already mentioned above boasted he was the biggest buyer of white Lithium grease. If your car started ok and drove into the bay fine, your service started and finished at your hinges and door checks getting a quick squirt of the white stuff.