Technicians agree that it’s important to test every vehicle’s battery that comes through for service. Testing every vehicle improves battery sales, but more importantly it prevents customers from leaving the garage with a bad battery. The problem is, according to our analysis, even the most diligent service providers only test 50-60% of the vehicles that come through for service. This begs the question: “Why do technicians skip the battery test?”
Why Technicians Skip Battery Tests
The Time Conundrum
The answer is complicated. But most reasons boil down to time. In service garages, technicians are pressed for time. When a tech is faced with an obstacle that makes the battery test difficult, it is easy to rationalize skipping the battery test.
Limitations of Handheld Battery Testing
Limitations in handheld battery testing technology cause many of the obstacles which lead to technicians skipping the test. According to usage data, 15-20% of all attempted battery tests are faced with one of the following difficult scenarios that leads to a skipped battery test:
1. Battery too Discharged
The battery is too discharged to accurately test with a handheld and needs to be charged first (a.k.a. Charge and Retest or Decisiveness).
2. Hidden Battery Labels
The battery label is hidden or unreadable, requiring the technician to remove vehicle parts or look up the specs.
3. Battling Vehicle System Noise
The battery tester keeps getting interrupted by “system noise” errors due to the vehicle’s internal electronics.
MDX-AI: A Breakthrough in Battery Testing
Midtronics set out to solve the technological barriers to battery testing with MDX-AI, by leveraging our 38 years of experience, expertise, and innovations.
The MDX-AI Advantage
With MDX-AI, a handheld tester can:
- Eliminate charge and retest
- Diagnose batteries without a battery rating
- Provide instant diagnoses with zero user input in over 40% of quick lane scenarios
- Diagnose batteries despite system noise interruptions in the vehicle
- Provide professional-grade diagnostic accuracy
Unveiling Our First MDX-AI Powered Product
The first product to feature MDX-AI is coming in November. Powered by MDX-AI, this new battery tester will be lightning fast, simple to use, and have professional-grade accuracy. We expect this new tester to increase battery testing while saving technicians’ time. Stay tuned for more information on our first product to be powered by MDX-AI.
