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By Counterman
It’s no secret that the heart of an electric vehicle is its high-voltage (HV) battery.
There are a number of electrical circuits and protection devices found within an HV battery assembly. These circuits work in conjunction with the vehicle’s battery-management system (BMS) to ensure safety and battery longevity.
It’s not uncommon to have several hundred lithium cells in an EV and more than 25 cells in a hybrid vehicle. These cells must be properly balanced to one another, while their temperature and the packs’ overall voltage and amperage must be closely monitored by the BMS.
Often, when a battery has been properly tested and is found to be bad, a remanufactured battery may be the best option due to the price.
Typically, remanufactured batteries include a number of improvements, such as nickel-plated terminals (to avoid corrosion); optimized cell mounting to eliminate the risk of case cracking due to vibrations; individual cell testing and balancing of the pack; and other comprehensive testing to ensure long life.
For example, Dorman’s remanufactured hybrid battery pack for the 2004-2009 Toyota Prius features “nickel-plated bus bars and corrosion-resistant terminals for increased reliability,” according to the Dorman website, while “proprietary software uses [a] multi-dimensional grading process to select battery cells that will perform ideally together.” The battery packs are subjected to “multiple stringent validation gateways, including on-vehicle tests using EPA performance standards,” according to the company.
Remanufactured batteries should be an attractive option for your customers – especially those who own hybrid vehicles, as they’re likely seeking a cost-effective solution. Dorman’s remanufactured hybrid battery packs come with a two-year warranty, according to a recent sales flyer, compared to the eight- to 10-year warranty for most OE batteries. Generally speaking, however, remanufactured batteries should have the same life expectancy as a new one.
It’s important to note that when a remanufactured battery is sent to the warehouse, there’s an expiration tag applied to the outside of the shipping container. Make sure you’re not installing a battery that’s due to return to the manufacturer to receive an updated charge and testing procedure.
A word about handling HV batteries, whether they’re new or remanufactured: These batteries are heavy! They’re packaged in clamshell cases to minimize the risk of electrical shock. Because of their weight, HV batteries should be stored low to the ground, and counter pros (and customers) should take great care when lifting them, to avoid injury.
Let’s discuss a few add-on sales opportunities. I firmly believe that all shops working on electric vehicles need high-voltage gloves, insulated handtool sets and a Level 2 charger. Remember, all EVs use electrons the entire time they’re in a shop – as opposed to ICE vehicles, which only use gasoline when the engine is running.
Advanced diagnostic tools represent another great sales opportunity. When it comes to diagnosing EVs and their batteries, the current level of diagnostics only allows a technician to see what’s transmitted over the data bus lines of communication. This is because a traditional diagnostic scan tool gets its information from the OBD II connector located under the dash. Autel has addressed this challenge with its MaxiSYS MS909EV platform.
With the MaxiSys MS909EV system, technicians can analyze an EV battery by plugging into the OBD II port or connecting directly to the battery. By connecting to the BMS, technicians now have full insight into battery state of health and individual battery-cell state of charge; access to all the thermistors; and visibility into the “handshake” that occurs between a charger and the vehicle. The MS909EV screen displays detailed graphics and in-depth connection guidance to provide safe and secure testing, as well as comprehensive diagrams of high-voltage system blocks, components and sockets. In addition to providing rapid analysis of high-voltage systems in electric and hybrid vehicles, the MS909EV’s intelligent diagnostic capabilities extend to U.S., European and Asian gasoline and diesel vehicles.
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By Counterman
Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, in collaboration with the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, are pleased to announce 14 winners of their 2022 scholarship competition.
The recipients, picked from a competitive pool of student applicants from across North America, will be recognized as they work toward their degrees.
This year’s scholarship recipients, and their respective warehouse distributor include:
Aaron Caton – Harrodsburg, Kentucky; Hahn Automotive Al Scrivner – O’Fallon, Illinois; All Car Brieanne Schmidt – Calgary; Central Auto Parts Christian Pfeiffer – Jackson, Michigan; Auto-Wares Group of Companies Emily Seay – Marianna, Florida; Parts Warehouse Inc. Jesse Banks – Calgary; Central Auto Parts Julie West – Stanton, Michigan; Auto-Wares Group of Companies Kathy Hinson – Climax, Florida; Parts Warehouse Inc. Nicholas Caton – Harrodsburg, Kentucky; Hahn Automotive Samantha Scott – Rockford, Michigan; Auto-Wares Group of Companies Tammy Gracie – Red Deer, Alberta; Central Auto Parts Taya Thoendal – Winnipeg; Piston Ring Tristan Norris – Calgary; Central Auto Parts Zackery Beshears – Greenwood, Arkansas; Parts Warehouse Inc. “We continue to take pride in the outstanding students representing the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper brands,” said Nikki Paschall, director of communications and engagement for Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper. “We encourage lifelong learning and congratulate this year’s students for investing in themselves. We are honored to support in this way.”
Through their affiliation with Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, eligible candidates filled out a comprehensive application that included essay prompts, short answers, letters of recommendation, transcript requirements and more. A University of the Aftermarket Foundation panel of judges reviewed and ranked the applicants based on their merits.
Candidates also were required to show they were employees or children of employees of an Auto Value, Bumper to Bumper or Confidence Plus location.
Since the Alliance scholarship program was developed in 2001, it has awarded almost $550,000 in scholarships to deserving students. The annual program encourages continuing education within the membership and supports the next workforce generation in achieving their educational goals.
For more information about the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, please visit
link hidden, please login to view. For more information on the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper scholarship program, visit
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By Counterman
An Advance Auto Parts manager is a TikTok sensation after refusing to accept a return of an open bottle of windshield-washer fluid.
“The seal is cracked, it’s open, I can’t return it,” the manager says in a self-recorded video posted to TikTok on July 24.
Incredulous, the customer replies that he matched it to other bottles in the store and “it still has the same amount.”
“I’m sorry sir, but when you get a bottle and you crack the seal and you open it and you take this plastic off, that means it is not returnable,” the manager says. “I don’t know if you used it. You could’ve poured Gatorade in there.”
With as much as $7.49 on the line, the man asserts that he “never had any issues with O’Reillys or AutoZone.” He then demands to speak to the manager. When the customer learns that the sales associate is the manager, he asks if he can speak to a district manager.
“His number is on the front door,” the manager replies. “And on your way out, you can read the return policy.”
After stating that the interaction was “completely unprofessional,” the customer offers some unsolicited advice for the manager who dared to uphold the store’s return policy.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 6,
link hidden, please login to view has amassed 1.1 million views, 3,081 comments and more than 233,000 likes. How do you think the manager handled the situation? Watch below and let us know!
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By Counterman
Advance Auto Parts announced second-quarter net sales of $2.7 billion, up 0.6% compared to second-quarter 2021.
Comparable-store sales were down 0.6%, while operating income dropped 17.7% to $201.7 million.
Advance CEO Tom Greco acknowledged that it was “a more challenging quarter on the top line than we expected.”
“Our deliberate move to increase owned-brand penetration reduced both net and comp sales by approximately one full point,” Greco said. “Our DIY omnichannel sales were particularly challenged in the quarter and we expect that high inflation and significant year-over-year increases in fuel prices will continue to pressure DIY consumers in the back half of the year. As a result, we are updating our 2022 full-year guidance.”
Advance now expects full-year net sales of $11 billion to $11.2 billion, compared to its previous guidance of $11.2 billion to $11.5 billion.
“While our industry is not immune to the inflationary pressures consumers and broader retail have been experiencing, we believe our industry is well-positioned for the long term within the broader retail space to withstand these headwinds,” Greco said. “In addition, our team continues to make progress on our strategic initiatives to drive long-term shareholder value. We remain relentlessly focused on customer service, parts availability and reliability of delivery. We’re confident this will help enable sustainable sales growth, margin expansion and strong cash returns.”
Greco also highlighted some of the positive from the second quarter, including a 10% increase in diluted earnings per share.
“In Q2 we delivered another quarter of growth in net sales and adjusted operating income, underscored by adjusted operating-income margin expansion,” Greco said. “Our adjusted operating-income margin rate of 11.7% was the highest-level AAP has achieved in seven years. This helped enable a quarterly record for adjusted diluted earnings per share of $3.74, which increased 10% compared with Q2 2021 and 72% compared with Q2 2019. Additionally, we returned $291 million dollars to our shareholders through a combination of share repurchases and our quarterly cash dividend.”
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