In my past articles I have covered how to utilize repair procedures in order to aid in proper estimating. I have also discussed how proper documentation aids in compensation. While both of those aspects are important, the main point is proper repairs. Each manufacturer writes their repair procedures differently, and they can be very difficult to interpret. At times it seems like understanding the repair procedure is more difficult than the repairs themselves. In this article we will take a look at some tricks to making interpreting the data slightly easier. We will also look at why it is important to research all aspects of the repair.
First of all, this is not a simple or short process. Expect to spend substantial time with the repair procedures. Some procedures only contain photos and these may take even longer to review than those with written instructions. The first person who needs to spend time with those instructions is the estimator, then whoever is responsible for handing out and/or inspecting the work, and lastly the tech. Each person must understand the procedures. In order to speed up the process, a meeting with all parties is very helpful.
What steps are required to understand the procedures? In my opinion the hardest thing to understand is what all the symbols mean on the diagrams. All manufacturers have a legend for their symbols. However, not all manufacturers include the legend within the repair procedure. Oftentimes this legend is elsewhere in the program. A key note here is not to use a legend from another car, as it may be different. The symbols will explain what type of welding is required, what type of sealers, adhesive, or foam may be required. The legend, just like with a map, is just as important as the procedure itself.
Once you know what the symbols mean you have to understand what that entails. Oftentimes, a welding technique is listed MIG/MAG Butt Weld, Overlap, Stich, Seam, etc. If the person writing the estimate doesn’t have the knowledge of what that process entails, they may not write the estimate completely to perform those methods. If the manager doesn’t know, then they will not be able to verify that it was performed correctly. Worse yet, if the tech doesn’t know, at which point will it be a gamble if the repairs will be performed correctly? Again, this is why a meeting is very important so that everyone can ensure they are on the same page.
To aid in the understanding of the different welds, I-CAR has an online introduction to a welding class that covers all the types of welds. The class covers what a proper version of the weld looks like visually and after a destruction test. I would recommend this online class to any estimator and manager, as it is a great foundation to understanding what different types of welds are. Furthermore, all technicians who weld anything on a vehicle should take and pass I-CAR’s welding test. The test covers all the types of welds in a hands-on manner and ensures that they understand how to perform each type.
If the procedure requires glue, then it must be welded using a squeeze type resistance spot welder. If your shop equipment is out for service or if the shop doesn’t have the equipment to perform that process, then a discussion has to be had as to what the next steps will be. Will the equipment be purchased or borrowed, will it be sublet-ed, is there another repair procedure that can be utilized with the equipment available? If the procedure requires silicone bronze can the shop perform it? Rivet bonding? The list goes on! Ignorance to the required steps is not an acceptable response. The actual process with the proper equipment and material may not be described in the repair procedure. Reviewing the legend, verifying what the symbols mean and what is required is of paramount importance.
Another problem that I commonly see is only one document is pulled for the repairs. Nearly all manufacturers have documents that are universal for all repairs on that particular model. One example would be the specific welding wire required by the manufacturer. Another may be the acceptable pulling methods. Some manufacturers have a very thorough test weld procedure outlined in a separate document. At times the repair procedures reference those supplemental documents while other times it is already assumed that those are retrieved first. The OEM resources are better about linking to those additional documents while the third-party resources are not as good about it. Just like it may be required to search for the legend, it may be necessary to search out those other documents.
Which repairs need to have procedures pulled? Simple answer: all of them. Obvious items are welded on panels, mechanical components, SRS items, but what about interior trim, bumper covers, or a battery disconnect? Battery disconnecting/reconnect is a simple process that technicians have been doing for decades now. Remove the power cables from the battery, wait a couple of minutes and then start welding or replacing SRS items. Many of today’s vehicles require a strict process be followed for battery disconnect. If you fail to follow the right steps and put the vehicle in the correct state it may require a tow to the dealer to recalibrate the systems to allow the car to operate. Powering certain cars up may now require the recalibration of items as simple as automatic windows or as complex as one of the many ADAS systems on the car. Recalibrations may be required after the removal of bumper covers, windshields, or mirrors. One-time use fasteners are no longer limited to suspension components; now they are throughout the interior trim and elsewhere. The only way to know if something is more difficult than what meets the eye is to properly research repair procedures — there is no way to know what you don’t know!
In the other articles we touched on where to procure the repair procedures. This is starting to become a hot topic in our industry. The OEMs demand the use of their resources while arguably making it very difficult to utilize them. (Mike Anderson and his colleagues have started putting together videos to aid in utilizing some of the OEM sites. These are stored on YouTube for anyone’s viewing.) The OEMs are required to share their information with third parties but aren’t required to make sure it stays up to date. If your shop only works on a couple of makes, then using the OEM resource is the best option. However, that is a small percentage of shops; the rest of the shops have to deal with every make and model.
Third-party software is very nice for a couple of reasons. First, some of them integrate with the estimating platform and after writing the estimate, save it, so it is possible to view any documents that exist for every line on the estimate. The other benefit is that it’s the same interface for all models. One downside is that it’s very easy to rely on that interface and never look past the same areas you usually look in. Each manufacturer does have different documents in different sections that the interface will not pull and are located in different areas, so it’s not possible to go to the same area across every manufacturer. The biggest down ide is the lack of instant updates and/or incomplete or missing documents. Utilizing both is the most realistic method for most shops.
Utilizing both the OEM repair sites and the third-party platforms, it is possible to begin getting an idea of what can safely be procured from the third party and what should not be. Some OEMs simply do not share the information with a third party. Some OEMs seem to share everything, while some OEMs seem to share with only one third party. Many makes have a definite time frame where, once a vehicle is old enough, the procedures are not updated frequently and all the information is present on a third-party system. Some shops have SOPs for certain years and/or makes or with certain procedures in which using the OEM site is required. Other shops always use the OEM site. Some shops use the OEM sites and also use the third-party integration piece for a good checks and balance.
Once the procedures are pulled and a plan is in place, it is critical to document, document, document. In all of my other articles I have stressed the importance of verification and documentation. Build a plan, follow the plan, and prove you followed the plan. Save all the repair procedures as a PDF and save them to the file to ensure that the documents that were utilized to perform the repair will never be lost. Repair procedures change, and it is important that the procedures available at the time of the repair were utilized. Photographing repair steps during the process is critical to proving that repairs were performed properly. Having standard operating procedures to quality inspect repairs are performed correctly is imperative. For welded on panels technicians should have their test welds inspected prior to welding, have their cut locations inspected prior to cutting, have their welds inspected prior to them being covered, and corrosion protection inspected prior to assembling.
What if the procedure is overly complicated, first time ever looking at them, incomplete, or it’s a brand-new process. No one knows everything! If you aren’t ready to learn something in this industry, then I hope you’re about to retire. When you come across something that you and your team cannot come to grasps with there are resources available. I-CAR, VeriFacts, Mitchell, CCC and others all have resources that allow you to call into and get additional information. It is very important to fully understand the required steps before finalizing the estimate and well before performing any repairs. The difference between performing a repair per the factory guidelines and not could be life or death in a subsequent accident. Ignorance to the proper steps does not release the technician nor the shop from liability. Millions of dollars and even jail time could be on the line for improper repairs.
