An automotive technician is going viral on TikTok after issuing a PSA to drivers who take their cars to dealerships for service, warning that shops don’t always get it right—and in some cases may try to upsell costly repairs.

 

User @menjicar, a master automotive technician based in Los Angeles, shared the story of a woman he says was nearly hit with a massive transmission bill. According to him, an unnamed dealership tried “to charge a lady thousands of dollars for a new transmission or a used one.”

 

He walked viewers through the dealership’s findings. The shop had identified what it described as “fine shavings” in the transmission fluid. But @menjicar said that’s “perfectly fine” in many cases, especially for vehicles with more than 80,000 miles. He added that after the dealership drained the transmission fluid, a warning light appeared.