Jan.. 17, 2019—On Thursday, a joint press release was issued by the Automotive Service Association, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and the Association of Global Automakers calling for all collision repairs to follow OEM procedures.
The statement said that OEM repair procedures follow service and structural engineering practices that have been tested by the manufacturers through crash simulation, actual crash testing, and real-world validation of repair methodology. They also noted that following such procedures is as important as ever, given evolving vehicle technology.
“There was a time when a basic understanding of auto body repair would allow a repairer to fix 9 out of 10 vehicles that come in a shop. That time has passed,” said Wayne Weikel, a senior director for the AAM.
Automakers also emphasized that the auto repair procedures are readily available to auto shops through numerous online outlets.
Previously, the AAM and ASA had announced plans to actively push state legislation to mandate the use of recommended OEM repair procedures in all post-accident, insurance-funded vehicle repairs, as a result of the $42 million verdict in the Seebachan v. John Eagle Collision case that was handed down in Texas in 2017.
