Verify the Complaint and Verify the Complaint Is A Malfunction

Verify the Complaint:

Whenever possible, the repairing technician should personally verify the complaint.

Verify that the Complaint is a Malfunction:

If a customer does not fully understand a particular system, he or she may complain about an aspect of operation in that system that is normal (that is, the system is operating as designed, and therefore not malfunctioning). An example of this would be a customer complaining of "rapid vibrations in the brake pedal during a panic stop on wet pavement." While this is a customer complaint, if the vehicle is equipped with ABS this is not necessarily a malfunction. Determine that the system is operating correctly or incorrectly before proceeding with troubleshooting.

Refer to the Description and Operation for a description of system operation, and to any related Technical Service Bulletins for changed operation (for example, changes in General Module operation from MY 92 on).

Comparing the complaint to system operation in a known good vehicle is another acceptable means of verifying a malfunction.

Check for Previous Repairs:

If a system had been working properly and now exhibits a malfunction, a review of the vehicle's repair history can provide significant insights into the problem. The improper installation of accessories, or the installation of non-approved accessories, can have detrimental effects on a variety of systems.