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When Good Alternators Go Bad
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By Counterman
In business, as in life, mistakes WILL happen. How you respond will make the difference in whether your customer will remain loyal and continue to do business with your store. Customer relations are easy as long as things go well – when they don’t, you and your team have the opportunity to shine or look like the proverbial pile of…well, you know.
Let me underscore this with a recent experience I had at a global coffee chain. I love heading out to the coffee house with my wife, Marlene, to grab a cold brew or blended beverage. While we are hanging out there, we’ll plan trips, discuss an upcoming event – this has been our “date night” routine for many years.
You see, this chain had pioneered the “third place” experience, where customers and non-customers alike are welcomed to their stores. People could experience some great tunes, meet with friends or business associates, work on homework, read a book, and sip on a tasty beverage. In the post-Covid world though, I worry that the customer experience has suffered.
We recently endured a visit to our nearby location that gave me pause. From that experience I began to consider our clients’ and your store’s interactions with your customers and the fragile nature of the relationship. I began to recognize the creep of “Customer Experience Decline” (let’s call it CED) that can occur if you take your eyes off the ball, like this coffee chain has.
Back to the coffee house: we ordered two blended beverages and a water, three drinks total. Marlene’s drink and the water came up first, then several minutes went by. After waiting patiently, I decided to head back to the counter, where the staff found creative ways to ignore my presence with world-class ease. Drinks zipped through the blender and were handed off to the drive-through attendant.
I wondered when I would see mine. Perhaps the drink label they affixed to the cup didn’t print, so I bided my time and waited. Finally, my drink was delivered to the counter, where its maker hollered my name. Keep in mind, I was standing right in front of her.
Before she scampered away, I asked, “Could you help me to understand the reason my drink took five minutes longer than my wife’s?” The look on her face was priceless, as though I had asked a question worthy of a Mensa exam! Pausing a moment, she responded, “We are shorthanded,” an answer you hear far too often today. Still, I thought, why did I see eight other drinks processed before mine was delivered?
I pursued the first question again, with the same answer, this time delivered without a smile. Again, trying to understand, I asked the question a different way. Her next response absolutely floored me: she glared at me as though I’d fallen off a turnip truck, raised her hands to the side of her head, palms up and then just shrugged. Essentially, she communicated nonverbally, “I really don’t care! Here’s your drink, now go away!!”
For a coffee chain that had built its reputation of being a welcoming location, outstanding interactions with their guests and building a sense of community had fallen to a simple act of indifference to a loyal customer’s request.
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Handling Customer Challenges
How are challenges handled at your store? Does your staff have the same passion to care for your clients that you do? Have you kept an eye on things, one of the many things a parts professional is responsible for on a daily basis?
Are you aware that, according to a study commissioned by the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, 75% of customers leave a business due to apathy, also known as indifference?
The good news of that staggering figure is that if we can control our behavior and our team, we can eliminate 75% of the reason a customer would stop buying from us! All we need to do is to provide exceptional customer service and experience!
Let’s look at five simple ways you, your counter pros and anyone who interacts with a customer can meet and exceed your customers’ expectations.
Listen
You’d be surprised how often we miss the mark. The counter is busy, the phone is ringing, parts drivers need your signature, the computer is slow and the customer is standing in front of you. With all the distractions, how do you make sure things don’t fall through the cracks with the customer? Stay engaged, keep your eyes on them, focus and ask questions. Write or type the information down and, most importantly, review the requests with them before the leave the store.
Don’t rush! I am sure you and they alike would rather wait an extra minute or two so you can make sure all their requests are noted and handled, rather than them showing up to pick the car up and learning that your team missed the oil change or state inspection they needed!
Be Present
Being present is pretty simple – tune into the customer, whether you’re in-person or on the phone. It’s really off-putting when a person (often the advisor) disengages from a conversation to answer a question coming from the background, or worse, laughs at something that might be out earshot of your customer.
Ask Questions
This one is even easier. By listening (highlighted in the first bullet point), your team will be armed with the information needed to ask the right follow-up questions. Your customer, your techs and you, as the owner, are all relying on the advisor who is at the tip of the spear to get it right. When we listen, ask the right questions and write the answers down, everyone in the process can participate in ensuring the job is done completely and accurately every time.
Don’t Make Excuses!
Mistakes will happen. If it really is your fault, don’t try to hide behind an excuse or try to give a complicated reason for the issue. Just say, “We made a mistake and we’ll make it right.” Remember to choose your words wisely though, so as not to give away the farm. In most cases, the customer understands that everyone is human, and won’t put the screws to you.
Say I’m Sorry
Remember my coffee shop story? I was literally blown off and figuratively given the middle finger. The likelihood that I’ll grace that store’s doors again is slim at best.
To be honest, a simple apology for the wait would have sufficed and disarmed my frustration, along with letting me know how valuable my business is. A well placed “I’m sorry” goes a long way.
Conclusion
You have many roles as a counter professional, but it all starts with setting the tone as a leader, training your team on what you expect. Occasionally inspecting their work and consistent review of your store’s culture will go a long way toward ensuring your customers KNOW that YOU care about them, their cars and the experience they receive each time they head to your shop.
Don’t let something as controllable as indifference alienate loyal clientele.
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By Counterman
The water pump is a vehicle component that needs no introduction. For most vehicle owners, however, they don’t think about it until something goes wrong.
As the only moving part of the cooling system, the water pump plays a vital role in keeping the vehicle running optimally in all weather conditions. Water pumps usually last a long time – 100,000 miles or more on average. When a water pump fails, though, the results can be catastrophic for the engine.
Let’s talk about some common causes of premature water-pump failure.
Coolant Contamination
Coolant can become contaminated with dirt, debris or other substances that can wear down the water pump’s internal components, including the seals and bearings. This contamination can accelerate wear and lead to early failure.
Cavitation
This phenomenon occurs when vapor bubbles form in the coolant near the pump’s impeller blades, causing shock waves when they collapse. Over time, this can lead to pitting and erosion of the impeller blades, reducing the pump’s effectiveness.
Improper Coolant Mixture
Many water-pump failures are caused by factors other than a faulty pump. Using the wrong coolant mixture or water-to-coolant ratio can cause corrosion and deposits within the pump, reducing its efficiency and lifespan. Additionally, incorrect coolant types can chemically react with pump components, causing deterioration.
Bearing Failure
Bearings within the water pump allow the impeller to spin smoothly. Over time, these bearings can wear out or fail – often due to tension from a misaligned or overtightened belt – leading to noise, leaks or a seized pump.
Thermal Stress and Fatigue
Constant exposure to fluctuating temperatures can cause the metal components of the water pump to expand and contract, leading to stress fractures and eventual failure.
Leakage and Seal Failure
The water pump’s seals are prone to wear and degradation over time, leading to coolant leaks. Such leaks not only reduce the efficiency of the cooling system but also can cause overheating and further damage to the water pump and surrounding components.
Warning Signs
Recognizing the early signs of water-pump failure can prevent more significant engine damage. Here are some key indicators:
1. Coolant leak – One of the most straightforward signs is a coolant leak at the front of the vehicle, typically near the center. This can indicate a failed seal or gasket in the
water pump.
2. Overheating engine – If the water pump isn’t circulating coolant effectively, the engine temperature can rise, leading to overheating. Persistent overheating, especially under normal driving conditions, should prompt an inspection of the cooling system, including the water pump.
3. Strange noises – A failing water pump can produce a variety of noises, such as whining or grinding, often due to bearing failure or an impeller rubbing against the pump housing.
4. Steam from radiator – Seeing steam emanate from the radiator is a clear sign of overheating, which could be due to a malfunctioning water pump.
5. Corrosion and deposit build-up – Visible corrosion or significant scaling on the water pump or surrounding components can indicate a failing pump, often due to improper coolant use or leaks that allow air into the system.
While the service life of most OE water pumps should be 100,000 miles or longer, a cheap replacement pump might not make it 30,000 miles before it starts to leak. To keep your customers happy, it’s always a good idea to recommend a well-built, high-quality water pump from a trusted manufacturer. And when they’re replacing the water pump, you’ll want to check if they need any gaskets, hoses, coolant, belts or a thermostat.
Also, if your customer who just purchased a new aftermarket water pump from you doesn’t flush the system and use new coolant when they install the new pump, there’s a good chance you’ll be hearing from them sooner rather than later with a warranty return. You should encourage your customers to follow the vehicle’s recommended flush-and-fill schedule, and to always use the coolant specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Most coolant suppliers do not recommend intermixing different brands or types of coolant in the same cooling system, due to the risk of coolant-gelling, corrosion or abrasion of water-pump seals.
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By Alan
To Importers in the Global Tire Industry:
Please read this as it might inspire you. Many international friends have been perplexed about how to import tires manufactured in China and sell them in their home countries. China's tire industry has experienced rapid growth over the past decade, marking a period of significant dividends. Many early investments in large factories have yielded substantial returns. However, with an increasing number of factories and brands, the competition has intensified. For those who wish to enter this industry but are unsure about how to proceed, please follow my website. I will periodically update it with information about China's tire industry for your reference.
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By Counterman
Here’s the scenario: A customer comes into your store looking for an alternator for their vehicle. You look up the year, make and model and you see an application note on the screen. It tells you to ask the customer whether or not the vehicle is equipped with stop/start technology.
As with many of the technological advancements from the past decade or two, stop/start came about thanks to the need to meet ever-tightening emissions and fuel-economy standards. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, hybrid vehicles were on the rise. These vehicles could propel themselves purely on electric drive, then start the engine as needed
based on driving conditions and driver input.
The problem was that traditional starters weren’t up to the task. They cranked the engine over too slowly, and the process was rather jarring. So, reinforced starter motors and flexplates were designed to combat this issue.
Over time, automakers started to include stop/start systems in more and more vehicles. This is largely due to the fact that it was a simple way for OEMs to reduce carbon emissions from their entire lineup, and they receive certain incentives (or avoid costly penalties) for accomplishing this goal.
Engines today are far more fuel-efficient than those that came before them, but automakers still need to squeeze everything they can from every drop of fuel. Or, in this case, they’re trying to reduce how much fuel is wasted during everyday driving. In an urban environment, vehicles can end up sitting at idle up to 35% of the time. The energy from burning fuel at idle is wasted since the vehicle isn’t in motion, but the vehicle still is producing harmful emissions.
With the ability to stop and start the engine as needed, automakers are able to reduce the carbon footprint of their entire lineup. To you and me, it might not seem like much can be gained by stop/start technology. But, when you think about the number of vehicles on the road today, you can see the benefit a bit more clearly. It’s estimated that stop/start systems can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 10%, and maybe slightly more depending on conditions.
The engine stops whenever the vehicle comes to a stop, then restarts immediately as soon as the driver transitions from the brake pedal to the throttle. Most stop/start systems crank the engine over at a higher RPM when compared to the initial cranking speed. This helps to make the process less jarring and less noticeable to drivers and passengers alike.
Is a Stop/Start Alternator Different?
The short answer is yes, but how so varies from one automaker to the next. Many modern-day alternators will have some sort of integrated control module on board. However, a stop/start alternator may be responsible for starting the engine as well as recharging the battery. This unit is commonly referred to as a starter/alternator.
A starter-alternator is used by the PCM to crank the engine via the belt drive. The belt may contain more teeth (the belt may be wider) due to the load and stress applied while cranking. Starter-alternators boast faster engine startup than traditional starters, and they can do it without making as much noise or vibration. The traditional starter will crank the engine for the initial startup, then the starter/alternator will handle all of the restarts until the next driving cycle.
How long does a traditional alternator typically last? In most cases, one could expect an alternator to last for 90,000 to 120,000 miles, maybe more. A stop/start alternator should see a similar life expectancy. If the alternator fails within 10,000 to 20,000 miles, there might be another issue that’s causing the premature failure. This could include a bad battery; wiring issues (loose connections, corrosion, intermittent shorting, etc.); overload from non-factory electronics; and/or a faulty voltage regulator (though these days this is usually integrated into the alternator).
Tips and Tricks
Stop/start might not be very popular among consumers, but this technology has led to multiple innovations and changes across the industry. For example, electric air-conditioning compressors and water pumps have been developed so that they can operate while the engine is off.
So, what should you tell your customer if they’re replacing a stop/start alternator? Try to make sure they’re repairing the problem – not just a symptom – and sell them the complete repair. If their vehicle has a starter/alternator, they should be inspecting the condition of the entire belt drive. This includes the pulleys, the belt and especially the tensioner. If the belt isn’t tensioned properly, they could experience a number of symptoms, including noises, improper charging voltage, intermittent cranking issues and more.
Don’t forget about the battery and cables! Always replace the battery with one that’s comparable to the OE-specified unit. The main battery typically is either an absorbent glass mat (AGM) or an enhanced flooded battery (EFB). These batteries are more advanced, and better able to support the increased number of charging cycles and additional load placed on the system by the stop/start features. Clean all electrical connections and protect them if necessary to prevent future corrosion.
As always, it’s best practice to reference the OEM service information whenever servicing the alternator on a stop/start vehicle. Always respect the OEM’s recommendations when it comes to specific tooling, torque specifications and tightening sequences. Whenever possible, connect a scan tool to the vehicle and look for fault codes. A scan tool that’s capable of bi-directional communication might be required to reset the battery-recognition or battery-life monitor. CM
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