Much has been said about cars that suck to work on. Too much, in fact, that the internet is swamped with tales of misery, and I want to do the opposite of that. Let’s talk about what happens when designers and engineers think of the people who’ll be wrenching on their vehicles. Called “design for serviceability,” it makes working on your car a little bit easier, possibly even turning a chore into a joy.
Easy as it is to harp on German complexity, I must say that cabin air filter placement on most BMWs is excellent. It sits atop the cowl, meaning you don’t have to empty your glovebox to change a cabin filter and any accumulated dust doesn’t end up in your interior. Just pop the hood, loosen a couple screws, and replace the filter. Simple as that.
Likewise, I’m a huge fan of the trapdoor-style engine air filter changes on the Kia Telluride. Just drop the door on the side of the airbox, pivot two tabs, and the filter slides right out. No messing about with unwieldy clip-on filter lids or screwed-together airboxes. Sure, it’s a little touch, but it makes life easier, and that’s what it’s all about.
So, let’s celebrate examples of design for serviceability, when manufacturers made it unusually easy to carry out maintenance or repairs. Whether you want to celebrate cartridge-style oil filters or laud easy-to-replace headlight bulbs, the comment section is yours for the taking.
(Photo credits: Thomas Hundal)
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I’m going to vote for the adoption of metric hardware and some of the newer fasteners that almost never round out like triple-square, torx, and e-torx.
I love that I have been able to put all my Imperial tools in a separate dusty toolbox and no longer have to do the mental gymnastics of heading for a 11/32 socket if the 5/8 is too small. Now, if only the domestic aftermarket parts industry would get out of the 1970s with their insistence on supplying parts with SAE hardware.
On the metric front, kudos for supplying torque values in N-m instead of ft-lb (sometimes) and in-lb (when they feel like it).
My one metric peeve would be the 5.5mm wrench/socket, but we can save that for another post.
Modern electrical plugs are both a blessing and a curse. If you have done major work on .an old car without plugs can be a pain, even if you have a wiring diagram. I am looking at you Lucas bullet connectors.
But they can also be a pain in the ass, as the tend to like to crack and since they are unique to the car, it’s not like you can just run down to the the parts store and pick up a new one.
My Polo has a brake pad wear circuit, (on a single pad, on a single wheel). When I went to replace the pad the first time, the connector snapped on the body side, so the only solution was to splice the wires together and do without the brake pad wear system.
Old school here, but c4 corvette fuel pumps are replaced from above through the filler access. Four bolts gets you access and you don’t need to even drain the tank, let alone drop it.
The Honda J-series has little metal tabs above the cam gears as and as far as I know their only purpose is to help keep the timing belt from falling off while you’re installing it.
Also shout out to any valve cover that has bolts that don’t come all the way out so I don’t drop them all in the engine bay.
I had a Ford Escort that was the easiest car ever for replacing headlight bulbs. You didn’t have to move anything out of the way, and there was plenty of room to get your hand in there to rotate the collar and remove the bulb. Small detail, but this car went through a lot of bulbs for some reason, so it was nice that it only took a minute or two to change out.
I wonder how it is some cars get well thought out maintenance features?It’s obviously not planned or they’d be consistent across model lines.
Do the engineers work on such things secretly,slipping them into the build without telling their boss?Even more fun- do they blackmail their boss?
Or does it all come down to imperfect resource management? i.e they do this stuff while waiting for other projects.
They’ll design components for whatever car they come out with, the next model they design has big concessions to package the existing hardware into a new shell, and it continues to stack as they add features and components that weren’t designed together (doubly so if they come from different suppliers). It’s gotten a little better as most cars that share parts nowadays also share platforms, but before scalable platforms it was pretty rough. There are also packaging constraints, FWD cars tend to have a more cramped bay due to having to fit the entire driveline between the struts.
Did I miss it in the comments? Honda fuel pumps! Also, I really appreciate electrical connectors that are idiot proof
Let me guess- they dont put it inside the tank (like my stupid cars)?
The ones I’ve tooled on from the 80’s/90’s are removable from either the trunk or under the rear seat depending on the model.
Credit to my Alfa Giulia, changing the engine air filter took about 5 minutes at lazy speed.
My nomination for best example of design for serviceability: hydropneumatic Citroens’ ability to jack themselves up to facilitate a tire change
I have to give credit to Ford for their solution to the lousy position of the oil filter in my ’14 Expedition – they put a little plastic rain gutter-funnel underneath it that is placed such that the oil that drains out of the filter when you loosen it is caught and funneled to drain through a hole in the belly pan put there for the purpose. That might be the only example I’ve ever seen where they *added a part with no other function* other than to make service easier.
The other thing I’ll call out about modern cars, more generally, that make them easier to work on than the classics is o-ringed gaskets instead of paper or cork and RTV. Changing the water pump on my old 351 Windsor without inducing water or oil leaks was a nightmare, but changing it on the 3.7 v6 in the Mustang was literally a 20 minute affair, all-in. If I hadn’t had to (partially) drain the coolant I wouldn’t have even needed to jack the car up – pop hood, remove accessory belt, unbolt water pump, bolt in new water pump, put on accessory belt, fill coolant. Done.
My first thought was just making things so much more likely to last in the first place. No more points, condenser, cap, rotor, plugs, plug wires, fan belts, hoses, starter, main seal, various gaskets, and muffler replacement every year or so. Dash lights last nearly forever. To get 200000 miles of no internal motor maintenance as the norm now would shock the teenage me in the 1980s working on garbage American malaise cars.
Volvo (and others) have made replacing the front headlights in many of their modern (pre-LED) cars (up to 2014ish). Changing a headlight is as simple as:
-Open hood.
-Remove two vertical retainer bars and set in a safe place.
-Lift headlamp assembly, access all bulbs.
-Installation is the opposite of removal.
Compare to, say, the prior generations of chevy Malibu – the ones with the vertical rear end and circular taillights inset in the red field – where replacing headlamps’ procedure STARTS with “Remove front bumper cover” and takes about an hour.
Same with the headlights on my GMT800 Suburban. Changing bulbs was a no-tools-required breeze. Good one!
On a Citroen BX you can remove the entire headlamp just by opening the hood and pulling the headlight off its 4 posts. No fasteners and no tools required, just two working hands. I’ve never seen that on any other car.
On a Peugeot 206 the engine bay is pretty crammed, and one one side there is just enough room to remove a headlight bulb, and you’ll probably scrape your hand on the way. On the other side, the filler for the washer fluid is right smack in the way.
However, with a quick twist, the neck of the filler comes off, giving you (just) enough room to change the bulb, without having to remove the entire washer bottle (which would be a pain).
Well I’m gonna celebrate the easy-to-access oil filter and the all-around easy service with my Honda Fit. I still remember the oil filter location on my old Ford Escort with the 1.9L CVH engine… on the back of the engine about half way up that you had to get to by contorting your way through a rats nest of hoses, wires and pipes.
My GMT400 had an under-hood light (a benefit that itself is becoming less and less common) that was on a retractable cord and (IIRC) magnetic, so you could move it around the engine bay.
That light was great except on the dim side. An LED bulb really makes it perfect! (Although then it no longer warms the hand of the assistant who holds in on the dark night as you struggle… sorry kids)
Ive never heard of such a thing! Wow
Flip up front end on a triumph spitfire makes working on anything under the hood (bonnet) extremely easy, too bad up the front end is always up!
Nowadays the feature that makes my vehicle more capable for self maintenance is a higher ground clearance to get underneath.
Unfortunately, as the years go on, I need more and more ground clearance to do anything.
Actually higher quality fittings and materials really make things better. On the downside considering the ease and frequency it should be better. First no plastic under the hood. Second a decent fitting but you shouldn’t need 6 bolts to replace an air filter. Make them reachable. Dipsticks anybody? My Isuzu Vehicross had no transmission dipstick. Checking level needed a level of sophisticated maneuvers that make a baby proofed house a easy mode of movement. I think manufacturers should make at least a few things easily maintained or checked just to give the guy or gal a feeling of accomplishment on maintained vehicle.
After a decade of GM ownership I have gone back to Subaru. Not because I want the AWD. Not because I like their marketing. Not even because I like the pathetic fuel mileage.
They’re dirt simple for a home mechanic to service. Significantly easier to work on than most. Even a transmission replacement is a pretty simple job that can be done in a driveway with basic hand tools. No lift required. Timing belt (which is a normal maintenance item on any car that has one) is accessible without needing to disassemble the accessory belt drive. Starter and clutch slave cylinder are easily accessed from the top. Rear brake lines run inside the cabin, which keeps most of the line away from salt. Fuel, air, and oil filters are easily accessible under the hood. And when switching from generation to generation, a lot of these good ideas get carried over. Some might call that lazy engineering, but I appreciate how easy it is to jump between generations. And I appreciate how many things they continue to keep serviceable, even on their new cars.
Yes, spark plugs are a chore. Yes, I’m disappointed by that. But they only take a few minutes to change, so I shouldn’t complain. They’re a lot better than the typical transverse-mounted V6 engine with plugs shoved into the firewall.
Don’t forget that Subaru oil filters sit stop the engine. Cha gong the oil in a subi is a 15 minute affair, since you have 8.7 inches of ground clrarna ce you don’t even need to hack up the car. An oil change takes a 14mm wrench and your hands… Fantastic!
Yes. Call me sheltered, but this is the bare minimum I expect from a car.
Hence my disappointment with most cars currently in production.
My 08 Outback with the ring of fire and and sharp edges around the oil filter would respectfully disagree.. But to the original point, they improved it later on!
Yes! When my wife purchased a Forester, this is one of the things I got most excited about. It’s not just easy to get to, it’s proudly sitting there in plain sight.
At the time I was driving an SX4, and that filter was an absolutely nightmare to get to for anyone with adult-sized hands.
I put a Fumoto valve on mine, so I don’t even need a wrench. Do need ramps though; the WRX is pretty low on ground clearance
“Rear brake lines run inside the cabin”
That seems like a smart safety idea that deserves to catch on!
The rear section of line still hasta go out near the wheels, so the lines still rust out in the rust belt. But, with a majority of the line protected, you have access to fresh, unrusted line simply by folding the rear seat forward. No more struggling underneath the car to find a “good” spot to cut & splice the old line!
I think a proper safety upgrade (for all models of car) would be stainless brake lines…
“The rear section of line still hasta go out near the wheels”
That makes sense
Yes, I agree, Subarus (I’ve only worked on 2005 and older) are very easy for the home mechanic to work on with limited tools with lots of room under the hood and most things easy to access. In comparison, I looked under the hood of my girlfriend’s (DT/JT-era Sienna) and it was so crammed, I wouldn’t even know how to start.
The accessory belts are right in front of you. The alternator is front top center and under 10 minutes to change.
I’ve read about people having trouble bleeding the coolant system in some Subarus, and I initially had some problem with trapped air by the thermostat in my ’96, even with one of those big funnel reservoirs that attach to the radiator. But then I RTFM and there’s a vent plug on the top of the radiator that you open when pouring coolant in that eliminates trapped air. Re-filling the radiator with that open made bleeding a snap.
The washer fluid reservoir pops out for access to spark plugs, which I found really easy on the EJ22 and easy on the EJ25. My dad’s H6 was a bit more tricky but having a combination of different short extensions and wobbles did the trick. Even the H6 can be done by any home mechanic with some patience.
I normally wouldn’t have considered working on AC because I don’t have a way to recover the refrigerant, but on my Legacy that hadn’t had working AC in 23 years (live in Alaska), I was sure it was empty. And Subaru made it easy to repair with the AC compressor right at the top. The two O-rings at the compressor lines that are the common leak point according to the internet were comfortably accessible and easy to change (also changed the Schrader valves to be safe). The listed full charge was 24oz, so no messing with guessing at pressures (with the AC manifold and vacuum pump borrowed from Autozone). Two full canisters did the trick and now it’s been blowing ice cubes for the past year.
The oil filter on my old non-lifted Legay is underneath the car. But it’s in front next to the drain plug. Both are within easy reach just lying on the ground in front of the car. No jacking up the car required.
I remember seeing all the wires under the intake manifold thinking it was intimidating for a home mechanic to get under there to replace the coolant cross-over pipe O-rings. Then I found out that the harness is attached to the bottom of the intake manifold such that it comes off together. You just need to unplug a few sensors and switches.
Not that I’ve done it, but Subaru made engine removal easy too. Experienced Subaru mechanics get the engine out in 45 minutes without breaking a sweat. Having watched videos on how to do it, I’d consider buying a cheap engine hoist to DIY.
And not something Subaru made, but YouTubers MrSubaru1387, Ericthecarguy (on a 2nd gen Legacy back in the day), and SubaruOnly have done a great job showing home mechanics how easy it is to work on old Subarus.
whoa! I’m going to get a subaru!
I just wish they didn’t chew through those easily replaceable CV joints like candy, or at least the old late ’80s and early ’90s ones. Those engines were dead reliable, other components not so much.
Design for maintenance is one of my pet causes in industry. I applaud these efforts. In college I worked on all my friends cars for cash/beer. I had a stocked toolbox and a good jack. An early 80’s FWD Toyota needed an alternator. The packaging was tight and I was about at begin swearing. Then I saw the strategically placed hole in the front subframe structure and fender well. A long extension on the ratchet and easy peasy. These things can be designed for.
Contrast with the W-body GM I had. Alternator removal took 13″ of extension bar AND 2 universal joints. Else a box wrench and 10 degrees each turn.
I think they are but hidden from DIYers.
My 1st Gen Chevy Volt has an oil drain plug that points straight down. I love it even though I only have to change the oil once a year or less. For some reason with every other vehicle, I can never get the oil pan lined up so I have to do clean up when I’m done.
Android left inside.
The rear lights on most cars, no need to remove body panels.
Wiper blades, slide off bad, slide on good.
My 1969 Ranger Pickup, the front beam had a divot to allow the oil to come out in one spot.
I would maintain wiper blades easy maintenance is due to wiper blade manufacturing not car design.
You would think that but I have run into issues with the arms not raising or a special order blade only valid for the car.
I get you but I buy older vehicles and have swapped blades at 3am outside in a snow storm. It is better.
Im always so sad when David does any differential work on Jeeps because it looks like such an annoying mess compared to the drain and fill of 3rd member style differentials.
I’m quite happy with my 986 so far. The oil change was a breeze with a little pop-up funnel in the tube, which is in the rear trunk next to the dipstick (sadly removed in later models) and clear coolant bottle, which allows for coolant level checks as well as top-ups. The filter and plug were easy to get to with the car on ramps, and once I wanted to go deeper into the engine to check for vacuum leaks, the whole cover removal process was done in 5 minutes with no tools, including the time to watch a video on how to do it, even though I have the optional storage compartment that uses 3 extra 1/4 turn screws to fasten in place.
I also quite appreciate that the clutch helper spring, which makes the clutch lighter at the expense of feel, was held in solely by tension and could be pried out without undoing any fasteners. It’s almost like Porsche were inviting more serious drivers to remove it and reclaim the classic Porsche feel. I recommend you check your clutch out as well Tom, the helper spring takes a minute to remove and makes the clutch feel like a 964 (or so say the Boxster forum users fortunate enough to have driven one). All I can say is my shifts are much smoother and quicker now, and it doesn’t feel that heavy after a week.
All in all, for a car with a boxer engine mounted under the center section, it’s all fairly accessible.
Here’s the story of oil changes on 2 Volkswagens of the same generation:
Mk7 Golf & GTI (gas engines): oil filter (cartridge style) on top of engine and the oil pan & dipstick tube were designed to get all the oil out with an extractor, so to change the oil & filter you don’t need to crawl under the car, just open the hoodMk7 Golf TDI: the oil filter (still cartridge) is under the car in the front of the engine, but not all the way down, so there are 2 hoses that run under it; you need the car on a lift (you can’t do it just by crawling under, not enough ground clearance) and when you remove the filter you get black sooty diesel oil running down your raised arm all the way to your elbow, and sometimes on your face
It’s like the engineers who designed them were from 2 different galaxies
BMW made sure that every trim fastener breaks upon removal, which makes it really easy to plan out your parts list in advance…
Hey that’s not fai-
*snap*
Sigh, time to open up another RockAuto vs FCPEuro comparison.
It did eventually get to the point that I wised up and bought actual trim tools, so I’d at least have a shot at not breaking both sides of a joint or connector.
I’m not sure what components of a modern German car are meant to last past the lease period, but it’s a shortening list with each passing generation.
In addition to the easy cabin air filter and easy oil change, I like that bmw gives me a center jack point! Such a pain raising cars without them when you don’t have a lift.