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 X @Ask_ICAR to ensure you’re equipped with the most up-to-date collision repair technical information available in the industry.


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Collision Repair Industry News

3M Corrosion Protection Quick Reference

Posted on 08 September 2017

Automotive aftermarket product supplier 3M has recently released a quick reference guide on corrosion protection. Shawn Collins, Advanced Technical Specialist at 3M writes, “With all the questions about seam sealer and corrosion protection, I put together a quick reference one-pager. One of the biggest questions was, what can I seam seal over? The drawing is the optimal joint protection including something to seal and protect the welded flange, sealing the outside of the joint over the correct substrate and then cavity wax in the cavity or inside the panel. If you do all this thoroughly, the repair will outlast the car.” Let’s take a closer look at this quick reference.

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Understanding The 360° Camera View System

Posted on 06 September 2017

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 360° camera view system.

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Corrosion Protection Guidelines: Mazda

Posted on 01 September 2017

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 Mazda says.

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Additional Calibration Requirements: Volvo

Posted on 01 September 2017

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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Understanding The Collision Warning And Braking System

Posted on 31 August 2017

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 collision warning and collision braking system.

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OEM Linking Pin: Ford F-150 Factory Installed Running Boards

Posted on 29 August 2017

Many of the 2015-2020 Ford F-150s come with factory installed running boards. If you have had to replace the inner rocker panel lately, you may have noticed that the replacement inner rocker panel was missing hardware to install the running board after replacement. So, we reached out to our contacts at Ford to find the answer to this problem.

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Understanding The Adaptive Cruise Control System

Posted on 25 August 2017

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 an adaptive cruise control system (ACC).

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MIG Brazing Basics

Posted on 24 August 2017

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

Posted on 24 August 2017

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

Posted on 22 August 2017

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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