Nissan Dealer Quoted Over $2000 For A New Harness!! - The Real Problem

[@MusicandMachines]

The thing I like so much about this channel is not the car repair, it’s Mr. O teaching all of us how to think logically… and consistently embarrassing dealerships… and brake cleaner.

[@kg4gav]

100%. I work as a manager in a non automotive technical field. When making hiring decisions, about 95% of my decision is not based on experience or certifications in the field, it is about their ability to know how to logically troubleshoot problems. If they can do that, I can teach them the specialized parts of the job in a few weeks. If they cannot employ logic and deductive reasoning, they will never make it, no matter what degrees or letters they have behind their name.

[@dwighttrader5039]

@@kg4gav I have been a high school math teacher for 32 years. So many times I have told students its more than the math. The logical reasoning combined with persistence and tenacity to work through something you find difficult is huge. Teachers always get "When will I ever use this" and for many the math may never come up again but the reasoning and if I do this then this happens (or as Eric O said what is going to be my next step) is something everybody needs. I would like to use your statement with my classes...if I may.

[@Mike_Regan]

Yeah... I keep wishing I'd bought shares in Brake Cleaner companies years ago.

[@calholli]

wd40.. just ask Ivan

[@robertginther9248]

Eric's been lax on the brake cleaner stimulation lately. I need that to make my day as a 48 year grand master marine tech, retired. (I have 43 cases of brake clean still in my basement).

[@athenarocar]

The fact remains that the dealership was going to charge her to replace a harness and it would not have fixed the problem and she still would have to pay for the unnecessary repair to the harness and then to have the alternator replaced if they actually figured out it was the culprit. This lady was smart enough to say no. Thank you Eric for another good video

[@SophiaAphrodite]

Was she though? She ended up just buying another car instead.

[@silvac196]

@@SophiaAphrodite Im sure the only reason she bought the new car in the first place was mostly because she was tired and frustrated of being without a car and after multiple repairs and money she didn’t want to keep dumping money at the dealership where most of us including automotive techs like myself assume last resort the dealership to solve very complicated issues as they should know the insides and out of that specific manufacture but goes to show you its not always the manufactures fault even with their own training but the techs they have working who dont fully care or pay attention and want to throw parts at it to make as much money on the flat rate system

[@sectokia1909]

LOL, no. They would have replaced the alternator and pocketed the extra cash.

[@madds6678]

@@silvac196 absolutely agree being a tech @ a main dealer it’s the skill level & knowledge combined with bonus structures put in place that make the average tech take a punt & rely on codes to make a call on a repair, most times they get it right with a bit of common knowledge but it’s the tricky one’s that catch them out & the customer pays the price but equally they don’t as most just pay for an hours diagnostics & expect to fix it in that hour. If they really paid for the true time spent diagnosing it they’d refuse as happens often when we ask for additional time so off they go to an independent who’ll do the same & play parts darts then it’ll end up back at the dealership but they won’t complain about the independent that ripped them off but the fact that you didn’t diagnose it first time & they don’t expect this from a dealership & want it looked at for free or will complain to the manufacturer which inevitably ends up with muggings having to fix it for nothing. That’s something that’s never talked about here as people don’t see that.

[@ericbrainard4072]

Most people assume that a Nissan dealer would be the most knowledgeable about the Nissans. This shows that it’s not the case sometimes.

[@geoblanco5126]

That's the difference between a part changer and a technician Wish the auto repair industry had more people like you

[@imtheeastgermanguy5431]

I have to say that often just the parts are broken and you have to replace it. Only the weird cases are really for checking the car. I done this and it's only possible if you have the right tools and the right information for the job. Working/checking into the blue doesn't help you and I had to work like this because my boss don't want to invest in information or diagnosis stuff. Also it's often a electrical issue like corrosion or so and there are actually a simple way to figure everything out and it's shown in these videos here👌😎

[@tjroelsma]

@@imtheeastgermanguy5431 I agree and the second thing to consider is that the computers the dealerships are using are probably biased to diagnose towards just swapping parts. Remember that a lot of problems are still under warranty and therefore have to be solved as quickly as possible, because time spent is money lost. A more comprehensive diagnosis therefore is not something most dealerships will do.

[@imtheeastgermanguy5431]

@@tjroelsma maybe

[@cwwiss1]

This video is evidence that the dealership was incompetent they simply didn't do the job they over charge for. Any lawyer would fight this case on a win only basis because it's a slam dunk. Dealerships need to improve their performance and if nobody complains that won't happen.

[@MikeTerry1969]

Eric is the perfect age, old enough to remember the strictly mechanical fixes, as well as young enough to be able to work the diagnostic technology gadgets.

[@StanleyKubick1]

We should all be so lucky as to meet a mechanic like you. Imagine how the profession would be regarded if that were the case

[@TheRealXandes]

i wish we had one in every town and city

[@JohnDiMartino]

Truth buy honestly there are a lot just like him, my brother runs his shop the same way. He’s super knowledgeable and stays up on new equipment and maintains a modern shop . Like Eric his customers often pay him to repairs trucks under warranty because the dealer either hasn’t fixed it right it it takes over a month to get it looked it.

[@Frank_Nemo]

We should all be so lucky as to find a main dealership in the history of mankind who has ever admitted that they were wrong and refunded the customer with an apology. Never heard of it yet, but I'm sure Nissan will....

[@TheBigTizzie]

My local is a great one also!

[@FleaMarketJohn]

💯⭐⭐

[@davidstagg947]

I seriously think the dealership should give this lady her money back in full. And by the way you are an excellent tech and will be watching your videos constantly.

[@wendwllhickey6426]

Dealership only throw parts can't take time to troubleshoot,and push it out get paid on to the next 😂

[@wiuser1745]

As a business owner myself, if we make a mistake it's on us. She should absolutely get her money back because she didn't get what she paid for. You're the best Eric! 👍👍

[@flagmichael]

Never owned a business, but I worked for a couple of small businesses as a tech. Businesses, unless they are huge, cannot afford to have honest customers pay full price for fruitless work. That results in fewer customers - people talk with other people. In ordinary bills we wrote off the fruitless labor; in larger ones we split it 50/50. Word gets around.

[@PragmaticPragmatic]

She should get her money back, however if they stonewall her write off the loss. Life is too short to stay angry at something you can't change. Lesson learned stay away from the Nissan dealer.

[@dodgeplow]

@@PragmaticPragmatic She should not write it off. It's a big ticket item. She should take them to small claims court.

[@saintmichael2931]

@@dodgeplow Lillee from the Munsters would immediately report this to the Better Business Bureau!!

[@wiuser1745]

@@PragmaticPragmatic the problem is that we all all pay in the long run. Big Corps never lose which is why they need to be held to a high (expected) standard.

[@gnelson219]

She should get back all the labor costs for sure. The Parts, after all, are new they are put in but labor when not needed is wrong simply wrong. Good Job Eric as always!

[@edman1015]

I hate to say it, but good luck with her getting her money back from the dealership - sad.

[@jeffblalock6326]

parts were unnecessary as well. The dealer shouldn't be allowed to make money on parts that are a guess and unnecessary. She should be refunded 100%

[@imnotabotrlyimnot]

@@jeffblalock6326 Right, she should have her old and good parts put back in, not at her expense, of course. The shop just has to keep the new/used parts and hope to sell them in the future at a discount after disclosing the situation to the future customer. They must agree, of course.

[@sintacharming2772]

Dealership is afraid to set a precedent for every time they are wrong. Most of the time😂

[@2nickles647]

It's not the dealers fault. It's the fault of the so called Tech. Who didn't diagnosis the problem. Now that's why I don't take my vehicles to dealers to the So called Techs. It's a an over used term calling them Techs. Seems the majority of previous auto mechanics are now called Techs. indeed there are true Techs such as MR. O

[@robertlacob8831]

As an owner of lots of NISSANS and a prior CHRYSLER Tech, I feel for them as they really need more training in electronics. It seems like the KIA and Nissan were not that complicated as we saw. We were always taught at all the ZONE schools to always look for the simple problems first, as most of the time that was the fix. Electronics and wiring were always to follow thru diagnostics. Great job proving again my instructors were right again! You ARE a true Technician!

[@mrblonde2013]

Dealer techs are many times hampered by insufficient training and many are on flat rate , which means they dont get paid to diagnose cars. It's easier to guess and hang parts. In fact it's not so much the tech's fault as much as it is the business model he's working in. This probably explains what happened to this owner. Thank god for guys like Eric for showing us how it's supposed to be done.

[@NBSV1]

Part of the problem too is they keep reducing the times for flat rate repairs. Used to be if someone was really good they could actually get well ahead on easy jobs, then a hard job wouldn’t hurt so bad. And, working at a dealership you tend to see similar problems over and over so learning from a hard job can make it better the next time. But, with the repair times getting shorter it’s more of a constant struggle to stay even. So, people tend to stick with what they know or else just guess and try to turn it quick as possible.

[@madds6678]

@@NBSV1 absolutely spot on, coupled to the fact you on the clock & monitored on efficiency if your a good tech you’ll end up with the tricky stuff which you don’t make bonus on the warranty department will want to cut your hours the boss will call you in as your hours are down threaten you with the sack, meanwhile all the average joe’s play dumb smash out services get handsomely rewarded for it the bosses think the sun shines out their backside yet they can’t diagnose jack shit. The motor trade is the only trade I know where the better skilled your are the less you get rewarded. I’ve seen so many good tech’s leave to be replaced by another spanner monkey & so the downward spiral continues here in the uk you cannot get skilled diagnostic techs there’s a real skill shortage or even half decent ones the kids today aren’t interested & certainly don’t wanna get their fingernails dirty.

[@garybrown5500]

@@madds6678 100% agree. I got out of the dealer rat race 12 years ago and started up independant. Just couldn't keep working to their system, watching other techs getting fed with bonus jobs while the diligent man got all the agro & no reward.

[@sam05max1]

Nissan doesn't pay for diagnosis unless it's associated with a service engine light fault. The shortage of "A" technicians has caused many dealers to move up their inexperienced lube techs to cover.

[@jim_cathymcclendon6091]

Yes,but the customer gets the screwing,this is why people don’t trust anyone!

[@kennysullivan721]

I can't believe dealership get away with charging the customer when they failed to fix the car I work at an independent and if we can't figure it out there's no charge simple as that

[@splatmanhooha4264]

True, how could they even think of charging her when they haven't fixed the issue; I think the 'you need a new harness' line is just so they can charge for the 'repair' and get out of a refund by saying that she refused to have the repair done that would have 'solved' the issue. I doubt that the lady will get a refund unless she goes in gung-ho!

[@paulvillere2321]

I own and operate an independent repair shop and the most I have ever charged a customer for an extensive diagnosis that I couldn’t fix was $60, and that is only because the customer demanded to pay something for my time. If we charged like the dealer I would never have repeat customers.

[@garybulwinkle82]

@@splatmanhooha4264 Yeah, she's going to have to take them to small claims!! Probably the worst examples of having to pay without a good outcome are doctors and lawyers!!

[@tbelding]

@@paulvillere2321 - I've done the same thing. I've spent an hour or two trying to repair a computer system, to finally say "I can't really do anything. It's just old." When they ask "what do I owe you?" I usually say something like "ten bucks for gas. I couldn't fix your problem." If they weren't out of the way, "nothing".

[@bikeman1x11]

she needs to dispute credit card charge or small claims-

[@nschaad1982]

You are a true craftsman! I’m 20 years into this both dealer and independent shops. It’s unfortunately rare to find a tech who will spend the time to make proper diagnosis and repair and not just load the parts cannon. I appreciate your thought process and have used the same type of linear thinking to make difficult things work smoothly. Keep up the good work!

[@attiumeyami417]

when u work flat rate and the shop either refuses to give u diag time or dealership has u do warranty that pays absolute shit, the parts cannon becomes a little too tempting. thats why I quit and work on my own cars now. now we can spend time on proper diag. sad but its the truth

[@scannerlanier471]

@@attiumeyami417 Truer words have never been spoken. You're under the gun to get the job done, load the parts cannon. Glad you got on your own.

[@TRKGL1800]

"word of mouth advertising is something you can't buy. " And a bad report goes a longer distance than good ones unfortunately. as a business owner of 26 years, I found this to be very true. The Nissan dealership should not only refund but pay for the repair. It would be the cheapest thing they could do in the long run. Tim in Kentucky

[@jameskim62]

AMEN to IT..... I WOULD....

[@joe1273]

They should refund but not pay for repair

[@steveb6103]

Back in school we were told that one bad report will cost a company 12 customers. While a good one will bring in 3 new customers.

[@SurferJoe46]

You've gotta remember ... the "profit" from a vehicle sale goes to the salesmen and floor manager, store owner and the TV-Radio-Newsprint advertising..... and the namesake franchise ....... The service department pays for the lights, the insurance, the mechanics and their swappers, the lot boys and loaner cars, rags, the compressor, glue, solvents, TBA, the roll up doors and the hot-n-cold running sexataries on the second floor.

[@aljohnson125]

Agreed 200%

[@vehcor]

I believe you Eric, even if you deleted the proof. lol The change in voltage and duty cycle redeemed you as well!

[@user-ix2vy8qd9g]

..

[@melvingibson4525]

In the pile!

[@dave_n8pu]

Yeah, that Nissan Dealership, in the pile, but before that refund the lady's money.

[@icuranis4597]

Yeah, what Scott said lol

[@michaelhartloff3833]

Wassup Scott

[@legomax382]

Hey Eric, I am an aspiring technician who stumbled upon your channel. The amount of depth you go into diagnosing it tickles my brain enough to inspire me for a good while.

[@RHD360]

Lead tech estimate strategy was to hopefully run the customer off with a scary dollar amount. Likely because he feared getting it wrong and endless comebacks.

[@purplehaze8557]

Happened to me recently...

[@misterhat5823]

Yep. There's also the "You need a new engine." to get rid of someone.

[@markusgarvey]

They would have replaced the harness, discovered the problem was still there, replaced the alt. and say the harness issue cause the alt. to go bad. She will probably have to sue to get a refund, but she has proof right here at SMA KZbin page...

[@cward1954]

Well, either fear of endless comebacks, or maybe they were hoping she would fall for it. And some do fall for it. And then the customer ends up parking the car or selling it for cheap rather than pay a fortune for a repair. Dealers LOVE trade-ins and cheap cars these days.

[@ianberger4899]

I’m thinking 80% of the garages wouldn’t have caught this in the 1st go. Many techs lack at diagnostics skills especially rogue problems like this. Your knowledge of wiring and diagnostic skills are exceptional! I wished there was more techs out there with a brain like yours. Too many part swappers.

[@dlewis9760]

If you fix Nissan's all day, you should get a feel for what makes sense or not. I doubt this is a unicorn in NissanLand that hasn't happened before.

[@Jack-jl2vf]

@@dlewis9760 Exactly so and with electrical going crazy all over the place its only reasonable to suspect a faulty alternator.

[@nebraskafarmer9015]

There is a good chance the techs didn't even take it out for a drive. They just put it on the computer then guessed.

[@Lancemechanics]

1st go yes. but if the garage has a good owner who's not trying to pump out work and let there techs learn. it may take days. they may not make money but eventually they can figure it out. given enough time a tech can figure out anything. But in the real world garages do not allow this.

[@lupavo1738]

This was most likely the fix recommended from tech line to decide to replace the wiring harnesses, the tech line usually gives some screwed up diags and fixes, I've witnessed this many times first hand. The lead tech/shop forman should've honestly known better.

[@philheese1728]

I also think the dealership should give her a refund, but I’m sure she’ll never get an apology. I am in awe of your electrical troubleshooting and the knowledge you have of these systems. The last comment is about the “smirk” you mentioned, which as a kid I would be innocent of something but had that smirk (even to this day). Love the channel.

[@johnpapp92]

I've always felt that when you pay a dealership based on their "diagnosis" and they were wrong, they should give you your money back.

[@glenjamindle]

Shouldn't that also apply to parts changing mechanics when the new part doesn't fix the issue because they're guessing??

[@johnpapp92]

@@glenjamindle absolutely!

[@bradleycass11]

That should apply to the medical field too.

[@SurferJoe46]

Yup ... doctors bury their mistakes ... ours come back on tow trucks

[@stevejohnson1397]

How about when you go to doctor and they mis diagnosis?

[@NightPlayer1976]

NY is lucky to have someone like you who can diagnose data and make an informed repair. Wish we had more like you Eric!

[@drozcompany4132]

Just an FYI on Nissans the battery light will come on if the Voltage goes too high, somewhere in the 16 V range. Not sure if all OEMs do this. Just because the light was flickering doesn't mean it's not charging. It could also be too high, so based on the first video when you saw that light flickering, you could narrow it down to charging system problems at that point. Good episode!

[@georgewoody4177]

Having my own issues with local Nissan service department, I'm all for her getting a refund. Wish we had an actual problem solving mechanic around here. Great job, love the channel!

[@LynxStarAuto]

All the good techs left Nissan decades ago. Place is a shit show these days.

[@thomasmaloney2865]

Eric O. You seem to always demonstrate consistency in your diagnostic processes and overall work ethic. The other thing you demonstrate is that you're consistently an overall good guy that looks out for your customers. Keep it up, you're one of a kind sir.

[@hankhamelin329]

You've been told this many times before but I'll say it again. You are an awesome tech. Not too many people like you anymore. Most people who call themselves techs today are nothing but "tech tip techs" They see lots of repetitive problems and the times when it's not something common they refer to a "tech tip" If all else fails they guess and end up throwing parts at the problem. Your customers are truly lucky to have you there. Here's wishing you many more years of good health, success and hopefully when the time comes, a prosperous retirement.

[@williamdyckman9704]

Eric, she deserves her money back from Nissan, and great fix from you. You are a great diagnostic mechanic and a natural teacher. Thanks !

[@brentlowe5196]

Hey Eric, I just love watching you go through the electronic troubleshooting the way you do. As for the poor woman I think the Stealership should give her a refund. Heck she even has written proof of not one but two misdiagnosis. Keep up the good work. God Bless you and Your family.

[@bradtownsend1457]

Dealers there are a Lot that are Not trustworthy .

[@farmgene]

This channel is a selfless service to humanity. Thank you!

[@wallingj68]

Another excellent diag Eric. I work in IT, but I find your thought processes and methods invaluable as I troubleshoot our systems here.

[@LrdnBeast]

As a retired E.T. and network infrastructure tech. I find that Eric is a outstanding electrical technician. As well as a thorough mechanic. Impressive.

[@73sdawson]

Yeah, sys engineer here. You gotta love issues when troubleshooting results point in seemingly opposite directions. The work these guys do on electrical/software issues is so very similar. Sometimes drilling down to where the actual problem is is almost impossible because vendor coding is a black box. You can only see what goes in and what comes out.

[@TIREDOFEVIL]

Eric, glad I had a great mentor and teacher when I first stated being a mechanic back in the early 80's. He let me make the mistakes as long as it did not hurt the customers vehicle, and yes in my now senior years have continued to teach the younger generation if they are willing to learn that there is more to it than looking at the damn scanner diagnostic's being the end all to the problem. My time will end some day and I hope that they will continue to do the same. Your ability to use common sense and knowledge in correcting problems is what is lacking with our younger generations, keep up the great work and continue with putting out the videos brother.

[@adamdavies163]

From the other comments on here, it strikes me that this is a relatively common failure mode that a main dealer, that works on these and similar vehicles all the time, should be aware of.

[@3mtech]

I had a maxima and like most performance enhanced cars many issues will put it in limp mode

[@porkchop4604]

Great diag eric! Amazing how many dealers are just volume money making machines. It's a shame a lot of dealer service is poor to put it nicely

[@kevincampbell3173]

These are my favorite videos! its sad to see that a "certified" mechanic of a Nissan dealer cant troubleshoot a bad alternator, unload the parts cannon and just get paid by a poor customer to learn on the job what the problem isn't!

[@jimahlgren6177]

Mechanics used to take cars for a ride. Back in Northern MN that is how it worked. They don't seem to do this any more as it takes time and time is $$$. Mr.O cares. I love it.

[@red95gts]

The fact that the dealer had it for 6 months and their only suggestion was to replace the harness is inexcusable. My mother had a 2000 Maxima and went through the same thing with the Nissan dealer. They quoted a harness at $1300 at the time. After installation of the harness, they called back to say “oh, it also needs a mass air meter”, which I suspect was the original problem. 😡

[@rickc2078]

I know a woman that was charged over $200 by a Nissan dealership to screw on a Murano door handle that she supplied.

[@surewhynot6259]

They're real quick to scrap the harness, huh?

[@rtunison7]

My mother-in-law lost the keys to her Altima. She took it to Nissan for new keys where they "bricked" one of the modules ($900) . She shouldn't have had to pay for the tech's mistake, but she did. Nissan customer service was no help, either.

[@murphymmc]

No trust issues with you, Eric. Serious trust issues with the dealer techs. I've never seen a dealer send a refund for misdiagnosing, nor have I seen them offer to make up the the error with "free" shop time to get it right. They're like doctors in that respect. Their motto appears to be, " We'll get it right no matter how much it cost you."

[@ohger1]

Good catch. I still think that the troubles often appearing while making a turn both at your garage and the Nissan dealer were the result of EPAS steering gear. Those things draw 50 amps at times during a turn maneuver, and maybe a wee bit more.

[@SaltyTubers]

I've got a fair bit of diagnostic experience in my 30+ years of working and still find myself guiding the diagnosis instead of looking at the data. Mr. O your level head really is the key here, thanks for the follow up! BTW, if the Nissan knowledge base is a bit off, perhaps the training is the same? Meaning maybe the techs missed it because their information is bad. The magic of being an independent is that you get to look at all the info.

[@stephenkamin1345]

And as an independent your not lead by book time, or a manager telling you not to spend to much time on it.

[@mauswara]

And sometimes gaining relevant info from working on more than just one make ALL the time.

[@markusgarvey]

They rely on their diagnostic tools, and just replace parts until they fix it. No diagnostic abilities like us old schoolers. And they now are using proprietary hardware and software to kill off small repair businesses. They wont even sell the tools to you. Look at John Deere and Apple Computer.. John Deere makes more money in repair than they do in sales! Apple just wants to sell you another device instead of repair because you are tethered to their tech. Shame on their blatant greed.

[@jamesdigiacomo7441]

I've had bad experiences with dealers and have found them to be liars, thieves and ripoff artists.

[@Fix_It_Again_Tony]

They have earned their label as "stealerships".

[@npolite22]

The techs are inexperienced and are in a rush to meet a daily quota. No way i would ever work like that but most leave and get their own shop down the line.

[@tbelding]

It's not limited to Dealerships. Lots of shops have poor reputations, or are 'wham bam get it out of here give us a check'.

[@robstrother6067]

Your a true technician. The Nissan dealer should give her her money back with an apology. Thanks for the insight into how you troubleshoot

[@Kevin-zo6nz]

Man I would quit working on ALL 5 of my cars tomorrow if I knew there was a mechanic like you in town. Id pay $150 / hour all day for diag

[@jefferp]

I found a shop only 2 miles from home with techs with diag skills. They’ll be getting my business from now on.

[@Terrackhimself]

Exactly, I got no problem paying for the diag,,, if it is right. If it is not 100% mechanical in nature and dreadfully obvious, I've noticed a lot of mechanics today are just shooting repairs at it until it is fixed.

[@Kevin-zo6nz]

@@Terrackhimself The parts cannon as Eric calls it lol. The hard part is how do you find that mechanic?

[@Terrackhimself]

@@Kevin-zo6nz You dont. You find out the hard way the first time a repair is needed that is not brakes, exhaust, or obvious AF. I went to a mechanic for nearly 20 years, and he screwed me hard over a repair. I knew the timing belt has slipped, so they did that repair, but then I had the check engine light on (never on before), it was stalling. I give it back, they "fix it" charge me another 300 dollars. I get it back,, still check engine and stalling. I look up the code, tell them it is specifically heat sensor out of range,,, mech tells me that it is fuel pump. At this point, I pop the hood, pull off the connector to the thermostat sensor, reconnect, boom problem solved. No check engine, no stalling. I'm disabled, and I cannot work on cars anymore, but this was the last straw with a mechanic I trusted.

[@joecoyne5660]

$150 /hour would be a bargain, my local Chevy dealer charged me $225 /hour for 4 1/2 hours to chase down a shorted wire causing a fault to be set with the electronic power steering on my son's 2616 Colorado that was 3 weeks out of 36 month warranty with only 33k miles on the truck. My next new car will be with a new dealer.

[@unclebilly4696]

Excellent diagnosis, Eric. I appreciate your systematic and methodical approach to troubleshooting. BTW, the dealership should definitely refund the lady.

[@stevepollock5729]

I believe we had the same person running kia dealers in Florida. I always took pride in finding the right fix. Sometimes it's right in front of your face. Simple diagnosis. You do good work brother. That's why I watch you

[@ricknash3055]

A wonky regulator inside the alternator can definitely cause plenty of weird errors. The Nissan repair shop should be well versed in how their electrical charging system works and with a proper diagnostic tool, should have identified the weird voltage being output. I'm quite surprised the excessive high D.C. voltage didn't blow up the electronics. There must be quite a high tolerance range in automotive devices to withstand the peak voltages. Great troubleshooting and a good call on replacing the alternator. I do wish you could have shared the swap out of the alternator. As a non-mechanic, those are the steps that caused me to avoid repairing my vehicle, how to pull out the alternator without having to pull half the engine apart.

[@Tyler-dn8wn]

Really appreciate independent repair folks like you. Doing things like this and enjoying the work is what brings customers back.

[@tomhandzik2968]

I’m recently retired gm master tech with 50 years experience!!! REALLY enjoy following you through your diagnosis!! Spot on!! Notice many young technicians over complicate trouble tree diagnosis especially on readings of 20 mv drops etc. have to understand how little that really is. Like your stated in video. Voltage going thru fuse with cause drop. I respect your simple approach and thinking about how things can be related!! Very much how I survived 50 years!!!!! Great job!!!!

[@cmc7106]

There should be more people in the world like you Mr O . Honest Man !!

[@danfarris135]

I have known and worked with many mechanics over the last 40 years and all I can say is you are at the top of your game. Even this old dog has learned a new trick or two from you. Methodical step by step works wonders.

[@randalbloomquist7812]

Good job! Not a auto mechanic here but I have worked on my own vehicle's for almost 50 years. As soon as I saw that 17+ volt output from the alternator I was thinking voltage regulation problem. Aren't most 12v charging systems limited to a maximum of about 14.8 volts output? An original high mileage alternator with excessive voltage output and no duty cycle, bullseye! I would also bet that the drive belt squeal was at least partially caused by the excessive load on the alternator making 17+ volts. Again good job!

[@wyattoneable]

Very well explained and yes, she should ask for her money back for a "misdiagnosis". Although when I have tried that in the past I got the "Deer in the headlights look".

[@glenmeyer5079]

Amazing what experienced diagnosis can do. Great Job Eric. My mechanic said stay away from Nissans, especially CVT cars. Keep up the great videos.

[@dalenester4112]

You are an electrical God !!! I ran a shop for 33 years and figured out a lot of electrical problems. I am impressed with your talent.

[@12lovenos12]

Good one! Helps to see your process play out each time- I’m a mobile mechanic and this stuff helps me tremendously!

[@tim6991]

No trust issues here Mr. O! You go through things methodically and explain your train of thought and reason for your conclusions. Good stuff!

[@adamUDavies]

If only we could have a government that could think as well as Mr "O" and fix problems as they occur 🤔🤦🏼‍♂️ Always enjoy watching and learning something new from Mr "O "and his wonderful channel 👍

[@DIYDaveOK]

Eric, if you told us the car needed blinker fluid, I think most of us would believe you. No trust issues here 😁. Thanks for a great diagnostic, as always!

[@boomer9900]

My wife and I went car shopping in 2015. We test drove many vehicles from many manufacturers, however when we arrived at the Nissan dealer, they would not even let us test drive any of their cars. I couldn't believe it honestly. Right then and there I said no to owning any Nissan product ever.

[@markh.6687]

Dealer: "You can buy one, but not test drive it." Buyer: "Excuse me?" Dealer: "We don't allow people to test drive the cars; it's too expensive." Buyer: "So you want me to buy a car without test-driving it, correct?" Dealer: "Yes." Buyer: "See you later."

[@misterhat5823]

Weird... Last time I looked at cars, the Ford salesman come running down over the hill with keys to every car I had even glanced at. He sold a car too.

[@dlewis9760]

Years ago, many many years ago, I went to a Honda dealer. "Here's the keys, take it for a spin as long as you like." You coming with me? "Nah, you plan on stealing the car?". I bought the Honda.

[@SophiaAphrodite]

There is more to this story. Someone not have a Drivers license or proof of insurance? That will get a hard no.

[@_zigzak]

Reminds me when I went to test drive a golf gti at the dealer and the salesman said “no test drives on these.” (On a 200hp fwd car.?)

[@christianheidt5733]

Absolutely she should be refunded!!! Great job as always!!!

[@bigmike1161]

I wish you were closer. Love watching your videos so I can learn more. I Started a small car lot last year and I run across all kinds of crazy issues. Your videos have helped me through a ton of them. Love watching you embarrass the "elite" mechanics at the big dealers. Keep up the good work. Your customers are lucky

[@matthyde140]

Another awesome diagnosis and repair! I was in a similar situation recently, just backwards. Local shop replaced parts due to original misdiagnosis and never were able to make the correct diagnosis after 4 weeks of screwing around. A short look by an experienced dealer tech and I had a new engine coming under an extended warranty I didn’t know I had. Knowledge is key!!

[@gerardoguzman5083]

Honest Technicians like you, are slowly disappearing in this world. Thanks for a very good tutorial

[@jefferp]

The Nissan place gave her a blow out quote knowing she wouldn’t go for it. That got them rid of the car they didn’t know how to fix. If she had, $2k later, the car would still be broke.

[@wayned1807]

I think the blow out quote was to get her to buy a new car from them and she did. At least she didn't trade in the car and get taken again. Keeping her car and getting it fixed elsewhere was the smart play.

[@D3thM3tal]

EPIC diagnosis but funny that the parts cannon would have solved this a bit faster. The batt light coming on and other sensors going wacky led me to immediately think batt/alternator. Hopefully the overcharge didn't cook the battery, then forcing the alt to work and creating this cycle again. I would go after that dealership, they are supposed to be the experts.

[@russellhltn1396]

I wasn't too sure about the alternator, but I was pretty sure about tackling the power issue. Computers HATE bad power.

[@cotyluckett]

As a young tech down here in GA, I wish you could give me all your electrical knowledge and tricks, and just JAM them straight into my head! God bless you brother I learn so much from you!

[@flagmichael]

I feel your frustration: I absolutely HATE doing "fixes" based on best guesses on things that are seriously intermittent. You never ever know whether you fixed it unless it acts up again. It is even worse when the likely cause is expensive. At least it has a new alternator (OEM, I bet) but we know what NEW stands for. Still, I think you got it because of the more steady indications with the new unit.

[@etwaroojai382]

Wow! I am really impressed how you did all those test and the patience and skill you emphasized to fix that vehicle , and yes the dealer should returned the customer money ,because the dealer did not fix the problem . A job well done. Keep up the good work .

[@johnpratt9429]

EVERY town needs a shop like yours😊. People are constantly getting ripped off by dealerships

[@jamesm.8392]

*No Excuse* Some towns have local tv news segments that air comsumer rip-off complaints. Use them . . .

[@achillies40]

They should give her at least part of her money back. I would give her all her money back and a written apology. I would also be asking the service guys WHY they failed to diagnose the issue correctly when they are the Nissan Dealers. There is no excise for that.

[@stationaryenginesworldwide]

Eric your the Top Gun in the diagnostic world!! well done my friend

[@chrisgabin3783]

I don't know how this guy doesn't have more viewers subscribed. He is a dying breed of real mechanics.

[@3mtech]

How long did it really take and cost?

[@davedeatherage4902]

I've been following these two videos, great work! I'm ashamed of the LEAD TECH at Nissan stealership ,confirming an already bad diagnosis, and prognosis of more money down the drain. I strongly dislike Nissan because of their lousy CVT transmissions, in which Nissan does not want to remedy. Maybe you could help the lady by giving her a letter of confirmation what your diagnosis and prognosis was in the fix and she can get her money back that was literally a Christmas present to the steelership? You're a good 👍🏻 man!👍

[@steverogers2551]

Total refund and apology with free oil changes and inspections for life of the car! I recently retired after 31 years as a technician at a local Ford dealer here in Buffalo and that what we would have done. Dealer service tech are supposed to be the cream of the crop but as we saw here that’s not the case. Independent shops almost always get a bad rap but as with you Eric that simply isn’t the case! Keep up with the great videos! What would the dealer have done if she bought that harness and it still wasn’t fixed !!!

[@markh.6687]

I wouldn't let that dealership service department TOUCH my vehicle ever again after this fiasco.

[@chulito240]

Had a Mazda like that. Dealer: 8k for harness and pcm. Me: found a shorted transistor in the anti-theft module PCB on a 12v sense circuit. Replaced transistor, resolved. Actually took the PCB home to backtrace the short while enjoying some brews. Understanding automotive electronics has brought me to understanding circuit boards, household a/c, electrical, hydraulics, pneumatics, computers, etc. I just do diagnostics now and days. Good videos, keep it up.

[@bones007able]

Dealerships will never give a tech the kind of time you took on a diagnosis ... there lies the problem with a dealership... they make $$$$$ changing parts ... not diags.....

[@michaelherbert8213]

You're right. I can tell that you have experience by your comment. Not just "KZbin" experience lol. I've worked in shops that would give the tech time to diagnose accurately and I've worked in one's that don't.

[@chrisE815]

So does Eric but he has integrity and has put himself in a position where if he makes a mistake he will take responsibility for it.

[@lupavo1738]

That's because the "flat rate" pay scale puts a strain on techs to be fast and efficient. If dealers want good techs, especially ones good at diags, they need to rid of flat rate, as that's an outdated pay scale anyways.

[@ramblin660]

Nice job! I've been on the receiving end of a high dollar bad diagnosis before, that the out of town Chrysler dealership wouldn't take responsibility for (was on vacation) and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Had to have it towed back to our local dealership who made the correct repairs.

[@travisloftin169]

Great job, nothing better than a mechanic who knows how to diagnose today's modern cars electronic systems.

[@stephenbay9564]

Outstanding two part video set. Very impressed with your approach to this. These (the other guy couldn't do it) ones are usually more interesting to watch because one learns how the other guy went into a rabbit hole, and your approach by-passed that, and took us to home base. Thanks Eric!

[@dougrobins8291]

This is like taking a freshly baked bread from the oven and you don't have any butter! Please tell us the response from the Nissan dealer.

[@balloney2175]

I had a problem with my Honda Civic 97 2Door Coupe with 286,000 miles in it, almost a month figuring out what P1289, P0353, and P0141 make the engine light on. I keep making research and luckily I read that it might be a blown up fuse. And it is actually the problem. So I replaced that fuse and viola! No more engine light. By watching this I got reminded of this b/c you keep mentioning about the alternator overcharging incident if I am not mistaken.

[@nissanv6TT]

Love your videos. Long time viewer rarely comment. I actually am a diagnostic technician at a manufacturing plant and using some of your methodology makes me look good. I'm "the guy" here and couldn't have done it without your videos.

[@yachtsteve]

Wow, bonus footage! I did not see that coming. You always deliver. Thanks again for the great troubleshooting video

[@TrevorHammond-pr7yt]

Thanks again Eric, wish all technicians were as conscientious as you, you care.

[@tomlewis3658]

Thanks for taking us along for the ride, with a 2-part case study, like a certain mobile tech in State College, PA often does. Does the Nissan charging strategy, which is intended to save fuel, make it more difficult to make the call? If so, that is a real downside to using that strategy. Now, here's hoping that another Nissan with a similar issue comes in, and that would be a payback for the personal time you had to spend researching the theory & operation of this. And was the Napa alternator new or reman? My guess is that with this being so complicated to diagnose, you would go with a new one, and not want to inject another variable into the mix (if reman, is it a good one?).

[@The_Redkween]

I love Ivan, too!

[@samueljames9342]

That sucks, a $2000 repair bill that wouldn't even take care of the issue. I wonder if the dealer would eat that cost when they realized it was misdiagnosed

[@MrTonyPiscatelle]

Of course not

[@randy9886]

Really, they would have said it was multiple problems including the harness and the alt once the real issue was determined. And you would never know.

[@MrCPPG]

I doubt it. The mechanic was probably pressured into upselling the "fix" especially given that the customer was female. It is astonishing how much unneeded repairs the stealership sells.

[@TheOtherBill]

They didn't eat the first thou they charged her for not fixing it. At least, not yet. I hope this vid makes them famous if they don't.

[@wayned1807]

Isn't that why they make you sign papers that you agree to the quote before they do the work.

[@MasterAutomotiveTraining]

Amazing video! From research, testing and repair! One of our students works at the dealership, they are told to retrieve codes, visit parts counter and swap code listed part. If that doesn’t work ask foreman or call engineering. Dealer states time is money 😬😬 Test not guess is the only way!

[@kristinconverse2856]

Love this channel, and all your knowledge! You are doing great things and helping the rest of us think more logically about how to diagnose some of our own car problems!

[@RipCityBassWorks]

Wait, the dealership wanted to "fix" a bad alternator with a new wiring harness? That's scam level at that point.

[@SophiaAphrodite]

It is lack of willingness to do this kind of testing.

[@davidwood7170]

Not a SCAM, Just incompetent techs, and training.

[@AmKoz]

@@davidwood7170 …so a “Legal scam?”

[@ivanolsen7966]

I think they had no idea ... and just made up an expensive repair she would refuse .... to GET RID OF HER

[@rmp608]

or they may charge her 2000 for harness...and also put in new alternator!!

[@oldgeordiegeezer3086]

Great repair - shows there's no substitute for experience! I bought a used Golf GTi - took it for it's first service and they quoted for a load of stuff they said was needed - new battery, door locks, ignition lock - huge list of stuff because of the codes that were thrown up. Called a bud who worked in the trade who immediately asked if the previous owner had changed the battery. Answer was yes. Turns out when you disconnect the battery the computer throws up a load of codes because the voltage has disappeared, and they had not been reset after reconnecting the new battery. I'm guessing the Stealership knew this and just saw the opportunity to make some cash for a quick reset. Yep - experience!

[@DIYAutoHomeschool]

It's ok Eric, we'll take your word for it about the scope capture this one time, but don't let it happen again. And I think the ONLY right thing is for that dealer to give her the $1,000 back.

[@RemiBusseuil]

I don't know if she has the slightest chance of that happening

[@TurdJesus]

@@RemiBusseuil I’d still give them a call and let them know that their lead “tech” is a damn idiot

[@Fattony6666]

wait where did you see it was 1000$?

[@DIYAutoHomeschool]

@@Fattony6666 Right at about the 11 minute mark, he mentions that she already spent over $1,000 at the Nissan Dealer trying to get this fixed.

[@mikeblaz]

No shot they refund her 100%. However they should at least split the difference....give her 50% back.

[@peterosy]

A refund would be a good start from the dealer. But worse still was that the customer bought a new car, to replace this one? Hopefully she didn't buy the new car from the same dealer (or was that the whole plan by the dealer in the first place)!

[@richardreiter66]

I do not have a lot of faith in a dealership.

[@richardreiter66]

i would guess the tech got tired of working on the car and just give her a expense repair cost.

[@cass71291]

WOW sir, What a great way to start off my Easter Sunday morning 2022. I’m currently on military orders here in Louisiana. I live in Queens New York. And kill some time this morning opened up the tube, first thing I looked for was SMA. As you already know, and we all agree, you are a master at your craft. Amazing diagnosis. Thank you for that. And Nissan absolutely should refund this woman her money back. That would be a process as we know, though everything is in black-and-white with your video. These technicians these days are just subpar, not all, but son. And I speak from experience. Your customer regardless of what she spent, i’m sure it was very pleased. Thank you Mr. O. Your fan, Christopher (I am the soldier that emailed you I was in Kabul Afghanistan, we discussed hat sizing, and you sent me some SMA stickers but I made a couple of videos with if you even had a chance to see them. 👊🏼👍🏼😎🇺🇸

[@catfishbilly7425]

Interestingly, I had a Nissan Maxima come to me with the EXACT symptoms as this one. Same codes, same driveability complaint... everything. I came to the same conclusion as you... alternator. That fixed everything. It's certainly one of the most odd grouping of symptoms I've seen an alternator cause, certainly made me scratch my head for a minute. Stupid Nissans lol

[@itsadogslife...8825]

Of all the alternators I have replaced / repaired ( yes repaired/overhauled) voltage surge would be the least likely issue. Either the just die (totally) or die partially, ie limited output ( less than 13.5V) and reduced output current usually due to one or more failed diode(s) regulator pack failure, often caused by bad diode(s) or totally worn out slip ring brushes. Shot bearings just about without fail, like small grease packed bearings that run at about 5000 to 15000rpm, it amazes me how they do last so long, but thats another story.

[@willarddunn8552]

I had a Nissan and replaced three alternators before replacing the first set of brakes. The alternators are of poor design.

[@catfishbilly7425]

@@willarddunn8552 Nissans, generally speaking, are of poor design. Been that way for a quarter century now.

[@jeffsullivan3101]

Nissan is the Chrysler of Japan.

[@drozcompany4132]

@@catfishbilly7425 Too many cost reductions driven by the bean counters leads to a drop in quality. Don't think for a second that the engineers aren't trying to make a quality product.

[@jodencro]

The Nissan dealer should give her a refund. Great job as always!

[@neutrodyne]

When you can't fix it by throwing parts at it then give the customer a repair estimate that is so high that they decide not to fix it. Then sell the customer a new car as well as rip them off on the repair estimate. I think that sums it up pretty well for the dealership that had looked at this car. Eric, you are the man! Thanks for sharing your videos!

[@jasongirvan6729]

I really love this show. I’ve done my own mechanics for over 20 years and you have proven what I tell everybody time and time again. If you can read and think and turn tool than you too can fix your own vehicles. You have also further proven my point that you never trust anyone with you stuff as you will only take care of the way it should. Most shops are a waste of money.

[@stephenkamin1345]

I really want to know if the dealers watch your videos, and update their internal service reference sheets to reflect your findings. This has to happen to other vehicles.

[@MrWoogiebear]

Great episode! Nissan should refund entire amount of money paid for the misdiagnosis! Great job Mr. O!

[@lfxc9996]

It’s a shame too cause this is a pretty common failure for these cars. Dealer should’ve known better.

[@daytonpyro]

of course they know.. why not try to suck 2000 plus out of customers. that's what they do. the local garage here did that to me. im in 1300 for repairs and they still cant figure it out.

[@ylimehajile]

... but it was their 'lead' mechanic!

[@_zigzak]

It is common on these, and after watching this I made an appointment to get my alternator changed. It still works but at over 200k it’s bound to do the same thing soon.

[@frotobaggins7169]

@@ylimehajile Yeah, pretty scary right? Imagine if the problem was something difficult, like a transmission. Of course the only repair for Nissan CVT's is total replacement because they don't offer the belt and pullies as a repair item. CONVIENTLY costing over $4,000 to replace. Ask me how I know.

[@stuarthardy4626]

@@ylimehajile is that "Lead" as in plumbago

[@kellyconstenius676]

The old.. You need a $2000 part trick. when you dont know what to do. Quote them a ridiculously outrageous fix. Then when they refuse. Oh well we tried.

[@baseball1baseball1]

Hey man! I’m a 7 year ford tech and this reminds me of a truck I diagnosed from a independent shop. Long story short the guy had a misfire on cyl 5 dead miss and the shop had told him he had no compression and that he would need an engine.. sheesh they quoted him $7,000 to “fix” the issue. So I was looking at the truck in the service lane performing a visual inspection and found 3 broken ignition coil clips. Also after further performing my own compression test all cylinders where over 175 psi and within 5 psi on all 8 cylinders. Ran an injector flow test and wouldn’t ya know cyl 5 injector failed. Replaced the injector and got new pigtail connectors and she ran like a champ. Here’s where it gets good. The guy called the shop wanting his money back and the shop called us an I spoke to the tech who tried to sell this man a $7,000 engine (which would not have fixed the issue) and told him he needs to hit the books and actually spend at least the time the guy has paid you to diagnose the issue. The shop wasn’t to happy with me and he got refunded 😄 not all dealerships are bad just gotta find the good ones.

[@brittany6229]

I think she should get her money back honestly. After being hosed by shops in the past it kills me that they won't just admit they messed up and refund customers for their error

[@frotobaggins7169]

100% agree. CLEARLY what they "repaired" wasn't the problem. They all hide behind "it was a contributing factor" as in, I had to fix that to find the real problem. Only they NEVER found the real problem. Imagine if she has spend the $1,200 to replace the harness only to find the problem was STILL there. Then they would have made up some other lie to cover for their incompetence.

[@brittany6229]

I just recently put 4k into my truck to have the rear diff rebuilt and have other random stuff done a year ago. I drove the truck off the lot and it was really making a lot of noise so I called my buddy who is a diesel mechanic and he got under it and found right away that it wasnt shimmed right. I took it back to the shop and said hey its making a ton of noise and leaking around the seal. They told me well what did you expect me to do work magic?! And said after I paid the bill they wernt gonna touch it anymore. They also said they did my break lines and after 3 months of driving the front one was leaking cause they cross threaded it on the caliper. Then last week the whole rear line blew while I had the kids in the car.... Long story short good mechanics are very hard to find

[@frotobaggins7169]

@@brittany6229 I'm sorry to hear that. Good mechanics are almost as hard to find as a good politician. LOL I think the key to finding a good mechanic is look for a small shop with a clan parking lot. It's a good start anyways. Did you ever get the differential straightened out? Sounds like a GM truck with the brake lines. lol I had the same problem.