“We take all product feedback seriously.”
When fixing something on a car, it can be tempting to go for a cheaper part over a more expensive one.
In some cases, it may make sense to go cheap. For example, it’s probably okay to load up on cheap plastic retainer clips. In some cases, it may even make sense to go for cheaper light bulbs instead of their more expensive alternatives.
However, in most cases, getting the cheapest option will end up with you having to do another repair further down the line.
Unfortunately, many mechanics, both amateur and professional, are now finding themselves in the difficult position of being forced to opt for cheaper alternatives. Supply chain issues and other related problems mean that shops must wait for a long time to get the high-quality parts that they want—if they can even get them at all.
As a consequence of this lack of availability, shops can find themselves recommending and installing parts that, in other circumstances, they would have written off. This can result in some pretty bad situations, as one user on TikTok recently shared.
In a video with over 3,000 views, TikTok user @mozalez_autorepair says that he’s had to tow a single car three different times, costing him almost $700. The reason? Problems with a single cooling fan made by Dorman Auto Parts.
“This is the third time I’ve had to tow in this vehicle because of this cooling fan,” the TikToker says. While he could replace it with a fan made by another brand, “nobody else offers anything else, and if it is [offered], it’s freaking days out or special order, and then the dealer says discontinued or on back order.”
According to the TikToker, the problem is not with the fan itself. Instead, the problem lies within the wiring.
“For whatever reason, inside, you can wiggle it, and then the fan will turn on. Wiggle it, fan will turn on—but it’s losing connection right in here, every single freaking time,” the TikToker summarizes.
He concludes by showing the part number and begging Dorman to resolve the issue and “save a headache for everybody else.”
Others have reported similar issues with Dorman cooling fan assemblies.
For example, one Ford owner on a forum claimed he installed a Dorman fan in his car. While it appeared to work fine initially, it soon stopped working. The owner took it to a mechanic, who told him that “there was a loose connection in the module.” While it was able to be repaired temporarily, the fix only worked for about half a day before burning out again.
Additional reviews of Dorman fans echo some of these complaints. One reviewer claimed that a Dorman fan was a “great fan” with a “poor connector.” Issues with the fans’ connectors seem fairly widespread, with multiple forum posts noting problems with the fan connecting to the car.
If you find yourself in this situation, there are thankfully a few solutions.
First, the part may be under warranty. Dorman advertises a limited lifetime warranty for its parts. While it may not cover the towing fees, it will at least mean fewer costs on future parts.
Next, you can try to find a new part. While the TikToker claims he had difficulty sourcing parts, there are now numerous part manufacturers, many of which produce high-quality goods. He may want to consider installing a part from them before moving forward with another from the company he says he knows makes a defective product.
Users in the comments section offered their own suggestions.
“Did you check for over amping on the ground side to cause high resistance to cause this issue?” asked a user. “All you have to do is call the doorman rep and he will look directly into this for you and they will reimburse you this stuff. Dorman is a very very good company if you take the time to go and call them and deal with them directly. Those guys over there are really awesome. And if you’ve had three failures on the same thing, there might be something in that car that’s causing that.”
“Dealer dealer dealer. Find a parts guy at the dealer that actually knows his [expletive],” stated another. “I’ve had it so many times where they told me they are back ordered and when I talk to my guy he can usually get it next day.”
In an email to Motor1, a Dorman spokesperson shared the following statement:
“At Dorman, everything we do is centered around creating customer value, so we take all product feedback seriously. Our team has reached out directly to Mozalez Auto Repair to better understand his complaint, and is actively reviewing the issue raised.
We understand it’s critical that repair professionals have access to reliable replacement parts when servicing vehicles. With that in mind, quality testing and customer feedback are vital components of our product development and review processes.
As always, we encourage any repair professionals who experience an issue with one of our products to reach out to our customer service and technical support teams for assistance.”
Motor1 reached out to @mozalez_autorepair via email and Instagram direct message. We will update this story if he responds.
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