I'm struggling to understand...

Today I was asked a question about something I'd never (practically) encountered before: "Reverse PFMEA". I was struggling to understand. So, I did the Google thing and discovered that it's a GM requirement and they appear to want someone to check to see if what's been put in the PFMEA is actually practiced! Oddly, they don't mention the Control Plan or the Process Flow diagram.

I've concluded that the auto industry doesn't have a good grasp of why and how internal QMS audits are performed. This reverse PFMEA malarky and also LPAs are simply something else to do because internal audit programs aren't run properly! Because they are often done (only) once or twice a year and rarely get into details, is the reason they miss many of the issues that these "new tools" have been created to fix! Of course, it's also compounded by clueless CB auditors who seem to think one internal audit a year is just fine and dandy... <smh>.

Just recently, I pulled out a 1) process flow chart, 2) the PFMEA and 3) the CP only to find glaring errors - including NOTHING for the reaction plan to the HIGHEST RPN on the FMEA! This isn't rocket science, so why do we keep adding levels of complexity, with new tools, dreamed up by people who don't grasp the basics? I'm struggling to understand...