Sunday, February 24, 2008

Product failure

Given the information about the product’s problem, information and diagnostic charts
from my book, and the information you have read in the use and care manual, as the
servicer, you will be able to perform the following steps in sequence to diagnose and
correct a malfunction. The basic steps to follow when diagnosing an appliance or air
conditioner problem are:
1. Verify the complaint. Ask the consumer what symptoms were caused by the
problem with the appliance or air conditioner.
2. Check for external factors. For example: is the appliance or air conditioner installed
properly, does the product have the correct voltage, etc.?
3. Check for physical damage. Look for internal and external physical damage. Any
damage will prevent the appliance or air conditioner from functioning properly.
Two examples are broken parts at the base of the washing machine or a damaged
cabinet that prevents the doors from closing properly.
4. Check the controls. The controls must be set to the proper settings. If the controls
are not set correctly, the appliance or air conditioner might not function properly or
complete its cycle.
5. Operate the product. Operate the appliance or air conditioner, and let it run
through its cycle. Check the cycle operation against the operational sequence of
events that is listed in the use and care manual.
6. Is the product operating properly? If it is, explain to the consumer how to operate
the appliance or air conditioner according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
7. The product is not operating properly. If the appliance or air conditioner is not
operating properly, proceed to locate which component has failed. Check the diagnostic
charts that are listed in this book to assist you in the correct direction to take.

Monday, February 18, 2008

How to diagnose a problem

There are many different ways to diagnose a problem, but all of them basically use the
same reasoning of deduction:

• Where does the consumer think the malfunction is located within the appliance or
air conditioner?

• Where is the actual problem located within the appliance or air conditioner?

• Are there any related problems with the appliance or air conditioner?

• How can the problem with the appliance or air conditioner be solved?

For example, the consumer states that the dryer does not dry the clothes and believes
that the heating element is bad. The actual problem might be a restricted exhaust vent, a
clogged lint filter, bad heating elements, faulty operating thermostats or safety thermostat,
or improper control settings.
When checking the dryer, you might notice that the control settings are set for air drying
instead of heat drying. Thus, the actual problem was that the control settings were not
positioned correctly. The related problem is: “How did the control setting move to the air-dry
position?” This leads to the question: “Does the consumer know how to operate the dryer?” To
solve this problem, you will have to instruct the consumer in the proper operation of the dryer.
All appliances and air conditioners go through a certain sequence of events. Understanding
the proper operation and this sequence as indicated in the use and care manual is beneficial
when diagnosing the appliance or air conditioner.