Expedition, Lincoln Navigator Fires ��

from October 2022 Southeast Edition

Repair Facilities��

“In fact, they’re becoming far more specific about what is a paint material, and creating invoices and documentation for that,” Ronak said. “They’re taking some of the things that used to be called materials, like panel bonding adhesive and seam sealers, and billing for those independently on a per-job, docu-

mented basis.”

He said “knowing your numbers” is even more crucial for shops in inflationary periods.

“Be able to break down how you look at your business, rather than just sales versus a pile of costs,” he recommended. “You need to truly understand job-costing. The transformative moment for most shops that I’ve worked with in all the years I’ve been doing this is when they understand job-costing and they stop doing the things that take money away. That’s typically all you need to do: Stop doing the stuff that costs you money, and start doing more of the things that make you money.”

Ewing, a performance group manager for BASF, said shops using the Mitchell Refinishing Materials Calculator, PMCLogic from Computer Logic or their paint scale to more accurately track and invoice for the actual materials used will see two otherwise identical jobs may have different paint costs just because of the color. Charging based on paint labor hours doesn’t take into account so many factors like that, he said.

“You may have a weak estimator who writes lower hours than should be expected for that repair, or may have missed something during the estimating process,” Ewing said. He said paint and materials documentation and invoicing will continue to become more detailed over the long term, just as estimates themselves were once as basic as “replace and paint fender for $xxx.”

Shorter-term, he said, shops need to work with the manufacturer of the paint they are spraying “to really understand how to be profitable with their products,” and then “learn how to document and communicate that” to whoever is paying the bill for repairs.

Tim Ronak of AkzoNobel said collision repairers really need to be on top of their numbers during inflationary periods

Addressing Costs with Insurers

An insurance company representative on the panel said, like shops, insurers are seeing their costs rise quickly. Dan Tessadri, auto physical damage business consultant for CSAA Insurance, said at least in some states, there can be a long lag time before insurers can reflect their higher costs in premiums.

In California—and some other states—insurers must get the premium increases approved in advance. Between the process of determining the increases needed and getting approval, he said, it can take up to two years to see the increase reflected in premiums.

“That’s a little different than what [a paint company CEO said in a news clip played at the meeting] where every quarter they look to adjust prices,” Tessadri said.

Tessadri was asked about shops’ approach in seeking rate increases.

“There is an incredible difference in the documentation, in the communication, in the overall sort of understanding of the impact inflation is having on their store,” Tessadri said.

The most effective way he sees for a shop to start that conversation?

“From my perspective, it’s understanding that you’re not operating in a vacuum. We’re not all in the same boat, but we’re in the same storm,” Tessadri said.

Work for some open discussion, he recommended.

“‘This is what I want, but this is what I could potentially live with,’” Tessadri suggested. “Those are the discussions that end up probably more successful. I’m a data guy. So I do sort of enjoy seeing [someone who has] gone to the length of crunching that information to explain it to me.”

Ford Blower Motor Recall Issued After 25 Expedition, Lincoln Navigator Fires

by David A. Wood, CarComplaints�com

A Ford blower motor recall involves more than 198,000 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs covering 2015-2017 model years. Following at least 25 fires, the Ford blower motor recall involves the front blower motor located behind the glovebox. Even though this is a blower motor recall and engineers have spent months investigating, Ford isn’t sure of the exact root cause of the fires.

“No cause of these vehicle fires has been identified to date; however, they are believed to originate in the blower motor which is located on the passenger side interior behind the glovebox,” Ford said. Of the 25 reported fires, 13 were localized fires in the blower motor area and the remaining 12 reports involved more extensive damage to the vehicles. There were also three instances of property damage to structures and one Ford fire that caused another vehicle to catch fire. The 12 reports of extensive fire damage made it difficult for engineers to know for a fact the fires came from the blower motors. According to Ford, all 25 fires occurred while the SUVs were running.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration informed Ford of five complaints about 2016-2017 Expeditions. Based on those five reports, there were two complaints about blower failures, two complaints alleged fires under the gloveboxes and one report of a melted harness to the blower controller. Of the five complaints to NHTSA, only one customer had also contacted Ford regarding their concerns.

Customers have reported various symptoms, including fans that failed, burning smells and smoke from the instrument panel vents while the vehicles were running.

Based on blower motor testing, the fires may be due to an internal short or localized heating of the brush springs or holders. Ford blower motor recall letters will be mailed Sept. 12, and Ford dealers will replace the front blower motor assemblies. Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator owners may call Ford at 866-4367332 and ask about blower motor recall number 22S56.