December/January 2022

Above: TRICO recommends that wiper blades are replaced every twelve months to ensure maximum effectiveness and visibility C Commenting on the importance of winter checks, Colin Cottrell, Marketing Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts said: “We’re encouraging technicians to promote free winter health checks for every vehicle that comes through their workshop doors. Not only does this reassure drivers that their vehicles are safe, comfortable and performing at their best; It can open up new revenue streams for garages when any faults are detected or repairs need carrying out, and it helps to build customer trust. “There are five key areas for garages to be aware of in winter; Batteries, wheels, fluids, air conditioning, climate control and wipers. Winter checks can include everything from basic fixes like windscreen wiper fluid top-ups, tyre pressure adjustments and light checks, through to diagnosing and resolving larger problems such as flat batteries or corroded brakes, both of which tend to rear their head during the winter months.” On getting the word out, Colin added: “Taking advantage of free-to-use tools like social media lets customers know that you’re offering winter health checks. You can also use your garage management software, which often has in- built functions that allow garages to email their entire customer database.” Imperative On the importance of battery testing, Senior Technical Trainer at VARTA Andy Cook said: “VARTA have been advising technicians to check the battery status for many years, but now really is the time to implement this process into every customer’s job list. It’s not just about generating revenue. It also ensures the customer has a battery in good working order, which is particularly important over the winter months.” If a battery needs to be replaced, it must be the right type: “With over a third of vehicles now having a Stop/Start system,” observed Andy, it’s vital that a workshop has an up-to-date tester, one that can also accurately test Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) and Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB). If it’s an older tester that doesn’t have the capabilities to test AGM or EFB batteries, then it’s worth upgrading the tester; otherwise the test results will be inaccurate.” For more information, go to: www.varta- automotive.com/en-gb/varta-partner-portal/log-in Best practice principle ECOBAT Training Manager Christopher Jones said: “When fitting a replacement battery in a Stop/Start-equipped vehicle, one important factor is the need for technicians to use a battery validation tool, such as Ecobat Battery’s EBT 420, to ensure the new AGM/EFB battery is correctly assimilated into the vehicle’s battery management system (BMS). This important step is often overlooked. Even if the battery is of the appropriate technology and correct specification, incorrect validation will result in the wrong charge algorithms being applied to the new battery via the BMS. This will considerably reduce its service life.” Performance Air conditioning systems should also be looked at as part of any winter checks according to Nissens Marketing Manager Jan Zieleskiewicz: “Irrespective of the primary reason why a vehicle visits the workshop, technicians should always carry out a visual inspection of the A/C system, looking for leaks and oil residue on component surfaces, and around joints and couplings.” He continued: “A faulty condenser, even if it is still partially working, can lead to severe A/C problems and sometimes result in damage to, or even seizure of, the compressor. This is a very costly component. Its replacement will take the vehicle off the road as the rest of the A/C system will need to be examined, flushed and the oil/gas refrigerant mixture changed. Mechanical damage to the condenser is often disregarded. However, even light mechanical deformation of the condenser tubes and fins can result in serious system performance limitations.” Jan added: “Pay particular attention to the bottom part of the condenser, where tubes and fins are mostly exposed to humidity and aggressive salt spray. If there is any sign of leakage, or missing/deteriorated fins are seen, the condenser must be replaced.” For more information, visit: www.nissens.com Upselling Meanwhile, NGK is looking to help its garage customers roll out winter checks. On spark plugs, NGK Marketing Manager Mark Hallam observed: “NGK iridium spark plugs feature an iridium-alloy on the middle electrode. One of the world’s hardest metals, iridium starts melting at a 52 AFTERMARKET DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022 WINTER CHECKS www.aftermarketonline.net SEASON’S GREETINGS After two years of irregular driving and disrupted servicing, winter checks are a good way to get back on track with your customers