Repair Facts

Acura Recommends Using Only OEM Parts on Structural Repairs—Here’s Why You Should Care

 

 

We always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for collision repairs.

 

If you’re in a collision and need to take your Acura to a shop for repairs, it only makes sense that you would want the job to be done as safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively as possible.  At our shop, one of the ways we can ensure the best possible repair for our customers is by adhering to the recommendations of each vehicle’s manufacturer.  

It is common practice in our industry for each vehicle manufacturer to provide “Position Statements” that explain the best methods for repairing their makes and models.  Unfortunately, some body shops toss this useful advice out the window.  Unlike those shops, we believe it’s imperative to study the information carefully and follow the recommendations as expressed by the manufacturer.

In the event of structural repairs, Acura has released a Position Statement recommending that only Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts be used on their vehicles:

“American Honda does not support the use of aftermarket, alternative, reverse-engineered, or anything other than original equipment Honda or Acura parts for the collision repair of any Honda or Acura vehicle.  Further, American Honda does not support the use or re-use of structural components that have been removed and salvaged or recycled from an existing vehicle that has been previously damaged.”

 

Image of Acura

 

Essentially, they are explaining that it would be detrimental to your safety if anything besides OEM structural parts are used in your repair.

How are structural parts different from any other parts?

Structural parts include floor elements, body panels, frame rails, and more that basically hold your vehicle together.  It’s especially important to preserve the integrity of your structural components, as they are the sections of your car that can help minimize damage in the event of a collision.  These parts are designed with crush zones that are intended to absorb the energy in a collision, giving you and your passengers additional protection. 

Here’s the problem with non-OEM structural parts.

There are plenty of aftermarket, recycled, and salvage structural parts available, but none of them will ever be as reliable or as structurally sound as new OEM parts.  

Aftermarket parts are developed to fit a range of makes and models, so they may not fit the exact specifications for placement on an Acura.  That means a technician would have to bend, heat, and employ other creative methods to get the part to fit properly.  

Recycled and salvage parts might seem like a good idea, but keep in mind that it’s nearly impossible to determine the quality of their condition by the time they get to you.  They might be from a car that was already involved in a collision or experienced extreme weather fluctuations or simply survived general wear and tear.  Even upon close inspection, it’s often impossible to see all the microscopic damage a salvage part might have endured.  Even very minor discrepancies in material or shape can cause a structural part to become less effective and, therefore, less safe to use on your vehicle.

It’s dangerous to use anything besides OEM parts in your repair.

The engineers at Acura have carefully designed their structural parts to work together seamlessly.  According to Acura: 

“Compromising any element of a collision energy absorption system or an occupant supplemental restraint system in the repair of a collision-damaged vehicle may have an adverse effect on occupant safety in any subsequent collision.”

 

Car crash from improper auto body repair

 

They are saying that disrupting even one structural element could throw the whole system off, leading to major problems down the road, including poor vehicle performance and less protection in a collision.

There’s no sense in taking chances with your safety.  OEM parts are higher quality than aftermarket parts.  OEM parts have also never been used, never been exposed to the elements, never been rendered defective by improper disassembly like recycled or salvage parts.  New structural parts are made to function optimally on your vehicle, increasing your car’s performance and your personal safety.

While other shops might disregard Acura’s recommendations, we respect this information because we care about the quality of your repair.

It might be surprising to you, but collision repair shops are not required to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.  There’s no one actually enforcing these Position Statements, so manufacturers are putting their trust in us to do as they recommend.  

At our shop, we genuinely care about every repair we do.  Because of this, we make sure to follow Acura’s recommendation of using new replacement structural parts, instead of taking chances with aftermarket and salvage components.  It is our mission to do what’s best for your vehicle’s performance and for your safety.

  

GM Is Specific ADAS Calibrations On Their Vehicles, Here’s How That Affects You

As the owner of a GM car about to get collision repair, you need to know that GM is very specific about their repair procedures. It is vital because not every auto body shop in this area follows the OEM procedures. Believe it or not, the body shop has a choice in how they fix cars. They can guess and just cut out the damage and weld in new parts (which is cutting a lot of corners), or they can take time, research the procedure, and fix the car the way the factory wants it. Which method do you think yields the safest and must undetectable, longest-lasting repair?

How This Affects You

 

What is even more concerning is the fact that when you guess how to fix a car, you have about a 100% chance of doing it wrong. This is because your vehicle is built from over 15 different high strength metals, and each type of steel has rules for how it can be heated, cut, hammered, or even if it can be welded or hammer and dollied at all. Bodymen are craftsmen, no doubt, but they are not engineers, so any time a body man guesses how to make a repair, they are putting your safety at risk. Maybe you will never get into another accident in this car, but do you want to take that chance?

Your GM vehicle is built with highly “Advanced Driver Assistance Systems’ Or ADAS for short. This includes the cameras and proximity sensors that operate everything from the backup camera, the parking assist, the steering, the brakes, the blind-spot monitors, and more. In fact, depending on how your vehicle is equipped, most new fully equipped cars could drive themselves with just a software upgrade. The technology is already built into your vehicle. Every mile you drive, your GM vehicle writes more code than a Boeing 747. We’re talking thousands of lines of code every minute. And if anything is off in those sensors as a result of the accident you just had or modifications you made to your car, the systems may not be functioning properly. And you won’t even know it in most cases because ADAS system malfunctions do not set warning lights like your engine does.

Body shops have to pay for access to the GM OEM repair procedures, and it is an expense that not all shops make. GM realizes this, and so they recently put out a free Advanced Driver Assistance Systems overview guide. This is not meant to be a substitute for the actual OEM procedures, the “Driver Assistance Systems” document will be a valuable means for shops, insurers, and consumers to learn the broad strokes.

The guide lists the official name, abbreviation, and “regular production option” code of each ADAS feature and explains what it does and what systems it relies on. It also describes when calibration will be required and the cause of calibration issues for certain parts.

How This Affects Your Auto Body Repair

 

Calibrations are necessary because after your car is repaired, all of the affected ADAS systems have to be recalibrated. This is a precise process and involves setting the car level, usually with a full tank of gas, and can even involve a lengthy road test. Sometimes the vehicle needs to be taken to the dealer to have the calibrations performed, and in some cases, we have a specialist that comes to the shop to perform our calibrations. This process can take several hours.

GM tells you what to look for, provides the RPO code on top of the information available through the VIN, and offers the actual brand name of the ADAS to search for in the repair procedures.

As a vehicle owner who may be comparing estimates from two body shops, here is what to look for to know whether your car is getting a proper OEM repair and calibration:

Does the estimate say R&R or R&I windshield?

Was a “collision repair” conducted?

Did an airbag blow?

A forward collision usually requires a recalibration of the “Frontview Camera – Windshield,” according to GM.

Even in minor collisions, GM warns against assuming that the camera is properly functioning, and the shop might have to verify its status with a scan.

In terms of the actual windshield camera calibration, the GM document states the technician should program the camera if necessary and research the full OEM procedures.

Some GM vehicles can start reprogramming themselves after the camera is replaced, but other GM models will need the GM scan tool to start the calibrations. It is important for the technician to know that they need to check the OEM repair documentation for your vehicle and ask your shop if they are doing so before you drop off your car for repair.

Other parts on your GM vehicle are equally nuanced in their repair requirements.

Park assist sensors need calibration on some vehicles but not others. A short-range radar sensor module doesn’t need calibration but must receive SPS programming as described in the OEM procedures if it is replaced.

If your vehicle is equipped with lane departure or blind-spot monitoring systems, GM says that no specific calibration is required as a part of service, simply drive the vehicle to begin calibration, but SPS programming is required after replacement.

Summary

Some of this information be a little technical for some, but it is important to know that unlike years past, collision repair has become extremely more complicated and involves way more technology, research, equipment, and expertise than in years past. That’s why we take the time to break it down for you and explain what is important to know, and why. And most of all, it is important that you ask your repairer these questions to determine if you are dealing with a shop that follows the correct process or a shop that cuts corners in order to meet tight deadlines in the name of production. We hope you found this informative and helpful.

Why Ford Says You Cannot Use Aftermarket Windshields, And Why You Should Care

 

If you own a Ford and your repair involves installing a new windshield, you only have one approved option- use an OEM Ford windshield, and here is why.

Ford and just about every other manufacturer put out “OEM Position Statements” to instruct repair shops on how their engineers want their cars repaired. This is based on many factors, including the construction of the vehicle, the specific requirements that each type of steel or aluminum needs and also factors that affect their safety and electronics systems.

 

Why this matters to you, the Ford owner

 

The problem is, as a consumer, You probably don’t know this, and it is easy to get steered in the wrong direction by a repair shop looking to cut corners and costs on repairs. But it could cost you.

 

Ford recently advised repair shops to use OEM windshield and side glass, warning that aftermarket glass could affect vehicle safety first of all, and it could compromise the built-in comfort technology by introducing wind noise, rattles, or leaks in the cabin. This is why you need to be sure that your repair shop is using OEM windshields in your repair.

 

From Ford:

“Ford Motor Company vehicles contain many state-of-the-art features that provide occupant safety and enhance the driving experience. Windshield and side glass play an integral role in the performance and functionality of these features.”

“During repairs that involve glass removal and replacement, it is critical that the vehicle is restored to proper operating condition.”

 

How aftermarket windshields affect the structural integrity of your Ford

 

Ford points out that the original glass used in manufacturing the car is designed for the maximum function, general safety, and structural integrity of your vehicle – the windshield is effectively part of the car’s frame. So the use of an aftermarket windshield could alter or even lessen the structural integrity of the vehicle.

According to Ford, “The quality, performance and safety of aftermarket replacement windshield and side glass may not meet Ford Motor Company’s exacting specifications and can result in key safety features not functioning properly and reduced customer satisfaction in the performance of their vehicle.” Safety problems will definitely result in reduced customer satisfaction with the car.

 

Ford Mustang Structure

The automaker also told collision repairers that you cannot reuse windshields in certain circumstances. “HUD windshields, windshield glass equipped with a camera bracket and windshield glass equipped with adhesive moldings must be replaced anytime the original glass is removed from the vehicle.”

 

How aftermarket glass affects your ADAS systems

 

The major and most critical concerns raised in the Ford position statement involve structural integrity and advanced driver assistance systems because using an aftermarket windshield might affect the performance of the camera mounted to it.

The camera needs to be precisely attached to the windshield. Ford certified windshields have camera brackets so the camera can be aimed properly. Cameras are designed with optical quality compatible with the camera.

Aftermarket windshields will not duplicate the precise location of the camera attachment brackets. They often will distort the image viewed by the camera. This hurts camera operations and hurts the proper operations of the ADAS system parts.

Why you need ADAS calibrations after a replacement

 

FORD ADAS recalibration

 

“Calibrations associated with windshield replacements must be completed in order for the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems to function correctly.” Some Ford vehicles are factory equipped with a “Heads Up Display,” and if your Ford is equipped with one, aftermarket glass might throw off the HUD. Certified replacement parts will provide the customer with the safest and most convenient operation of their car.

How aftermarket glass affects your financially

If your vehicle is still under factory warranty and one of your safety systems malfunctions due to OEM glass, you may be shocked to find that your warranty is voided with the use of aftermarket windshields. What might have been a repair covered under your factory warranty, you may have to pay out of pocket for the repair (and, possibly, a new OEM windshield) to fix the ADAS component.

Why Toyota Cares So Much About the Quality of Your Auto Body Repair, And So Should You

Toyota and the quest for brand loyalty after a repair

Certain brands have very loyal followings, Volkswagen, Subaru, and Toyota come to mind. Toyota and Subaru are sold as long-lasting, trouble-free vehicles, and the people who buy them tend to keep them in service for many years. Because of their longer than average length of ownership, statistically, these vehicles may also see some collision repair because the average driver needs collision repair once every seven years. Perhaps that describes you right now.

Brands like Toyota and Subaru have fought hard to build their loyalists and are very much in tune with what keeps an owner in their vehicles, purchase after purchase, without ever switching brands. It’s safe to say that these manufacturers have the recipe for brand loyalty dialed in. It was puzzling to Toyota when a customer decided on a different brand after trading in, and they wanted to learn why. So, Toyota conducted an independent study and was surprised at the outcome.

According to Toyota national manager of service and collision operations George Irving Jr., “believe it or not,” the strongest driver of brand loyalty is a collision repair order, bet you didn’t know that.”

This came as a major surprise when the results came in, according to Irving.

The impact on brand loyalty from a collision repair “far exceeded” a mechanical warranty issue, which also had a positive result on brand loyalty, he said. Unlike a warranty repair for a manufacturing defect, a collision repair warranty repair order “doesn’t work” for brand loyalty, he said. In other words, customers are more forgiving of a factory defect warranty than they are for a bad collision repair warranty issue.

 

So what is a collision repair warranty issue? 

 

On the day you pick up your car form the body shop, the work is fresh, the paint is fresh, and everything seems in order. But with bad collision repair, issues start to show up almost immediately. One day you are looking at your car as the sun is setting, and you notice the color doesn’t match the way it should. Or perhaps the steering feels off, or the door doesn’t shut right. Maybe you start to find water in the trunk or worse, and the paint starts bubbling.

What you probably didn’t realize when you picked up your car is that you are the victim of a “cut corners” collision repair.

A collision is about the worst thing that can happen to a driver, with the most potential for disaster (including death) to people and their cars. Even if you not injured, chances are you are badly shaken up. In order to feel confident that your car is as safe and long-lasting as it was before the accident, the quality of service you receive from the body shop, and the quality of workmanship in the repair are paramount to your sense of brand quality. In other words, if you have a bad experience with the repair, you will most likely blame it on the manufacturer for building a car that “turned out to be nothing but problems.” The research about the importance of the collision process gave the OEM a “real vision” into what it should do, Irving said.

 

 

Toyota Dashboard

 

 

Ford and Chrysler found the same to be true of their brands when they conducted similar research a few years ago. The new research from Toyota confirms the link between repair quality and brand loyalty.

Why This Matters To You, The Toyota Owner

 

Irving said, “everything we do” at Toyota surrounds brand loyalty. Handling a collision incident properly, producing quality and safe repairs, and satisfying the customer should lead to customer satisfaction and then brand loyalty, he said.

Toyota has now made changes to its Toyota OEM Collision Repair program and will no longer chase satisfaction scores and will instead focus on the “customer experience.”

Toyota realized they need to expand relationships with Toyota OEM certified shops and get more cars to Toyota OEM certified auto body shops.

While Toyota has “great communication” with insurance companies, in the future, your Toyota vehicle will help direct the actual collision process,” according to Irving.

In the short term, this may increase repair costs, but go-backs or ‘transactions’ would fall. Toyota was working to bring out “value-line parts” when important and had been in talks with Toyota headquarters in Japan on lowering parts prices. However, at the end of the day, the big idea is to fix a vehicle correctly and get it back on the road.

 

 

Toyota Supera

Repair Decisions That Affect You Financially

 

As a Toyota owner in need of collision repair, you have a choice to make in who fixes your car. You may think that the insurance company controls this decision, but they do not. Toyota has an OEM certification program, but it also makes its repair procedures available to body shop owners and technicians. The problem is, not all shops care about that. You can either guess how to properly perform a repair procedure, or you can look it up from Toyota. Make sure that the shop you chose always pulls up and follows the Toyota certified repair procedure for your vehicle.

If your car is under warranty, The use of non-approved procedures or aftermarket parts could void your warranty. A poor repair job could not only affect your personal safety, and it could kill any resale value in the car.

 

Toyota To Body shops: OEM Position Statements Are A Direct Order, And Why That Matters

 

An issue with the auto collision repair and the insurance industry seems to be the notion that OEM repair procedures are merely recommendations. They are not. Toyota procedures are based on best practice and company research. It is important that customers know this.

Toyota has repair information for technicians in two different online locations and stresses that these procedures are not just some basic guidelines, but they must be adhered to in order for the repair to be safe for both the technician doing the work and for the vehicle owner after the repair.

From Toyota:

 “To prevent dangerous operation and damage to your customer’s vehicle, be sure to follow the instructions shown below. . .

° When performing the operations following the procedures using this manual, be sure to use tools specified and recommended. If using non-specified or tools other than recommended tools and service methods, be sure to confirm the safety of the technicians and that there is no possibility of causing personal injury or damage to the customer’s vehicle before starting the operation.

° If part replacement is necessary, the part must be replaced with the same part number or equivalent part. Do not replace it with an inferior quality part.

 

Toyota Dashboard

What Toyota says about OEM parts

Toyota does not allow for the use of non-OEM repair parts in their vehicles. This means any other parts built by a company other than Toyota or a Toyota supplier are not allowed. Of course, that doesn’t mean that your repair shop won’t use them, so it is important to discuss with your repair shop what parts they are using, and what is covered under your insurance policy.

As an example, Toyota referenced a particular compressor and battery blanket built specifically to keep the Prius battery at a stable temperature regardless of outside temperatures. Toyota said that if it fails and it’s not an OEM part, it could void the warranty. The Toyota Prius powertrain warranty is 5 years or 60,000 miles so older if it’s still within the warranty window you would be stuck having to buy a new battery plus replacing the non-OEM parts.

What Toyota says about proper tools

Toyota is firm on shops having the right tools for the right job, as it could be dangerous to the technician and the car owner after the repair if they are not approved tools. And why is that? Cars today are built to very exact tolerances. The collision industry, in turn, builds tools and equipment, even fixtures to hold parts in very exact locations during a repair. But it is an investment that not every auto body shop makes.

auto repair technician working on a car 

Why you should care

You purchased a Toyota because you value safety and dependability in your vehicles. These are principals that the brand stands for. If you want to maintain that safety and reliability you owe it to yourself to find a collision repair shop that takes the Toyota OEM repair guidelines seriously and makes them a part of how they repair vehicles. Not all shops do, and it is probably the most important distinction you need to be aware of as a Toyota owner. You have the final say in your repair.

 

GM: How Bad Auto Body Repair Can Affect Your Safety Systems

 

Your car has safety systems, known universally as ADAS- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. These cover everything from ABS brakes to Electronic Stability Control and up to more complex systems like lane departure warning systems and auto-braking.

 

All of these systems rely on very sophisticated computers. They get their information from very advanced cameras and sensors, which must be in the exact right location and calibrated to properly collect and compute the data, which is always changing as the car is driving.

 

So what happens to these systems after an accident then?

 

Well, they get all out of whack, and often in the repair, parts have to be disconnected and reconnected or even replaced. Now you have a situation where a perfect system has been rendered imperfect, and must then get recalibrated.

 

But sometimes these recalibrations don’t work because of an underlying problem. GM is very specific about the underlying causes of these recalibration issues, and the vehicle owner actually inflicts some of them.  Here is GM breaks out three areas of caution regarding the recalibration of their ADAS systems but the same could be said for just about any vehicle on the road:

 

ADAS problems caused by the body shop.

 

According to the new General Motors ADAS guide, the windshield camera’s failure to calibrate could be attributed to a camera not correctly installed or is not fully secured in the windshield bracket, or from the windshield itself not properly centered in the windshield opening.

 

All these sensors are attached to some type of bracket. It is very tempting for a shop trying to repair the car cheaply and quickly to “bend back” the bracket when replacement is the only correct option.

 

auto repair technician working on laptop in garahe

 

If the vehicle received an incorrect collision repair, or still has collision damage or includes a bent or damaged Long Range Radar Sensor Module bracket or mounting surface, the long-range radar sensor module might fail to calibrate or calibrate more slowly than it should

 

GM says that the left- and right-side object sensor modules frequently will calibrate themselves, and no specific calibration is required as a part of service.  The car owner will want to know that parts of the warning systems might not get back to full working order.  However, according to GM, a repair shop’s missteps or omissions can slow the calibration process and result in limited system functionality” for that technology. According to GM, these issues could arise from damage to the rear fascia, underlying vehicle body structure, or sensor bracket or Incorrect collision repair.

The Customer

Sometimes, the customer’s poor treatment of the vehicle might be to blame for ADAS calibration failures. But some customers love to modify their vehicles, unaware that things like lift kits and other modifications alter the positions of the safety sensors and corrupt the data.

 

Vehicle add-on equipment such as a windshield tint strip or vinyl banner, or equipment that blocks the view of the road, such as bug deflectors or grill guards, can alter ADAS performance.

 

On the rear, items such as bumper stickers can hinder land departure and blind-spot monitoring systems, but the customer would never know that the sensors are mounted behind the bumper cover. It’s up to the repairer to educate their customer when they see that according to GM.

Bumper sticker on a car

Customer negligence, such as driving around with a dirty windshield or even a cracked or damaged windshield, can affect the windshield camera calibration, according to GM. Mud or slow build-up in the sensor area” can compromise the left and right object sensor modules’ ability to self-calibrate.

 

After repairs, a road test that also serves as the recalibration itself might be to blame.

 

The road test

 

To properly calibrate a GM windshield front-view camera, an ideal calibration environment is a two-lane divide highway with lane markings on both sides of the lane and driving speed between 35-65 MPH.

 

An ideal calibration environment has stationary objects on the roadside, such as mailboxes and street signs, minimal curves and hills, multiple vehicles to follow at a distance of100-165 ft.

 

According to GM, heavy or stop-and-go traffic can affect either component’s calibration, but so can “No traffic” in the long-range module.

 

Therefore, the driving conditions and even the time of day are important for your shop to be aware of when performing your recalibrations if they don’t have a third party recalibration specialist or use the dealer.

More Insurers Using Photo Estimates In 2020 And Why That May Be Bad For You

 

If you’ve just been in an accident, you may have been asked by your insurance company to submit a photo estimate. In order to do so, you may have had to download an app built by your insurance company, or you may have submitted photos online.

 

What happens next is some sci-fi technology analyzes the damage and writes an estimate, and it may even cut you a check immediately. Sounds convenient doesn’t it?

 

The trend towards photo damage estimates had been growing before Covid 19 brought massive changes to just about every aspect of our lives.  Collision repair industry estimating system company, CCC, has recently reported the insurers recently hit their 3 millionth photo estimated since 2019.

 

Body shops use CCC to write all estimates (it’s a universal platform) and because they have access to all this data, they publish trends articles in the industry.

 

CCC reported that the percentage of claims processed through their Quick Estimate, the company’s mobile photo estimating solution, has more than doubled from January to April of 2020 as carriers are accelerating use and adoption of digital tools in response to COVID-19.

 

Is this push for photo estimating good news for you, our customer?

 

It might not be. It is widely held by auto body shops that it is not possible to accurately estimate the total cost to repair a vehicle until it is torn down, and the photo systems cannot possibly see hidden damages.

 

Insurance companies want to move in this direction because it cuts their labor down.  It also cuts down on claims pay outs as many customers with small repairs are likely to just keep the check and live with the damage even though they could be entitled to much more if they would just get a proper estimate and a proper repair.

 

A proper estimate requires full teardown of the damaged areas to see what is behind. Photo estimates cannot detect kinks in frames. They cannot measure and check for frame or unibody straightness and they cannot measure critical components like steering columns that shops need to measure to accurately assess damages.

 

You could get a photo estimate, go to some cheap shop where they do not follow all the OEM procedures and end up driving an unsafe vehicle with hidden and unfixed damage

 

However, photo estimates and other AI systems are part of the future.

sun shining through auto repair shop

 

What do the Insurers say about photo estimating accuracy?

 

USAA auto claims Vice President Anne Warner said they have learned to allow progress over perfection even though the insurance industry tends to want to be “100 percent sure”.

 

Liberty Mutual claims general manager and U.S. retail markets Vice President Dean Peasley said the conditions imposed by the COVID-19 response showed that Insurance companies really can change more aggressively than expected.

 

He called it amazing how much Liberty Mutual changed in the few months before the May 26 webinar and estimated advancements had been pulled forward “several years.”

 

We will how things shape up when Covid 19 ends.

Why You Should Care What Ford Says About The Tools Used On Aluminum Vehicles

Does it matter to you what tools your body shop uses to fix your Ford vehicle? If it’s an aluminum one (and most Fords now at least have some aluminum) Then Ford Says yes it matters. It can make a difference with your vehicle’s safety long term and the longevity of your repair in the short term.

 

This is why we are taking the time to bring it to your attention, here.

 

Steel used the be the only thing besides fiberglass that cars were made from. But our ability to form aluminum into strong car bodies has come a long way, and the fuel savings from switching from steel to aluminum are significant. 

 

Why aluminum repairs are different than steel repairs

 

Aluminum is a bit more fickle to repair than steel. Aluminum can be welded, but heat makes it brittle, and so does hammering on it. It can crack and break if it’s repaired the wrong way.

So, in an auto body repair, many times, it has to be riveted.

 

During the manufacturing of your vehicle, Ford uses many ways to rivet materials together, and a common one is known as a blind or self-piercing rivet. Basically, it’s a rivet that creates its own hole as it is shot through the material, and then the rivet mushrooms out, creating the bond. Think of it much like two materials being held together like with a bolt or a screw.

 

There is also a tool that is an inexpensive way to join materials, called a flowdrill, it is fast and drills holes while melting the metal to form what looks like a rivet. Ford uses those methods as well to build the vehicle.

 

When repairing an aluminum vehicle, if you were trying to do it fast, and cut corners, you might be tempted just to send a new rivet where the old one was or rivet through a flow drill hole. None of this is an approved method.

 

Ford’s position statement on aluminum repairs

 

Ford released a position statement advising collision repairers to use ONLY OEM-authorized rivets, mandrels, and rivet guns when working on aluminum structural and cosmetic components. The document also prohibits reusing flow-drill screws.

 

“All Ford Motor Company vehicles that incorporate aluminum structural and cosmetic body components require the use of OEM Structural repair rivets and the use of approved installation tools when performing body repairs.”

 

“The use of aftermarket structural rivets, including Self-Piercing, Blind and Solid rivets, is not authorized by Ford.” 

 

“Ford Motor Company considers the use of OEM structural rivets critical to the safety, reliability, and durability of the repaired vehicle.”

 

Basically, what Ford is saying is that you can only use a Ford approved rivet and riveting equipment in order to guarantee a Ford quality repair. Anything less and you run the risk of a faulty or unsafe repair.

 

“Flow Drill Screws (FDS) are used in several locations during the original manufacture of Ford vehicles,” Ford wrote. “Flow Drill Screws cannot be reused and must be replaced with the rivet that is called out in the Ford repair procedures.” 

 

Ford also is particular about attaching the right mandrel to the right rivet for the right part of the repair. 

 

The SPR installation mandrel determines the proper depth and spread of the SPR rivet. 

“Following the Ford repair procedures is essential in ensuring that the rivet is driven to the correct depth to achieve a safe quality joint.”

Ford Mustang Structure

Ford’s take on approved equipment

 

According to the OEM, only 11 self-piercing rivet guns have been authorized for Ford’s vehicles as of the June 1 position statement.

 

“Proper installation of SPR rivets requires installation tools that can perform correct and repeatable SPR rivet installations. These SPR installation tools are the only tools approved to be used in the repair of Ford vehicles.”

 

It is important to note that not all body shops carry ford OEM approved tools. But simply ask your Customer Service Representative or your Estimator if the shop you are considering has all the required OEM tooling for your Ford repair.

 

Why the repaired area may look different

 

Finally, Ford makes it known that the repaired area may look different than it did before the accident. It used to be the case that a body shop repair was indistinguishable. If a part was removed and a new one welded back in, it was on the shop to make it look like it never happened. Ford points out that while subtle, it is ok for the repaired are to look different than the factory part. 

 

“During repairs to Ford vehicles that incorporate aluminum structural and cosmetic body components, blind rivets or aluminum plug welds may be required in locations that originally used SPR rivets,” Ford wrote. “This may result in repairs that have a different appearance from the original finish or from undamaged areas of the vehicle. This is considered normal and common across OEMs in the collision repair industry.

 

It is important to utilize and follow the Ford repair procedures to determine what fastening methods must be used during the repair process.”

 

So then, what does all this mean to you?

 

The most important take away is that if you have an Aluminum Ford (like an F150, for example), the way your shop has to fix it is very specific. If your shop is incapable or unwilling to follow the specific guidelines set by Ford for Aluminum repairs, then you may want to consider choosing a different shop. Just be sure to ask a few questions before making your final choice.

 

 

auto shop repair bay