August 14th, 2025 — Issue #0008

The Long Drive for a Short Answer

The Grinch Who Stole The Customer's Patience — and the Oversized Terminals That Caused It All

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Hi Reader,

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Welcome to your weekly boost of inspiration from the shop floor. Torque Authority is not your average industry blog—it's a spark fired from the shop meant to reignite your drive, your grit, and your purpose.

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Each edition delivers a hint of humor and a dose of inspiration drawn from real moments under the hood—lessons on leadership, resilience, and persistence.

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The aim of this newsletter is to help you build a highly skilled, confident, and high-paying automotive future—on your terms.

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Time is running out! This next week, Torque Authority is hosting a LIVE LAB on Tuesday, August 19th at 1:30PM EST!

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Experienced Technicians looking to save time, new technicians wanting to build confidence, and shop owners looking for smarter, faster diagnostics, this is for you!
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Join us in one month for Diagnose Electrical in 30 Minutes or Less.
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We're going to cover the essential tips, tricks, and tools to confidently diagnose automotive electrical faults in no time.

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From the Driver's Seat—Featured Story

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It started with a 6 hour drive. And then 15 minutes later, I drove straight back home.

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Ever said a word so many times that it starts to sound funny? Well, there’s two that come straight to my mind for me: intermittent, and pin-fitment. If there ever was an evangelist for these two concepts in the automotive industry, I’d be him.

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Modern cars have hundreds of connectors and thousands of terminals and pins. And which, unfortunately, can result in lots of intermittent conditions.

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You know the kind; the ones that the customer comes in, and says that every 436.8 miles, the [fill-in-the-blank] light comes on. But then it goes away like nothing ever happened.
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After driving 6 hours to this dealer, I found the technician that was working on the customer's vehicle for this assigned case, and we started talking about the concern. He let me know he hadn’t duplicated it, but he’d seen all of the codes in history, and there were a LOT of them, all communication codes.

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He’d replaced the gateway module along with a couple of other computer modules, but the customer kept coming back a month or two after each visit.
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“Did you check pin fitment?” I asked.

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“Well, no. We don’t have the tool for that” he replied without meeting my gaze.

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A little exasperated, I strolled out to my car, grabbed my terminal test kit, and walked back in. Together, we identified the proper terminal test tool from the kit, and went straight to the area of the concern.

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Carefully, we checked the pin fitment, and found that it was, unlike the Grinch’s heart, several sizes too large.

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And with that, the technician ordered a replacement terminated lead, installed it, and the car was given back to the customer.

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The difference this time: We knew it wouldn’t come back.

Remember, we've created a free online Skool community where fellow troubleshooters, thinkers, and diagnostic detectives can swap stories, wisdom, and wiring diagrams. 'Torque Authority' isn't just a newsletter, it's the start of a movement. Come be a founding member by joining the party here:

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Join Torque Authority Hub: Where Automotive Technicians Transform into Diagnostic Daredevils. Embrace your worth, master your craft, and drive towards financial autonomy with a community that gets it.

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We hope you enjoyed the story! Please share this article with a friend if you did.

In this section each week we highlight a person—an innovator, subscriber, engineer, or even a business—who has made a positive impact in our industry. This is the place in Torque Authority where their authority in the Automotive Industry is highlighted.

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This week's highlight is on David Johnson – President & CEO at National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)

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From pioneering EV service strategies to leading global service operations, David Johnson has spent over two decades shaping the way our industry diagnoses, repairs, and retains talent.

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Now at the helm of ASE, David is driving forward the mission to recruit, train, and retain the next generation of automotive professionals—ensuring the gold standard in technician certification stays ahead of rapidly evolving technology. He is an advocate for technicians and regularly raises his voice to ensure technicians are recognized for all they do.

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Before ASE, he led Ford’s Service Engineering Operations worldwide, managing $3B in programs, 1,200 staff, and dealer support in over 100 markets. His work spanned everything from connected vehicle telematics to the industry’s largest aluminum collision repair initiative, keeping repair costs in check while advancing vehicle technology.

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From startups to global OEMs, David’s career blends strategic vision with on-the-ground impact—transforming service operations, protecting brand quality, and elevating the role of the professional technician. Thank you Dave, for your incredible impact in the Automotive Industry!

One quote of wisdom for you to consider this week...

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This is where we share one practical resource: a tool, app, book, strategy, or event which can have a positive impact in YOUR life.

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Coming soon from Torque Authority: a Universal Test Probe Kit built to take the guesswork (and the gouge) out of terminal testing.

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Forget shelling out hundreds for every OEM’s proprietary set—this kit has precision-fit probes for the major manufacturers, complete with reference charts so you’ll know exactly which terminal test probe to use.

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Why it matters? Pin-fitment issues are one of the top culprits behind those maddening intermittent electrical faults—as explained in this week's Featured Story (above). With the right probe in hand, you can test terminal tension accurately, catch problems early, and stop throwing parts at the problem.

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It’s the one kit you’ll keep within arm’s reach—because once you have it, you’ll wonder how you ever diagnosed without it.

Time is almost up—next Tuesday, August 19th at 1:30PM EST, Torque Authority is going live for an interactive, no-fluff session you can put to work immediately.

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Who’s it for?

• Experienced techs tired of chasing electrical gremlins for hours.
• New techs ready to build confidence and sharpen skills.
• Shop owners who want faster turnarounds and happier customers.

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Topic: Diagnose Electrical in 30 Minutes or Less​
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You’ll get the exact tips, tricks, and tools to slash diagnostic time without cutting corners—straight from the bay floor to your screen.

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Seats are limited—lock in your spot now and take control of your diagnostics game.

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