Customer Problem Analysis

CUSTOMER PROBLEM ANALYSIS
In troubleshooting, the problem symptoms must be confirmed accurately and all preconceptions must be cleared away in order to give an accurate judgment. To ascertain just what the problem symptoms are, it is extremely important to ask the customer about the problem and the conditions at the time it occurred.

NOTE: The "Customer Problem Analysis Check Sheet" is a good starting point, but should not be substituted for a personal discussion of the problem with the customer. It may be used to "brief" the service writer on the nature of the problem and should be followed by a description of the problem by the customer "in their own words".

Important Points in the Problem Analysis
The following 5 items are important points in the problem analysis. Past problems which are thought to be unrelated and the repair history, etc. may also help in some cases, so as much information as possible should be gathered and its relationship with the problem symptoms should be correctly ascertained for reference in troubleshooting. A customer problem analysis table is provided in the troubleshooting section for each system.

IMPORTANT POINTS IN THE CUSTOMER PROBLEM ANALYSIS
What ----------------------- Vehicle model, system name
When ----------------------- Date, time, occurrence frequency
Where ---------------------- Road conditions
Under what conditions? -- Running conditions
- driving conditions
- weather conditions
How did it happen? ------ Problem symptoms

COMPLAINT VERIFICATION
Whenever possible the technician should personally verify the complaint. Having experienced the malfunction, you will be less likely to attempt to repair a non-existent fault.

MALFUNCTION VERIFICATION
Automotive control systems are easily misunderstood, leading to repairs that attempt to force a system to perform in a way it was never intended to.
Always compare system operation to normal system operation as described in either the owners manual or DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION.
When possible compare vehicle operation with that of a known good vehicle.

PREVIOUS REPAIRS
The vehicle repair history can provide explanations to unusual complaints which elude normal troubleshooting attempts. Incorrect components or unapproved repairs can have subtle influences on seemingly unrelated systems. Always attempt to get the "whole story" from the customer. Whenever possible check the system or component which was last repaired.