TSB's or Technical Service Bulletins

TSB's are Technical Service Bulletins issued by a manufacturer to its dealers that cover topics from corrections for a typo in a service manual to detailed procedures for dealing with a specific mechanical problem.They are also referred to as Manufacturer Communications.

Mechanical-related bulletins usually result from a relatively large number of reports from dealers about the same problem. This could be due to customer complaints, or from service technicians discovering potential problems. The manufacturer then puts together a detailed procedure for dealing with the issue and sends the report to all its dealers as a technical service bulletin.

If a vehicle is out of warranty, the manufacturer may offer financial help for known problems as a gesture of goodwill. Rarely, however, do they pay the entire amount.

TSB's are not a foolproof method of finding out if there is an issue with your vehicle. Conditions and/or problems may exist on a model that are not dealt with through TSB procedures. The TSB database for all cars and trucks is maintained by the US Government. Enter your vehicle and then select "Manufacturer Communications" for the TSB list.

Lookup TSB's (Enter your vehicle, scroll down to the COMPLAINTS section and select MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS)