To wrap up 2024, I wanted to showcase two vehicles we had the pleasure of maintaining and repairing, and offer some thoughts on 2025 and beyond.

A few months ago, a customer with a 2017 Volt scheduled an appointment with us to resolve a display issue with the multimedia system screen. Since much important information is displayed on this screen, it’s difficult to do without it. The customer had already tried two things: resetting the multimedia system and disconnecting the 12V battery to see if the screen would come back to life. Unfortunately, it didn’t.

Our first step was to scan the vehicle for diagnostic trouble codes. We found several, but one particularly caught our attention. This code indicated there was no communication with the radio module, which manages the multimedia screen display.

As I’ve mentioned before, investing 15 minutes to follow our mechanic’s intuition is recommended before diving into manufacturer flowcharts and procedures. A visual inspection of the radio module quickly revealed the problem. There was water infiltration in the right rear trunk area, which had damaged the module beyond repair, requiring replacement.

In this specific case, a used module could be installed, followed by programming with the appropriate equipment.

Moving on to the second vehicle, a Volkswagen ID.4. Here, nothing extraordinary, just routine brake maintenance. However, there’s a hurdle before we can perform this maintenance. As with the previous case, we need specialized tools, which for this specific vehicle, start with the analyzer. It will establish two-way communication with Volkswagen, allowing us to proceed with such maintenance. Autosphere has previously published another of my articles covering brake maintenance, an operation that has changed significantly over the years, so I won’t repeat my sermon!

However, there’s a common thread between these two cases: appropriate equipment. As a mechanic, it’s increasingly important to stay aware of what we need to continue being able to repair and maintain all vehicles that enter our service bays.

With 2024 drawing to a close, as a shop owner, I encourage you to take two minutes to analyze whether your hourly rate reflects your current expenses and those you’ll incur to stay in business in 2025… and beyond. Food for thought.