Last November, Claims reported on five automakers that issuedposition statements on diagnostic scanning as a component of thecollision repair process.

Infiniti USA, General Motors (GM) and Mercedes-Benz (MBUSA) have since joined the discussionwith their positions on post-collision diagnostic scanning.

Infiniti's one page scan position statement was released inSeptember; GM issued their position statement in October, and theMBUSA position statement appeared in late November.

Infiniti's scanning recommendations

The Infiniti USA scanning position was an initial industryextrapolation of Nissan's (Infiniti's parent company) June 2016position statement. In 2012, Infiniti began to distinguish itselfin corporate structure, location and name as a formidable globalbrand in the luxury automobile market. The September release ofInfiniti's own position statement is a natural extension of thatdistinction. The position statement is basically commensurate withthat of Nissan North America with one notable clarification,Infiniti indicates that the position applies to 1996 and newervehicles representing the 1996 introduction of the current OBDIIstandard in automotive diagnostics.

Like Nissan, Infiniti recommends a pre-repair scan whereappropriate, and all of its vehicles 1996 and newer be scannedfollowing a collision repair. Infiniti further dispels the myth ofthe dashboard light serving as a diagnostic tool. According to theposition statement, “Today, it is necessary in repair situationsfor the vehicle to have a pre- and post-repair system scan so thatthe repairer is informed of any trouble codes present, even incases where there are no identifier lights on the dash.”

Infiniti USA also released several position statements onspecific resets, calibrations, initializations, inspections andreplacement guidelines related to safety systems, conveniencesystems, as well as structural component and safety itemsguidelines, when handling Infiniti vehicles in the collision repairprocess.

GM's take on scanning

The GM position statement states that pre-and post-repairscanning of all collision damage repair vehicles must be performed.The automaker requires a pre-repair scan “during the repairestimation in order to identify the required repairs” and apost-repair scan “in order to verify that the faults have beenrepaired and new faults have not been introduced during the courseof repairs.”

The document also notes the requirement for “calibration and/orlearns” when replacing various safety and security-relatedcomponents, sensors and control modules. Reference is made to theavailable GM repair procedures that must be adhered to whenrepairing these systems.

Mercedes Benz sees value in scans

The MBUSA document also spells out the importance of pre- andpost-repair scanning of vehicles involved in a collision repair. Onpre-repair scanning, Mercedes takes the position: “Pre-repairscanning and diagnosis of the vehicle is highly recommended.” Whilepre-repair scanning is a recommendation, post-repair scanning anddiagnosis is necessary with a collision repair according to theposition. MBUSA includes Mercedes-Benz 1996 and newer vehicles inthe position statement.

Mercedes notes the requirement of “calibration, normalization orcoding” of many of the safety and assist systems “that may havebeen activated during a collision.” Mercedes stresses updated OEMrepair procedures or instructions be consulted as part of thecollision repair process.

The OEM diagnostic scanning position statements for these andother manufacturers may be found at www.oempositions.com.

(Photo: Shutterstock)

The importance of diagnosticscanning

The recommendation or requirement of pre- and post-repairscanning is not some arbitrary suggestion, it is a real concernwith the primary objective of safe and properly repairedvehicles.

According to MBUSA, “During a collision, some of the vehicle'ssensors could sustain damage internally or in a manner in whichfailure is not evident to the driver of the vehicle.”

GM says: “Even minor body damage or glass replacement may resultin damage to one or more safety-related systems on the vehicle. Anyaction that results in loss of battery-supplied voltage anddisconnection of electrical circuits requires that the vehicle issubsequently tested to ensure proper electrical function.”

Safety issue

Honda's statement focuses on similar concerns: “The mechanicalforces encountered in a collision can damage electrical circuitsand components in ways that are not easily diagnosed with visualinspection methods.”

Infiniti's and Nissan's position highlights a sentiment whichcan be shared by insurers and repairs alike: “The safety of ourcustomers is our number one priority, and we believe these pre- andpost-repair scans are more and more integral to a safe, qualityrepair.”

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What automakers state in their scanning positions is much morethan a commentary on their own vehicles, the message may beappropriately carried over to other vehicle makes and modelsregardless of whether a scan position statement has been releasedby a particular manufacturer.

(Photo: Shutterstock)

New challenges for 2017

With the rapid implementation of pre- and post-repair scanning,2017 will be a year of first results. While there are additional claims costs associated with theprocedures, these costs should be offset by significant returnsthat will help circumvent repair surprises and customercomebacks.

The additional claims costs associated with scanning have beenmet, in some cases with an attempt to commoditize the procedures tothe lowest cost option or the lowest bid provider. Inferior toolsand untrained technicians are being deployed to meet with andcapitalize on the new post-collision scanning standards. Insurersshould be wary.

Without a qualified automotive diagnostic technician to read andinterpret the data, the potential is great for misdiagnosis, whichcan often lead to unnecessary parts replacement or incompleterepairs. The irony of the lower cost option is that that it isn'talways the lower cost option to the customer, with some shopsbilling as much or more than those with advanced level tools andqualified technicians.

Some scan results can be misleading

The phrase “Scan and Clear Codes” showing up on more estimatesis somewhat of a misnomer. When a repairer scans and clears “allcodes,” that statement should be properly qualified. The lower-endaftermarket (A/M) scan tools will not always see all the controlmodules and identify “all” the codes that a higher quality A/M scantool would.

An OEM factory level scan tool can reveal trouble codes thatwere missed by even some of the most advanced and popular A/Mtools. This is especially true with the newer model vehicles whereA/M tool capability is constantly playing catch up. Accordingly,some pre- and post-repair scan results can be misleading andcontrary to the premise of restoring vehicle functionality to thelevel established by the OEMs.

Although A/M scan tools may not have access to all of thevehicle data and special tests of the “gold standard” OEM scantools, there are advanced level A/M tools that are continuallyclosing the equivalency gap with the OEM counterparts. An advancedlevel A/M scan tool can be a viable option for a majority of thevehicles and repair situations in many body shops.

Technician counts

Insurers should realize, it's not just the tool but thetechnician that counts. Some shops have invested in a costly A/Mscan tool which is typically cited to justify the charges. However,with no investment in a trained technician or OEM serviceinformation, the shop's in-house program falls substantially short,such as having a respectable A/M scan tool operated by an untrainedemployee.

An assessment of in-house diagnostic programs at some shops hasfound an increasing number opting for an A/M scan tool operated byoffice personnel with code interpretation and troubleshootinglimited to web browser searches. While it is perfectly acceptableto “ask Alexa” for the latest recipe for pasta primavera, the coresource of a shop's diagnostic and service information should not bethe result of web surfing.

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It is not unusual to see repairers simply scanning andindiscriminately clearing codes. Some repairers believe this is allthat is necessary. “Scan and clear codes” describes only a portionof the job of complying with the automaker position statements.Auto body shops are omitting requisite procedures which aretypically much more important than clearing a handful of non-activecodes. Insurers are making allowances to comply with the recent OEMpositions yet repairers are not always fully compliant. When safetyprotocols are only partially met, all parties can be placed inharm's way.

Getting what you pay for

The industry should not be satisfied with one line explanationsof “Scan for Codes” or “Health Scan.” A higher standard ofreporting may be merited with the identification of the scan tool,the technician's name, certification and/or skill level of thetechnician along with proper documentation of scan results, andactions taken with an emphasis on full compliance with the OEMposition where applicable.

Now that the insurance industry realizes that diagnosticscanning allowances are a necessary inclusion inautomobile damage estimates, it is time for insurers to be diligentabout getting what they pay for by defining a higher standard andseeing that repairers adhere to it. Insurers should work with shopsto seek some balance with solutions that are cost-effective yet notinferior to the overall process of restoring the vehicle to theindustry accepted standards. Pre- and post-repair scan allowancesshould be supported with the proper documentation of scan resultsand itemized explanations of services rendered, which serves toprotect the insurer, repairer and consumer alike.

Gene Bilobram ([email protected]) of Lacey AppraisalService Inc., has been an automobile physical damage appraiser formore than 25 years. He provides training and serves as a diagnosticscanning and new technology advisor to the Automotive ManagementInstitute.