2 minute read
Fires, Recall
again, to 2.3 hours per day in 2022. That’s a 34% decline.
There was even a bit steeper decline—about 38%—for nondrivable vehicles, down to 1.8 hours per day in 2022 from between 2.8 and 3 hours per day in 2017 through 2020.
Mazurek said some of that decline could be because of overloaded shops having to spend more time shuffling cars around, because of backlogs and part delays, rather than a technician working steadily on one or two cars start to finish. He doesn’t expect those factors to diminish before mid-2023 at the earliest.
Mazurek also said he has “a hypothesis that I can’t prove yet” that when shop backlogs of work were two weeks or less, “the competitive nature of technicians, working next to his or her peer, wants the next car,” seeing the potential end of the line of that work.
“But if you have five or six or seven weeks of vehicles stacked endlessly, it’s effectively guaranteed work forever,” Mazurek said. “So there’s no real rush. I’d love to be able to prove that, but I feel strongly that there’s this lack of urgency overall amongst technicians.” will take all of us to help train and keep the next generation of technicians— the future of our industry.”
With the great need for technicians, Shewbridge said most people don’t consider women when they think of the collision repair process.
“We need to change that,” she said. “If we truly want to bring new people into this industry, we need to start calling elementary and middle schools and asking them to participate in career days.”
She recommends shops get the word out early and often that the automotive industry is a great career.
“We need to encourage them earlier to look at a skilled trade as a viable career path where they can thrive and create a life they are proud of,” she added.
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Autobody News
By David A. Wood
CarComplaints.com
Ram transmission problems have caused a recall of more than 265,000 trucks following 16 reports of fires caused by leaking transmission fluid.
The recalled 2020-2023 Ram 2500 and 2020-2022 Ram 3500 trucks are equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines and 68RFE transmissions.
Fiat Chrysler says the transmission can have a problem with pressure and heat that builds up inside the 68RFE transmission, causing transmission fluid to leak from the dipstick tube.
The Ram truck fires occurred once transmission fluid leaked onto hot ignition sources in the engine compartments.
FCA opened an internal investigation in June due to a trend of engine compartment fires in 2020-2023 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks. Engineers checked witness statements, fire patterns and other information to confirm the fire trend.
Chrysler determined the affected Ram trucks were built between September 2019 and November 2022.
In addition to the 16 Ram truck fires, FCA has received several warranty claims and one report of a minor injury.
However, Chrysler asserts there are no reports of fatalities related to the transmission problems or fires.
Chrysler says the only prior warning of a problem a Ram owner may have is an illuminated warning light.
The Ram transmission fluid leak and fire recall also includes more than 17,000 trucks in Canada.
To date, Chrysler doesn’t know how dealers will repair the Ram transmission problems, but the automaker will mail Ram transmission fluid leak recall letters Dec. 30.
Ram truck owners with questions should call FCA at 800-853-1403 and ask about transmission fluid leak recall number ZA3.
