This page contains valuable information provided specifically
to help technicians
with their daily duties.
If you are a franchise dealership service department, you will
have warranty work. And with those warranty repairs comes specific
documentation requirements. Technicians are to indicate the
cause of failure and what they did to correct that failure on
the repair order, along with many other readings, specifications,
measurements, and other supporting information to justify the
repairs made.
Service management has a host of responsibilities when it comes to the proper documentation of a warranty claim and the better informed a technician is of these responsibilities, the more likely they will comply with these important requirements.
Warranty products that can help technicians:
- Official Warranty Guide - This guide helps quickly determine remaining factory warranty on every vehicle by manufacturer as well as the warranty extensions that apply.
- Warranty Administration Program - The newsletter in our program was originally designed as a source of information for warranty administrators and service managers. Today, however, it is also a great source of information for technicians. The articles are condensed versions of important topics to easily read and are full of helpful tips and new information that pertains to technicians as well as other personnel in the dealership.
- Warranty Operations Manual - The manual is perfect for technicians who don’t necessarily have access to the manufacturer’s policy manual, but need information, or simply clarification, regarding warranty policies quickly and easily. It contains specific documentation requirements that technicians are responsible for. It also covers many programs and specific component warranty information.
- Part Group to Labor Operation Guide (GM only) - For difficult labor-only claims, technicians and the parts department can identify a “failed part.” By cross-referencing the group number of the part that was adjusted or repaired, you will be able to easily identify the proper operation to use. This guide can help to avoid returns and choose the operation number that pays exactly what the technician is entitled to.
- Recall Summary - The Recall Summary is intended to be a quick, at-a-glance resource for finding recall information - ideal for technicians to quickly find the labor operation for the recalls that will save time for the warranty administrator.
Warranty services that can help technicians:
- Warranty Management Workshops - There is no doubt that this workshop is designed for warranty administrators, service managers, and service consultants, but there is great information in our workshop that would be helpful for technicians, as well. This is particularly a good workshop for those technicians who also act as shop foremen or who cover for service management.
- In-dealership Warranty Consulting - After the repair order review of our consulting service is completed, a meeting is set up with technicians to discuss documentation, issues and other audit findings.
Quick Tips:
- Keep
in mind that if a technician opens the refrigeration circuit
in an automotive air conditioning system, they must
be certified in refrigerant recovery and recycling. Lack
of compliance with
federally mandated certification requirements can result in
steep
fines ranging anywhere from $25,000 to $80,000. - When a technician is unable to duplicate or verify a customer’s concern, and time and labor is involved, certain 9991-9995 labor operations may be claimed.
- Technicians are not to assign labor operations and times from the labor time guide to the repair order. The service manager is responsible for ensuring the appropriate labor operation and labor time is recorded on the claim.
- GM will not reimburse an additional warranty claim for a repair that must be performed again as a result of improper inspection, diagnosis or workmanship.
Common warranty related issues that technicians
are faced with:
Problem: Technicians are not getting updates
to changes in policy.
Solution: Our newsletters are filled with changes
in policies that directly affect technicians. We consolidate
all the information GM releases and condense it into articles
that will help your technicians keep informed.
Problem: Technicians do not completely understand
warranty coverage
Solution: While the bumper-to-bumper warranty
is stated in terms of mileage and time limits, bumper-to-bumper
doesn’t always mean just that. For example, do your technicians
know the warranty coverage on a windshield? This is just one
of many topics covered in our renowned Warranty Management Workshop.
Reference Section
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