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If you’re on social media nowadays, chances are you could have stumbled on various DIY ‘hack’ videos where a content creator typically shares easy tips on a range of topics.
And while these tips are handy when it comes to food, for example, in the case of car repairs and maintenance, a new study has found these videos are doing more harm than good.
According to Auto Trader UK, which analysed 130 TikTok videos under the #CarTok umbrella, nearly 60 per cent “should be met with caution”.
“TikTok is becoming one of the go-to search engines, offering inspiration and education content from experienced creators,” Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Auto Trader, said in a media statement.
“But drivers should be wary as many videos on TikTok are intended to shock audiences and to gain interaction and engagement.
“We found that a staggering 59 per cent of the videos offer advice that is not recommended to drivers and could potentially leave your vehicle with more damage if followed.”
The UK-based marketplace website said that 81 per cent of car cleaning videos could lead to vehicle damage, while 90 per cent of car repair videos found on the social media platform “should not be attempted by inexperienced mechanics”.
Stuart Charity, the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) – an industry body with members across the entire maintenance and repair chain – said the biggest concern “is when these videos oversimplify complex repairs”.
“You see influencers making things like brake replacements, timing belt swaps or even Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) calibrations look easy, and that’s dangerous. A small mistake in these repair tasks can have massive safety implications,” Charity told Drive.
The CEO of the AAAA said another key issue of these videos is the spread of misinformation during the DIY repair process.
“Not everyone making these videos is a qualified mechanic, and we’ve seen some pretty bad advice – using the wrong fluids, skipping critical steps, or promoting unsafe shortcuts.
“What really concerns us is the rise of misleading content. The idea that you can fix a major issue with a cheap workaround. In some cases, these DIY mistakes don't just affect the person doing the repair – they can put other road users at risk too.
“But what these videos don’t tell you is what happens when it goes wrong. If you install the wrong part, damage something else in the process, or fail to calibrate a critical system, you could be looking at a much bigger repair bill.”
Jeff Smit, Technical Editor and Director of The Automotive Technician (TAT) – a technician and repair industry body with 5000 Australian members, said basic maintenance isn't so much the problem, “as when people start to dabble in the more technical side of it is when people get themselves into a lot of strife”.
“We get it all the time, customers bringing cars in or people that have been recommended to ring me because they've been here, been there or tried this or tried that hasn't worked," Smit told Drive.
“From a consumer point of view, they've got to be very careful on what point they undertake repairs or servicing their own car because the consequences can be quite dramatic and expensive."
Further compounding the issue is that modern vehicles are equipped with advanced electronic systems that require qualified technicians to safely diagnose and repair them.
“Cars today aren't like the old days where they were primarily mechanical systems, and you could just swap out a part and be done with it,” Charity told Drive.
“There are sensors, computer-controlled systems, and software updates involved. A lot of these DIY videos completely skip over things like electronic resets, software flashes, or ADAS calibrations and that's where drivers can get caught out.
“They think they've saved money. But in reality, they've just created a bigger problem down the track. While DIY can be great for simple maintenance jobs, when it comes to safety-critical repairs or anything involving modern car technology, the cheapest option is to get it done right the first time by a qualified professional.”
Additionally, Smit said some models with multiple variants also contribute to the complexity of undertaking a DIY repair and maintenance.
“There are so many variances to a repair on different makes and models of cars or even sometimes the same make and model of car, depending on what system is in that vehicle, it changes that process or that repair or service,” he told Drive.
“So it's very hard for a consumer that's watching a YouTube video of a bloke working on a Subaru Liberty who shows you how to change your gearbox [for example].
“The risk is that the gearbox in that person's car is different to the one that the influencer is showing and therefore you are not doing it correctly. And that's a classic example where people drain a gearbox at a certain point but then refill it at the wrong one.
“That's probably the bigger risk, because there are so many variances out there in every make and model that you can't be sure that the video you are watching is exactly the same as your vehicle.”
Social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram can be useful when it comes to basic maintenance of a vehicle.
“Social media can be a great tool when it's used responsibly. Where we see real value is in educating drivers about preventative maintenance – things like checking tyre pressure, understanding warning lights, or knowing when it's time to book a service,” Charity told Drive.
“A well-made video from a qualified mechanic can demystify car care and help people make informed decisions about looking after their vehicles,” he added.
Jeff Smit from TAT agreed, but warned the internet isn't always a credible source for reliable information.
“So [if it's] to educate a consumer about their car and what's happening and why and that sort of stuff, by all means hit the internet, but be wary. Not all of it is factual," he said.
“It is people's opinions, and in a lot of cases, those opinions may not be a hundred per cent correct.
"So [consumers] have to be careful not to overstep the line or cross the line in the sand, and start to pull something apart before they've got enough real factual information about what they're doing, and the likely outcomes of what they're doing might be.”
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
