Braking News

 A busy service lane does not automatically mean a profitable one. That is one of the biggest takeaways from a recent CBT News discussion with Christopher Singleton, Managing Partner of Mike Terry Chevrolet of Refugio, who shared some of the fixed ops metrics his team watches most closely. For Singleton, vehicle count alone does not tell the whole story. Instead, his team focuses on metrics like hours per repair order, technician proficiency, additional service recommendations, and the percentage of repair orders that include photos or videos from multi-point inspections . That last one is especially important. Photos and videos should not just be something a dealership offers because the software makes it possible. They should be part of the process. At Mike Terry Chevrolet, management tracks how consistently technicians and advisors include visual documentation with repair orders. That gives leadership a measurable way to reinforce good habits instead of treating digital inspecti...

 Modern vehicles are getting more complicated, but the number of skilled technicians available to service them is not keeping pace. That makes technician development one of the biggest long-term fixed-ops challenges facing dealerships. A new report from Car Dealership Guy highlighted how Ricart Automotive in Columbus, Ohio, is tackling that problem by developing technicians from within. According to President and CEO Jared Ricart, about 75% of the group’s Ford technicians have been developed internally through a program built with organizations including ASE and Columbus State Community College. That approach matters because today’s automotive technician is doing much more than traditional mechanical work. Modern vehicles combine electrical systems, software, advanced driver assistance technology, HVAC, networking, diagnostics, and increasingly complex electronic components. Technicians are becoming part mechanic, part electrician, part IT specialist, and part diagnostician. At th...

 Volkswagen is recalling more than 208,000 vehicles in the United States over a defect involving a steering rack bolt that could potentially break and lead to a loss of steering control. According to NHTSA and Reuters reporting, the recall affects 208,724 vehicles . Because the issue involves a steering component, this is the kind of recall that immediately becomes more than a technical concern. It becomes a customer confidence issue. When drivers hear the words “possible loss of steering,” they do not want a complicated explanation buried in engineering terminology. They want to know: Is my vehicle affected? Is it safe to drive? How quickly can I get it inspected? What is the repair? How long will it take? And is the dealership ready to help me? That is where the service department becomes incredibly important. The OEM may issue the recall, but the dealership owns much of the customer experience around it. Customers will call the store. They will schedule through the store. They ...

 Car shoppers do not stop shopping when the showroom closes. That sounds obvious, but many dealership websites still operate as if the customer’s job is to browse inventory, submit a lead, and then wait until someone gets back to them the next day. A new CBT News story shows what can happen when dealers remove that waiting period. Carhub Automotive Group says it sold more than 60 vehicles online in four months , generating about $2.9 million in incremental revenue , using a digital retail platform that allowed customers to continue structuring and completing deals even after the showroom was closed. The bigger takeaway is not about one specific platform. It is about customer expectations. People are used to doing business whenever it is convenient for them. They shop online late at night. They apply for financing from the couch. They compare vehicles during lunch. They research trade values while watching television. If the customer is ready to move forward at 10:30 at night, telli...

 Dealership service departments are facing a bigger retention problem than simply getting customers to come back for their next oil change. More customers are starting to view chain service centers as their primary place for automotive maintenance and repair. According to data from Ducker Carlisle’s latest Consumer Sentiment Survey, the share of customers who identified a chain service center as their primary service provider grew from 20% in 2020 to 42% in 2025 . Over that same period, dealership share fell from 54% to 36% . That is a major shift. Chains are no longer just picking up the occasional oil change or tire rotation. For a growing number of drivers, they are becoming the default place to take the vehicle whenever something needs attention. And once a customer builds that habit somewhere else, the dealership is no longer competing for one repair order. It is competing to win back the entire relationship. Why are customers moving? Price perception certainly plays a role. M...

 Dealership service scheduling is getting better across the industry, but a new study shows there is still plenty of room for improvement. According to Pied Piper’s 2026 Service Scheduling Effectiveness Auto Industry Study, every automotive brand measured improved its overall service scheduling performance this year. The study evaluated more than 6,500 service requests placed by phone and online across 33 U.S. automotive brands and four independent service chains. The industry average improved by seven points compared with last year, with online scheduling making the biggest jump. That is the good news. The less encouraging news is that 16% of callers still could not successfully book a service appointment , and at some brands that number climbed above 25%. Customers encountered familiar problems: long hold times, complicated phone trees, voicemail, and AI systems that could handle basic requests but struggled when the conversation needed to be transferred to a real person. In fact...

 Stellantis is recalling more than 200,000 Jeep vehicles in the United States because of a software issue tied to the tire pressure monitoring system. According to recent reporting, the recall affects 201,976 Jeep vehicles . The issue may prevent the tire pressure monitoring system from detecting low tire pressure or illuminating the warning light when needed. That creates a safety concern because low tire pressure can affect handling, braking, tire wear, fuel economy, and overall vehicle control. At first glance, this may sound like a simple tire pressure warning issue. But for dealerships, the bigger story is this: software is now tied directly to safety, service, and customer confidence. A tire pressure monitoring system is one of those features many drivers do not think about until it matters. When it works, it quietly protects the customer in the background. When it does not work, the driver may not know there is a problem until the vehicle is already harder to control, the t...

 For years, dealership reviews were treated mostly as reputation management. Get more five-star reviews. Respond to unhappy customers. Keep the Google rating strong. Make sure shoppers see enough positive feedback to feel comfortable choosing the store. That still matters. But customer reviews are starting to become something bigger: a source of dealership intelligence. CBT News recently covered how customer feedback is evolving from a public scorecard into a tool dealerships can use to understand what is actually happening inside their sales and service experiences. In the interview, Widewail CEO Cuyler Owens described review data as “the world’s largest focus group,” because customers are voluntarily explaining what they liked, what frustrated them, and where the dealership experience broke down. That is a major shift. A five-star rating tells a dealership how it looks online. The words inside the reviews tell a dealership how it operates. Are customers praising specific advisors...

  Cox Automotive’s ownership research shows that dealership service departments have a major opportunity to improve the customer experience. In its 2025 Ownership Study coverage, Cox reported that 45% of dealership service customers experienced at least one frustration , including service taking longer than expected, difficulty finding pricing, pressure to approve additional services, or the final cost being higher than expected. That should matter to every dealer. Because service customers are not only judging the repair. They are judging the process around the repair. Was scheduling easy? Did anyone explain the timeline? Did the customer receive updates? Were recommended services clearly documented? Was pricing transparent? Did the final bill match expectations? A service department can do great technical work and still lose customer trust if the communication is weak. That is where modern fixed ops has to improve. Customers are used to real-time updates in nearly every part...

  As affordability remains a challenge, more customers are keeping their vehicles longer. That is putting more pressure on dealership service departments, especially as older vehicles require more diagnostics, more maintenance, and more customer follow-up. CBT News recently highlighted how aging vehicles, diagnostic work, mobile service, declined-service follow-up, and customer communication are all becoming bigger fixed-ops priorities. For dealers, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. Older vehicles often need more attention: brakes, tires, batteries, fluids, belts, hoses, alignments, inspections, and larger repairs. But many customers are also more cautious with their money. They may delay maintenance, decline recommended work, or move to independent shops if they feel dealership service is too expensive or inconvenient. That means service departments cannot just wait for customers to show up. They need to market service more intelligently. Helpful content can make a real...

 Ford is recalling nearly 149,000 2024–2026 Mustang vehicles in the U.S. over an issue with engine compartment wiring harness ground connections. According to Reuters and other recall coverage, the problem can result in loss of drive power or loss of function in key systems such as headlights, windshield washing, air conditioning, or engine cooling. Dealers are expected to address the issue at no cost to vehicle owners. This is a strong reminder that recall communication has to translate technical problems into customer-understandable risks. “Wiring harness ground connections may fracture” is technically accurate. But to the customer, the important part is simpler: Your vehicle could lose power. Your headlights may stop working. Your windshield washer system may not work. Your engine cooling could be affected. That is the message service teams need to communicate clearly, calmly, and quickly. For dealers, recalls are not just repair events. They are customer touchpoints. ...

  Toyota is recalling roughly 655,000 Camry vehicles globally , including more than 508,000 2025–2026 Camry Hybrids in the United States , due to a display issue that may deactivate important safety indicators during startup. According to Toyota and AP reporting, the issue may affect items like turn signals, hazard lights, seat belt reminders, and other key warnings. Toyota says dealers will provide the fix at no cost to customers. For dealers, the bigger story is not just the size of the recall. It is what the recall represents. Modern vehicles are increasingly dependent on software, screens, sensors, and digital systems. A display issue is no longer just an inconvenience. If a customer cannot see important warnings or indicators, that becomes a safety concern. That changes the way service departments need to communicate. A customer may hear “software update” and assume it is minor, like updating a phone app. But when that software affects vehicle safety, visibility, warnings, or ...

 Customers are more likely to approve service recommendations when they can actually see what the technician is seeing. That may sound obvious, but it is becoming one of the most important lessons in modern fixed operations. According to the 2025 Cox Automotive Ownership Study, consumers who received dealership-provided photos or videos of recommended repairs spent an average of $640 per repair order out of pocket , compared with $410 among those who did not receive photos or videos. Cox also found that consumers who used or found photo and video tools helpful reported broader behavioral impact: 49% said they were more likely to approve recommended services , 45% said they were more likely to recommend the service department , and 34% said they visit that service department more often . The reason is simple: visual proof builds trust. When a service advisor calls and says, “You need brakes,” the customer may hear, “Your bill just got worse.” But when the customer sees the worn pad...

 Cox Automotive’s latest fixed ops research shows dealership service and parts revenue is at a record high. The average dealer brought in about $9.23 million in service and parts revenue in 2025, up 33% over the last eight years . That sounds like a great headline. But here’s the problem: while revenue is up, dealership share of service visits has fallen from 33% to 29% . So dealers are making more money in fixed ops, but they are capturing a smaller piece of the service market. That is the warning light. Customers are drifting to independent repair shops, quick-lube chains, tire stores, and mobile service providers. And in many cases, it is not because the dealership cannot do the work. It is because the customer experience feels harder than it should. They want easier scheduling. They want better updates. They want clear recommendations. They want to know where their vehicle is in the process. They want photos, videos, and explanations before approving work. They want...

 AI and automation are becoming a bigger part of dealership fixed ops, but the best use case is not replacing people. It is helping the people who are already buried. CBT News has been covering how dealerships are using AI and automation to improve fixed ops efficiency, especially around mobile service, advisor workflows, customer communication, and scheduling. The theme is pretty clear: service departments are not short on work. They are short on time, clarity, and clean handoffs. That is where automation can actually help. Think about a normal service day. Advisors are answering calls, checking repair orders, updating customers, waiting on technicians, chasing approvals, and trying to keep everyone from feeling ignored. That is not a workflow. That is a plate-spinning act with oil stains. The opportunity with AI and automation is to make the process cleaner: Route the right task to the right person. Keep customers updated. Help advisors prioritize. Let technicians...