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Collision Repair News

Your job requires that you keep on top of the latest in vehicle, tool, and equipment technology – I-CAR is committed to helping you do so in one convenient place. We regularly publish new articles highlighting the latest and greatest collision repair information.

So check back often and follow us on Twitter @Ask_ICAR to ensure you’re equipped with the most up-to-date collision repair technical information available in the industry.



MIG Brazing Basics

ABRN published an article today titled, "MIG Brazing Basics," authored by Jason Bartanen, Director of Industry Technical Relations at I-CAR. Let’s take a look at this article.

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Factory Built vs. Repair Procedure

When a vehicle is produced at the factory, speed of production is a major factor for the OEM. This means that a lot of time and money is invested into machines that can produce a quality product in a short amount of time. However, the collision repair industry does not often have access to the same technology used on the factory floor. The OEMs recognize that a method used at the factory will not always be possible during repair. Also, some vehicles have global platforms and the OEMs know that certain products may not be available in all areas of the world. By taking this into account, OEMs create repair procedures to fit the collision repair industry while maintaining the safety and quality that the vehicle had from the factory. So when looking at a repair procedure, the procedure may specify to use a material that was not originally used on the vehicle during assembly. Let’s take a closer look at some of the differences.

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Body Construction And Material Repair Guidelines: Mazda

What is the MPa of the front lower rail? What is the outer uniside made of: steel, aluminum, or composite? Can heat be used to straighten or is it cold straightening only? What are the repair limitations? These are just some of the questions that the RTS team fields on a daily basis.

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Corrosion Protection Guidelines: Kia

A key factor in collision repair is making long-lasting repairs. When a vehicle is repaired, many areas of corrosion protection are disturbed. This creates corrosion hot spots that left untreated will lead to corrosion and potentially a repair failure. However, there are certain precautions that can be taken to safely and properly restore the corrosion protection throughout the repair process. OEMs often give specifications on restoring corrosion protection. These specifications generally include seam sealer, adhesives, foam fillers, and cavity waxes. Let’s take a look at what Kia says.

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Additional Calibration Requirements: BMW/Mini

The addition of the OEM Calibration Requirements Search to the RTS portal was a big step for the collision industry. While this new feature has been well received, there has been some confusion about what is included in the search tool. The OEM Calibration Requirements Search is designed to provide information on the calibration requirements that are needed for vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This includes systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and collision braking.

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Tips for Navigating OEM Websites: Subaru

Subaru has changed the layout of their repair information website. You will notice that the site has a new look and improved navigation. Convenient new features make finding repair information easier. Let’s take a look at what has changed.

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Understanding The Park Assist System

A key part of being able to diagnose a problem with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is understanding how the system works. Knowing what is happening inside the system will help you properly diagnose why the system may be failing. This will prevent replacing parts that are not causing the system issue. Let’s take a look at the inner workings of a park assist system.

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Corrosion Protection Guidelines: Jaguar Land Rover

A key factor in collision repair is making long-lasting repairs. When a vehicle is repaired, many areas of corrosion protection are disturbed. This creates corrosion hot spots that left untreated will lead to corrosion and potentially a repair failure. However, there are certain precautions that can be taken to safely and properly restore the corrosion protection throughout the repair process. OEMs often give specifications on restoring corrosion protection. These specifications generally include seam sealer, adhesives, foam fillers, and cavity waxes. Let’s take a look at what Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) says.

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Additional Calibration Requirements: Nissan/INFINITI

The addition of the OEM Calibration Requirements Search to the RTS portal was a big step for the collision industry. While this new feature has been well received, there has been some confusion about what is included in the search tool. The OEM Calibration Requirements Search is designed to provide information on the calibration requirements that are needed for vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This includes systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and collision braking.

Continue Reading...


Body Construction And Material Repair Guidelines: Kia

What is the MPa of the front lower rail? What is the outer uniside made of: steel, aluminum, or composite? Can heat be used to straighten or is it cold straightening only? What are the repair limitations? These are just some of the questions that the RTS team fields on a daily basis.

Continue Reading...


Now Available on RTS: Inter-Industry Developed and Vetted Best Practices Published by I-CAR

What if there isn’t vehicle-specific repair procedure, OEM position statements, or OEM general information available for a given topic?

To answer the industry request for assistance in closing gaps with this type of information, I-CAR has consistently held I-CAR Repairability Summits. These repairability summits bring together subject matter experts from vehicle makers, collision repairers, insurers, product makers, and tool and equipment makers to collaborate on industry developed and vetted Best Practices. Now all these best practices have been complied in one convenient location. Let’s take a look at the all new I-CAR Best Practices page.

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Ford On Target 2017: Volume 2

Ford has released the second installment of their On Target publication for 2017. Features of this volume include repair procedures, future technologies, and replacement parts availability. Let’s take a look at this issue of On Target.

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