FAQ-54
Technical Service
Bulletins (TSBs)
& Recalls
Dear Mark,
As I was going through the web, I found a bunch of recalls about my Jeep that I never was notified about. I am upset and wonder what you think I should do.
Sue
Dear Sue:
I'm quite sure you are referring to TSBs or Technical Service Bulletins. Recalls are all together a different animal. TSBs are put out by a car maker and they say:
This TSB applies to vehicles made in STL during the month on June 1998 and the last six digits of the VIN are between 101296 and 110895.
IF you have a clunk, from a start when the vehicle is warm AND it happens just after your driver hits the throttle then happens within the first 1 or 2 feet of travel, then lube the driveshaft slip joint with part# F7DB-130JH-17.
Therefore unless your car is one of the ones described AND you have the related symptoms, then this TSB is not for you. It is a good idea to review the TSBs for your car, but you must match your verifiable symptom to the TSB and related repair.
No car owner gets TSBs, they are written for and distributed to service and repair staff although they are available in many places on the internet. You can check the back of your owners manuals and many allow you to sign up for TSBs and when they are distributed, you too will get a copy. Normally there is a cost associated with receiving this information.
Remember, a TSB is a guess on the repair or suggested symptom. Unless a Customer can demonstrate a listed symptom, we refuse to chase our tails looking at a car's TSBs and seeing if they are applicable to the owners car. If they insist, we will do whatever they want, for time and materials. That way we get paid for a TSB search that turns up nothing.
My 1997 Suburban has maybe 100 TSBs but I have found only one that is applicable to a symptoms I have and it was no help in repairing it.
RECALLS are generally safety related and like TSBs, they are car VIN (vehicle identification number) specific and date and place constructed specific. But the car owner of record is notified if their car is one of the listed cars, the car owner is instructed to take the car to the closest dealer to verify the car has the concern and if it does, repair it.
For a complete list of recalls on your car, go back to our main home page and click on the link for other auto repair web sites. Just search for "recalls".
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