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.



Oil Spill At The I-CAR Tech Center

A small motor oil spill incident at the I-CAR Tech Center in Appleton, Wisconsin in the spring of 2011 has raised our awareness of the many considerations involved with a material spill into the environment. What started as an accidental collision between a snowplow and a 55-gallon drum of waste oil on an adjoining property resulted in an experience we would never want to repeat.

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Ford F-150 Body Mount Cage Nuts

Beginning with the 2009 model year Ford F-150, the cab body mount bolts are secured with a cage nut. The cage nut is held in position inside a cage nut retainer that is attached to the inside of a floor crossmember. The crossmember is attached to the underside of the floor pan, which creates an enclosure for the cage nut. The retainer has two nut retaining tabs, one on each opposing side of the nut that are folded against the nut to hold it in place (see Figure 1).

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Don't Section Ultra-High-Strength Steel - I-CAR Repairability Summit Identifies Best Practices

Unless specifically recommended by the vehicle maker, parts with a tensile strength over 600 MPa should only be replaced at factory seams. This is just one of the "best practices" identified at a Repairability Summit hosted by I-CAR. Summit attendees consisted of subject matter experts from vehicle makers, tool and equipment makers, collision repair facilities, insurance companies, and the American Iron and Steel Institute.

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Corrosion Protection To Structural Part Interiors

There has been a longstanding recommendation to apply epoxy primer, as well as anti-corrosion compound, on the inside of rails and pillars and rocker panels as a last step for structural repairs. Going back as far as the July/August 1988 I-CAR Advantage, in the article "Restoring Corrosion Protection," is the following step for providing corrosion protection to enclosed interior surfaces: "Apply primer. Two-part epoxy recommended. Then apply anti-corrosion compound." The reason given, is that on areas where the coatings have been entirely removed, this is a two-step process that is replacing the two original coatings, zinc and E-coat.

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2012 Ford Focus Active Grille Shutters

When making collision repairs to the 2012 Ford Focus, be aware that the vehicle may be equipped with an active grille shutter system (see Figure 1). This motorized system is located in front of the radiator, which places it in a vulnerable position during front-end collisions.

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Thin-Film Technology Comes To Collision Repair

If you were asked for a short description for anti-corrosion compound, the material that is sprayed onto the backside of panels and inside rails after repairs, it is likely that "thin film" and "fine mist" would not be included in the wording. However, that is exactly the description given to a new type of anti-corrosion compound now available that uses what is collectively called thin-film technology.

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Nitrogen Hot Air Welding

Hot air welders have been around for a number of years and used mostly in bumper remanufacturing facilities. A hot air welder works by passing compressed air over a heating element and heating the air to around 345°C (650°F) to melt the base plastic and filler rod/ribbon together. This type of welder does not use a flat shoe or feeder tube-type tip. A V-groove is cut into the part, the rod is laid into the V-groove, and the two are melted together. Whenever using this type of welder, it is important to have airflow over the element at all times no matter if it is preheating, welding, or cooling.

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Collision Repair And The 2011 Ford Fiesta

The 2011 Ford Fiesta is a complete reintroduction of the model name, and one glance will tell you the new Fiesta bears hardly any resemblance to its earlier 1978 namesake (see Figure 1). The Fiesta is based on Ford's new global B-platform, which is planned for use on more vehicles in the next few years. It's available in a four- and five-door body style. Both of the styles are classified as a mini-car. The 2011 Ford Fiesta is the first mini-car to earn a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety since the introduction of a new roof strength test.

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Tire Considerations For Honda And Acura Vehicles

There are times when collision repairs on Honda and Acura vehicles will include replacing tires. If tires need to be replaced, it is important that the appropriate size and model number tires are installed. Some replacement tires may have the same manufacturer, be the same size and model name, and look identical, but may not be the recommended replacement. Similar tires may be engineered for two entirely different types of vehicles. When replacing tires, always verify the manufacturer part number for the replacement tires (see Figure 1).

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The Importance Of Quality Control

Quality repairs are essential for customer safety and satisfaction, not to mention the time saved preventing rework and comebacks. Ensuring quality repairs are completed on each and every vehicle requires a commitment from the entire team. However, the manager is primarily responsible for making sure everyone is aware of the level of quality that is expected and verifying only high-quality repairs are being completed. This will require knowing how to identify high quality repairs and ensuring that poor repairs are corrected before the vehicle is returned to the customer, or before the vehicle is moved to the next phase of the repair process.

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Insulated Rubber Gloves And High-Voltage Batteries

Ever since the requirement of wearing insulated rubber gloves, or lineman's gloves, when working on hybrid electric vehicles was introduced in vehicle service information, there have been questions. Are these really the same gloves worn by those who work with high-voltage power lines? Are these gloves necessary or are they overkill? Are these gloves only used for disabling and enabling the high-voltage? What does the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) say about the use of these gloves?

This article is designed to answer these questions.

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  • Day One: I-CAR Live From The 2024 SEMA Show Thursday, 7 November 2024

    Day one of the numerous I-CAR and SCRS interviews and presentations at the 2024 SEMA Show.

  • Day Two: I-CAR Live From The 2024 SEMA Show Thursday, 7 November 2024

    Day two of the numerous I-CAR and SCRS interviews and presentations at the 2024 SEMA Show.

  • I-CAR Repairers Realm: Steering Column Inspection After A Collision - Now Available Friday, 1 November 2024

    I-CAR had a discussion on consideration for steering column inspection after a collision.

  • OEM Emergency Response Guide: Polestar Thursday, 31 October 2024

    Are you looking for OEM emergency response guides (ERGs)? The Repairability Technical Support (RTS) team has located these guides and either houses them on the RTS website, provides links to...

  • Back-To-Basics: Stationary Glass Installation Considerations Wednesday, 30 October 2024

    Sometimes going back-to-basics can make the difference between a quality repair and a failed repair. When replacing stationary glass, there are extra considerations to perform a complete and quality...

  • One-Time-Use Parts And Fasteners: Genesis Friday, 25 October 2024

    What is a one-time-use part, and how do you determine if a fastener, clip, or part can be reused? These are questions that we are confronted with in the collision industry quite a lot. The other big...

  • OEM Linking Pin: Toyota/Lexus Sectioning Clarification Thursday, 24 October 2024

    As part of the I-CAR Repairability Technical Support (RTS) OEM linking pin activity, we are helping to connect the collision repair industry to the vehicle makers. A common question when it comes to...

  • Refinishing Park Assist Sensors: Jaguar Land Rover Tuesday, 22 October 2024

    Park assist sensors are part of the park assist system, just one of many advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) found on vehicles today. Damaged sensors are typically replaced and may require...

  • I-CAR At SEMA 2024 Friday, 18 October 2024

    Attending the SEMA Show in Las Vegas this year? Well, I-CAR will be providing many different opportunities to connect with you at this year’s show.

  • Non-SRS Wiring Repair: BMW/Mini Thursday, 17 October 2024

    What is a non-SRS wiring repair? It is the repairing of an electrical component that is not part of the supplemental restraints system circuit (usually identified by yellow wire looms). As...