Yes, but not the updated ones.
That probably depends on your skill level of working on vehicles really.
So I thought I would update this on my 12/21 build '22 WT since I find myself in mud and muddy water often. I ordered the MB3Z-10317-J part number and the box was marked as being such. I noticed the box had been opened, then resealed. Inside the part number molded into the shield itself is shown as MB3E-10317-DB....but the DB is marked out with a paint pen, and "BD" is written in. I assume "MB3E" is the "engineering part number"? What do you think is up with the written in digits in the P/N? Do you think some of these got molded with the wrong P/N and they "reworked them"? Seemed kind of strange.
Possible the engineering number was just stamped incorrectly.So I thought I would update this on my 12/21 build '22 WT since I find myself in mud and muddy water often. I ordered the MB3Z-10317-J part number and the box was marked as being such. I noticed the box had been opened, then resealed. Inside the part number molded into the shield itself is shown as MB3E-10317-DB....but the DB is marked out with a paint pen, and "BD" is written in. I assume "MB3E" is the "engineering part number"? What do you think is up with the written in digits in the P/N? Do you think some of these got molded with the wrong P/N and they "reworked them"? Seemed kind of strange.
Maybe. Configuration control is one of the most critical functions of engineering.... particularly if they go off setting records for the number of recalls. Mismarking parts is not going to help that "little" situation.
it was cheaper to pull out a grease pencil than spend the $$$ for a new injection moldSo I thought I would update this on my 12/21 build '22 WT since I find myself in mud and muddy water often. I ordered the MB3Z-10317-J part number and the box was marked as being such. I noticed the box had been opened, then resealed. Inside the part number molded into the shield itself is shown as MB3E-10317-DB....but the DB is marked out with a paint pen, and "BD" is written in. I assume "MB3E" is the "engineering part number"? What do you think is up with the written in digits in the P/N? Do you think some of these got molded with the wrong P/N and they "reworked them"? Seemed kind of strange.
Yup and that is how companies spiral down the quality toilet. Seen it a few times. Those little things all pile up over time and the next thing you know, you're breaking records for recalls.
I would agree if it was something that had any type of safety concern at all, but I don’t think there’s any cause for concern with an alternator shield. Either way, it’s just a guess that is what happened.
It's not that THIS specific issue is a problem. It's when company leadership knowingly stops taking action to resolve small nonconformities to save time and/or money. All these "little" unimportant things with parts and processes start accumulating. Eventually, the "little things" finding each other in the operation and combine to create larger, and larger "issues" and those larger issues find each other to create big problems that might end up as a recall. An insignificant mismarked part + a typo on an assy. drawing + an outdated process spec + new employee....BAM, HUGE QA ESCAPEMENT THAT NO ONE SAW COMING! Trying to fix this spider web of part and process failures a few years or decades down the road becomes a daunting task, and may take more time and money than the company has to spend...or they just live with the random, out of control failures and blame QA and the unions for the disasters. I've seen it play out.
