Common Car Repair Mistake That Costs Owners Big Bucks Every Day

Here’s one very common mistake car owners often make that causes them to have to pay an unnecessary car repair bill. Plus, a $5 voltmeter car diagnostic anybody can do.

When Assumptions Lead to Unnecessary Bills

One of the biggest mistakes car customers can make is assuming that he or she “KNOWS” what the problem is with their car and/or assumes that there must be something wrong with their vehicle.

Related article: Car Noise Troubleshooting Basics

While it is not unreasonable to expect and understand that the car repair customer is mistaken about what is going on with their vehicle---after all, not everyone has the training and experience of working on cars--the inherent mistake is that it opens up the car owner to at worst a car repair scam and at the very least a charge of an hour’s worth of labor for something that took the mechanic only one minute to “fix”…but doesn’t tell you that part of it.

Related article: Do Not Fall for This Car Repair Reverse Scam

Placing Blame Where It Does Not Belong

It’s human nature to jump to a conclusion without even taking the time and trouble to investigate whether something is true.

For example, my mother-in-law (when she used to live with us) was forever telling my wife that I was the one who ate the last of whatever leftovers on the dinner table during the time they would take an after-dinner stroll as was their habit before returning to the dinner table and kitchen and clean up the mealtime mess. My habit was to take a nap.

During those times I was unaware that my mother-in-law had been accusing me of wanton gluttony for weeks because my wife never said anything to me about it. One example of my so-called gluttony was the disappearance of a large bowl of mashed potatoes that remained after our meal.

Long sordid story short, after one meal we all decided to step out together to get something needed immediately only to step back into the house because my wife forgot her purse. Upon opening the door there was our dog looking at us bug-eyed while standing on top of the dinner table devouring our leftovers.

Mystery solved, but I am sure I still remained a glutton in the eyes of my mother-in-law.

Back to the Point of This Article

The point of this article is when it comes to having a repair done on your car, it pays off to at least think about the problem first and see if your initial assessment (i.e., assumption) is really true.

That was the message in a recent Toyota Maintenance YouTube channel episode where the host does a Show ‘n Tell of how to diagnose a car power outlet accessory problem that the customer came to him with saying that it no longer worked.

So as not to spoil the video, follow along with the host as he demonstrates how to do a simple diagnostic using just an inexpensive voltmeter that anyone can do that will save you from a repair bill.

For additional articles related to car repair diagnosing, here are a few for your consideration:

• Exhaust Smoke Diagnosis Explained in Detail
• 3 Simple Tests to Diagnose This Common Used Car Problem
• Do This with Your Car’s AC System Before Going to a Mechanic

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

COMING UP NEXT: Important Test Before Deciding Between the New Hybrid and Non-Hybrid Toyota Tundra

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