Kiwi Subaru technician performs with distinction at Subaru World Technical Competition

Subaru New Zealand is immensely proud of Subaru Technician Tom Sanders’ performance at the prestigious Subaru World Technical Competition (SWTC), recently held in Japan.

His efforts at the SWTC provided a powerful example of the value that skilled, customer-focused technicians bring to Subaru’s service standards. While Sanders, who works for Authorised Subaru Centre Southern Motor Group in Dunedin, did not claim a podium finish this year, his skill, dedication, and commitment to customer-focused excellence set an inspiring benchmark.

The 2024 SWTC’s theme was ‘Stand For Customer,’ and focused on a customer-centric approach in the vehicle diagnostics and repair tests. By adopting this perspective, technicians were encouraged to not only resolve issues effectively but also to exceed customer expectations by delivering an exceptional service experience. 

Subaru of New Zealand General Manager Tim Barns-Lawton says: “The competition underscored Subaru’s commitment to excellence by awarding points for best practices such as using guard covers and maintaining a clean workspace. This was to reinforce the importance of care and professionalism in the service bay.”

The competition tasks spanned three complex faults within the powertrain and body electrical categories, and contestants were given 90 minutes to accurately diagnose and resolve them. After an initial 5 minutes dedicated to preparing diagnostic tools, contestants worked efficiently within the remaining 85 minutes, demonstrating technical knowledge, adaptability, and poise under pressure.

Representing Subaru New Zealand, Sanders faced the first challenge: a no-crank, no-start condition within the powertrain system—a compound fault that required both precision and speed. His task began with diagnosing the root cause of a starter motor malfunction, traced to an open circuit in the communication line from the keyless entry system. Once resolved, Sanders skilfully identified a secondary issue affecting the fuel pump relay’s power supply, which prevented fuel from reaching the engine. By systematically addressing each fault, he showed his thorough understanding of Subaru’s electrical systems.

The second challenge shifted the focus to the body electrical category, with a compound issue in the blower motor of the air conditioning and heating system. Sanders quickly diagnosed high resistance across the blower motor relay’s control coil as the root cause of a non-functional blower. After replacing the faulty relay, he noticed an unusual harmonic sound at full blower speed, indicating an object obstructing the motor. This attention to detail and commitment to root-cause verification exemplified Subaru’s customer-centric philosophy, as he took steps to ensure the problem was fully resolved.

The final challenge involved inoperative front seat heaters, initially appearing to be the result of a blown fuse. However, Sanders carefully examined the system for the underlying cause, understanding that simply replacing the fuse could lead to repeat failure. His diagnostic skills quickly led him to a short circuit in the power supply line, caused by a wire shorted to ground. Sander’s thorough approach prevented a recurrence and demonstrated his comprehensive understanding of Subaru’s diagnostic expectations.

Throughout each task, Sanders displayed remarkable professionalism under competitive pressure, navigating minor setbacks and recalibrating his approach with calm focus. His attention to detail earned additional points, not only for confirming repairs but for ensuring each vehicle was clean and all tools returned to their proper place.

Barns-Lawton says the brand was extremely proud of Sanders’ efforts.

 “We hope Tom’s journey will inspire other technicians to aspire toward excellence in service, embodying Subaru’s dedication to putting the customer first in every repair. We congratulate Tom and look forward to other Subaru technicians taking up this opportunity in the future as we strive for continuous improvement for our Subaru customers."

Catherine Pattison
Public Relations
Inchcape New Zealand Limited

M: +64 27 4455389
E: catherine.pattison@inchcape.co.nz