AA1Car Technical Service Bulletins Help
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What is a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB)?
Technical service bulletins are special notices issued by the original equipment vehicle manufacturer to their service dealers. A TSB may be
issued if the vehicle manufacturer has seen similar problems with a signifcant number of its vehicles. Every year, there are literally THOUSANDS
of TSBs issued by vehicle manufacturers.
A TSB will typically describe the complaint or problem with the vehicle, the make, models and years covered by the bulletin, and include the specific procedures for diagnosing and repairing the fault. If new parts or updated parts are needed, the bulletin will also list any required OEM part numbers. If the repair involves reflashing
(reprogramming) the vehicle computer (PCM), the bulletin will give the calibration information and codes, too.
Click here to view a sample TSB for a 1999-2000 Ford Windstar (this is a
PDF file - requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view)..
TSBs may deal with driveability complaints, emissions problems, service issues, safety concerns or recall notices. In some cases, a
special TSB may be issued covering revised repair procedures, revisions to the factory service manual (new service specifications, for example),
or procedures for using specific kinds of diagnostic and service equipment.
In the case of a recall notice, repairs are usually free (provided the vehicle is returned to an authorized new car dealer for repairs).
The bulletin will describe what items are covered by the recall, and for what period of time.
In the case of other repairs, the TSB may list any special warranty coverages that the vehicle manufacturer is offering to its customers. This
"secret" warranty information is good to have because it can save you money!
Who Gets TSBs?
The vehicle manufacturers send their TSBs to their own dealerships. Independent repair facilities do NOT get these notices, and can only
access them by paying a subscription fee to the OEM website or an aftermarket information provider who compiles TSBs for a fee.
Recall notices are mailed to the last known address of new vehicle owners. But owners of used vehicles will never see these notices unless
they have extended the original factory warranty coverage, or have registered with he vehicle manufacturer. The only way you may be aware of
a recall notice on your vehicle is to read about it in a newspaper or magazine, or hear a mention on radio or TV. If you miss the report, or there
is no media coverage, then you have no way of knowing there's a recall on your vehicle -- unless you look up the TSBs and recall notices
online through a source such as this.
Where Can I Get This Information?
You can subscribe to the following services to get full access to factory service bulletins for your vehicle, or you can subscribe to the vehicle manufacturer OEM websites.
More Resources for Finding TSBs, Recall notices and NHTSA Defect Investigations:
Look up Recalls Here (official NHTSA website)
Look up TSBs Here (official NHTSA website)
Look up Defect Investigations Here (official NHTSA website)
List of OEM Service Information Websites & Access Fees
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