There are always recalls open on some of the cars we work on at the dealership. Some of them are for a large number of cars, like airbag recalls. Everybody in the shop ends up doing them at some point. Then you get the recall stragglers that come in years after the recall was started, so then it’s usually best to let one of the older techs handle the job instead of having a newer tech learn how to do it.

Then there’s the recalls on only a handful of vehicles. Usually this is when it’s a new model that either hasn’t been on the lot for long or isn’t a high volume seller. In those cases, it’s easiest for only one or two techs to do all of them, especially if it’s complicated and takes a little skill. I’m often the first to get new recalls, and it’s led to me being the go-to tech for a couple. One of them is on the new Honda Ridgelines but there are only 10 or 12 in our area, so I’m doing a couple each week, and I can now pull out all of the many tools I need beforehand because I know exactly what I’ll need. The only unfortunate thing is that I’m getting all this practice doing this exact recall but soon will do the last and will never see this specific job again.

New blog posts every Monday and Thursday, plus pictures throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Mechanical Malarkey stickers available for $5 anywhere in the US!

-Dan