Apex Tech Nation

A lawsuit filed this week alleges a couple died of carbon monoxide poisoning from an exhaust leak after their vehicle had been at a repair facility. The incident happened about a year ago. Nothing has been ruled on. We get into what the documentation on a job like that is supposed to look like, and what happens to a shop when it is not there. https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-b9i6fsu0yama8ox3...

A 2021 Model Y took an over the air update and came out of it with a failed hardware board, blacked out cameras, and a $2,700 quote. Tesla logged it as a safety critical escalation and still denied goodwill because the car was out of warranty. We also get into the GM bulletin that lists over the air updates right alongside lightning strikes as a cause of module failures, and the Corvettes that cam...

A guy drops his Hellcat Jailbreak at a Dodge dealer for an oil change. He sits in the waiting room six hours. The car comes back on a trailer with the front end gone, airbags blown, mud on the wheels. An employee had taken it out and put it in a ditch. Then they offered to sell him a new one at sticker. https://dodgeforum.com/articles/challenger-hellcat-jailbreak-is-wrecked-by-dealership-employee-...

She didn’t want to pay top dollar, so she used ChatGPT to pick a shop. Good reviews, been in business a long time. On a Friday night at 8:15, after hours, a technician took her car out and wrecked it nine miles away. The engine almost ended up in the passenger compartment. Craig and I get into what that really was, why the shop owner almost certainly knew, and the three things she says every drive...

A guy drops his brand new car off for a shift complaint. The shop asks if a technician can take it home overnight to catch it cold. Fifteen days later he picks it up with 700 more miles on it and no problem found. The car only had 8,400 miles on it when he dropped it off. This is the kind of car problems and solutions story that makes people never trust a shop again.https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAMe...

A woman paid $3,850 for a transmission. The shop never touched it. They put an axle in the car, charged her for a unit they never ordered, and when she called crying about it the owner laughed. One of their own technicians recorded the whole thing. This is the worst example of car problems and solutions gone wrong I've seen in 25 years, and it should make anybody think twice about who they han...

A guy got his car back from the dealership, called the next day about a weird smell, got told it was probably nothing. Then it caught fire and blew the whole front end off. Craig and I get into what could actually cause an explosion like that. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8TxGSE4/ Before that, a technician took a sheriff's cruiser out for a drag race against a Challenger and somebody filmed the...

Ford just recalled over 220,000 F-150s because the straps holding the fuel tank can fail. Not a reprogram, not a software update. The tank can leak or come off the truck while you're driving it, and this is one of those car problems and solutions where the fix isn't the hard part, the recall completion rate is.https://autos.yahoo.com/safety-and-recalls/articles/ford-recalls-over-220-000-00...

A flat rate EV tech posts on r/mechanics that he's gone from 55 hours a week to 40.3 since he started taking EV diag work, and he's ready to leave the industry. I've been the hybrid and EV guy my whole career on flat rate, and the thing I think is actually going to get somebody killed isn't the pay plan. It's something I caught myself doing. https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanics/s...

A guy on r/askreddit finds out the dealer drained his wife's Kia during an oil pan replacement and poured the same used oil right back in. Two ASE Master Techs react, and it turns out that might be standard practice at some brands. https://www.reddit.com/r/mechanic/s/bwfTPfXvPv Then a technician with ten years in goes flat rate for the first time and three weeks later he's talking about qu...

First up we look at the massive damage caused by neglecting g g preventative maintenance. What do vehicle owners do that destroy their vehicle?https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/s/wUIMipo3UR Next we discuss the massive retention problem in the industry by reading a post from a recent diesel tech graduate. He is ready to quit because his dealership threw him to the wolves with zero training and he...

Five Essential Tips for Car Buyers Make informed decisions and save money on your next vehicle. Navigating the car buying process can feel overwhelming, but with the right knowledge, you can make choices that save you money and hassle in the long run. Here are five essential tips to consider before purchasing your next vehicle. 1. Scrutinize the Addendum Sticker When you're excited about a new...

A young woman pays a shop $1,000 for spark plugs and ignition coils on her 2016Ford Escape. Two days later the check engine light is back on and they're tellingher she needs a whole new engine. Anthony Calhoun (25-year ASE Master Technician) and Craig Tomczyk (19 years in thetrade) break down three real stories that every car owner, technician, and fixed ops manager needs to hear. In this epis...

In this episode, we break down why the industry is bleeding young talent, how green service advisors can win over skeptical flat rate mechanics, and whether entry level express techs should start stacking up on high end tools. Earning Tech Respect as a New Service Advisor: An inexperienced advisor asks why the bays treat him like an outsider and how to sell repairs without feeling like a scammer....

Welcome back to the Apex Tech Nation Podcast . In Episode 12, Craig and I dig into a few stories and conversations making their way around. We discuss a 2025 Mustang GT with a blown engine at only 6,900 miles . The owner says the dealership wants authorization for a $6,700 engine teardown before moving forward with the warranty claim. We look at the situation from the technician and dealership sid...

In this episode, we break down why today’s cars are breaking down in alarming ways, are they reliable? A terrifying real world brake pad failure shortly after a shop visit. Plus, we dive into the boiling point hitting service advisors and mechanics across the industry and what it's going to take to fix a broken system.  Key Topics Covered:  Is there a reliability crisis hitting modern vehicles...

In this episode we welcome Craig as Apex Tech Nation Co-Host and dive into 2 stories we all have probably seen and one that will make you think WTH! Interior Panels & Broken Clips: We break down the brutal learning curve of an emergency vehicle upfitter who keeps accidentally snapping clips and among other things while running wires, and how to survive the first months on the job without sinki...

In this episode, I'm joined by special guest Craig Tomczyk as we discuss three topics that every technician can relate to. First, we share ASE test tips that have helped us throughout our careers and offer practical advice for technicians preparing for their next certification. Next, we talk about the state of the automotive industry. With so much doom and gloom surrounding the technician shor...

Two tech-related nightmares: a customer discovers technicians taking their car on a 20-mile joyride on dashcam, and another deals with a loose drain plug backing out right after a dealership oil change. In this episode, we break down these massive failures from three critical perspectives: the customer, the technician, and the shop’s leadership. How does a shop tolerate a joyride? What really happ...

This week I'm joined by Craig Tomczyk ASE Master Tech, L1/L2 certified, with nearly two decades in the bay across auto, diesel, and heavy duty for a real tech to tech conversation. First up: should the automotive service industry require a license? Craig brought this one to the table, and we get into both sides whether licensing would raise the floor, or whether it just adds another barrier in...

This week we're covering several topics that every automotive technician can relate to—from a tragic accident in the industry to protecting your body and improving your diagnostic process. In this episode we discuss: -The tragic death of a 24-year-old tire technician who was fatally crushed by a vehicle, along with the safety lessons every technician should remember. -Taking care of your knees...

Before you get mad at me for saying this, just hear me out. My buddy owns a barbershop and he can't hire anybody to fill a chair unless they're licensed. Meanwhile we're working on cars that hold people's families and we don't need anything. I'm a master tech with 5 ASEs to recertify this year. I'll do it because that's the standard. But should our industry have act...

Most automotive technicians focus on earning more money, but very few focus on keeping and investing it. In this episode of the Apex Tech Nation Podcast, I break down how developing valuable technician skills can create long-term wealth—and why avoiding unnecessary car payments may be one of the smartest financial decisions a technician can make. Join the Nation https://apextechnation.com/

Billions spent on consulting and training programs over the last decade. The crisis just got worse. New episode: Problems with Solutions for the Industry. From a Technician's Perspective I stepped back, looked at the industry like a broken car, and laid out the real fixes. 68% of working automotive technicians wouldn't recommend this field to anybody. I'd love to hear some real solutio...

Four diagnostic tips from 25 years in the bays — the kind of stuff that saves you time, comebacks, and headaches when you're staring down a tough job. Join the Nation https://apextechnation.com/