Turbocharged engines are not a new technology. They have been around for many years to help create more power from engines. Turbochargers are still used to make large amounts of power, but the reason for the power is different for many vehicles. Many consumers want good fuel economy but are not willing to sacrifice acceleration or power. So, the options used to be to put a big engine in a vehicle to get a lot of power and bad fuel economy, or utilize a small engine and sacrifice power while getting great fuel economy.

The I-CAR Repairability Technical Support (RTS) team recently developed a new I-CAR 360 video on the 2019 Ford/Lincoln Expedition/Navigator. The video provides a 360 tour around the aluminum bodied Expedition/Navigator.

Critical information for the 2019 Audi e-tron is now available through the RTS website. This information includes important guidelines for repairing the high-voltage vehicle. Here is what you can find within these documents from Audi:

Sometimes going back-to-basics can make the difference between a quality repair and a failed repair. When it comes to comparative measuring, there are a few things to remember.

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. Recently we had a technical inquiry that asked about NVH pad replacement on aluminum Ford F-Series pickups.

We often receive the Ask I-CAR inquiries: "Does BMW/Mini have a position statement on pre- and post-repair system scanning? Do they plan on coming out with one?"

Tightening regulations on fuel economy along with rising awareness about pollution have influenced vehicle design and function in recent years. However, most consumers are not willing to sacrifice comfort, vehicle size, or power, so auto makers needed to use different methods to boost fuel economy. For the most part, aerodynamics can be directly related to fuel efficiency. The smoother air flows over the vehicle, the less power is required to make the vehicle move, leading to higher fuel economy. Unfortunately, a vehicle that has excellent aerodynamics may not be a functional vehicle for everyday consumers. So, other measures needed to be taken. In this series we’ll break down some of the methods used to boost aerodynamics and fuel economy along with any special cautions on how to repair them. Let’s check out the vehicle start/stop function.

There is sometimes confusion on how many spot welds to use when replacing body components. Sometimes you replace what you removed, sometimes you use more or less than what was removed. It all depends on the particular vehicle you are repairing and what the manufacturer requires to be done. Luckily General Motors (GM) has a good way of identifying how many welds to use to install the new part.

An article in Nissan Tech News highlights different repair methods and procedures used in repairing Nissan vehicles. Nissan Sectioning Repair Tips article discusses reasons why a certain part may not be able to be sectioned, different welding methods, and ways to research and understand the body repair manual. Some reasons sectioning may be prohibited are due to material usage like ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS), panel layering/construction, or if the damage is in a crumple zone.

One of the top technical inquiries received at Ask I-CAR is, “Is there a sectioning or partial replacement procedure available?” To help answer this question, RTS has an OEM Partial Part Replacement Search available. Here you will find information on if these procedures are available on a specific vehicle. Let’s take a closer look at the 2019 Audi A4 Allroad.

Did you know Nissan has a website that houses lots of useful information for collision repair technicians? Conveniently, this website is free to sign up for and once logged in, you have to access a wide variety of information on Nissan vehicles.

Toyota has launched their latest edition of Collision Pros on their Collision Repair Training website. Some highlights in this issue that you may want to check out are the important details regarding pre- and post-repair checklists, and Toyota Technical Information Systems (TIS).

Backup batteries sometimes referred to as auxiliary or supplemental batteries, serve an important role in maintaining power for certain vehicle systems even while the 12-volt battery power is cut. The backup batteries can aid in emergency situations by maintaining power for features like GM OnStar, Toyota Safety Connect System, and FCA Assist to name a few.

Since the creation of the first modern automobile nearly a century and a half ago, there has been one dominant engine option on the market, the gasoline internal combustion engine. Now the gasoline internal combustion engine has some challengers trying to steal the crown. There have been many different types of engines in the past but many of them relied solely on fossil fuels to operate.

Recently because of increasing fuel economy standards and emission awareness, a new breed of engines is emerging, many relying on electricity to aid in powering the vehicle. With these new power plants comes a new set of rules and warnings on how to repair them. A lot of collision technicians have an idea about how some of the new powertrains work, but not a full understanding of what is going on under the hood. It is important to understand the inner workings of the engine in order to safely and properly diagnose and repair them after a collision. In this series, we’ll walk you through many of the current engine options and how they convert the fuel they’re consuming into usable power. Let’s explore the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain.

A simple bumper repair on a modern vehicle may not be as simple as it seems. New technologies like blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) utilize sensors behind the bumper covers. The ability for these sensors to be able to see clearly, normally requires special caution when considering a bumper repair. Many OEMs have different levels of warnings when it comes to repairing bumper covers with ADAS. So, what does Volkswagen say on the subject?