How to decide: Calibrations in-house or subletting?

Aug. 17, 2021
No matter where a vehicle is calibrated, it must be done correctly. Get help deciding if you should perform this work in-house or rely on a third party.

One of the issues I’ve encountered while having conversations with MSOs and independent repair shops is whether the facility should calibrate vehicles in-house or sublet the work to a third party.

For shops that prefer to do it in-house, they quickly realize what is involved in setting up a dedicated area for a calibration center. Some considerations include having enough square footage, a level floor space, and proper lighting and equipment.

This is especially true in urban areas where a lot of the car population tends to be. In states like New York or Boston for example, many shops don’t have a 10x10- or 20x20-square-foot area they can allocate for calibrations. Those unable to obtain permits to expand their facilities often find they don’t have enough space.

With the sophistication of new technology in modern-day vehicles, this is becoming a big challenge for repairers across the country. As car manufacturers continue to build automobiles with more technology and advanced levels of autonomy, it’s going to be critical that the systems are calibrated correctly.

As a result, some shops are subletting this work to a third party. Although this can be a great option for some businesses, one of the challenges with subletting is that shops are still liable for the repair. Therefore, they need to put quality control measures in place to ensure the calibration is being performed properly.

To provide peace of mind, some shops rescan the vehicle at the end of the repair to verify the codes are cleared and the calibration was completed. 

If vehicles aren’t calibrated correctly, the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are likely to react differently, which could affect the safety of the occupants. I heard someone compare it to having an impaired driver on the road. A car that isn’t calibrated the way it was intended is no different.

Education & training

Whether a business is doing the calibration in-house or subletting it to a third party, it’s important for those involved to be knowledgeable about what is involved with a calibration. Otherwise, they are putting trust in someone who may or may not be doing it correctly.

Like any other new project you take on for your home or business, collision repairers need to educate themselves. This means doing your homework and research. I recommend having somebody in-house who at least understands the calibration requirements and can be a guide to ensure all the necessary steps are being done.

If shops are looking for foundational education, third-party industry and OEM training is available that covers the basics. Peer-to-peer information can also be valuable.  

I always encourage shops to get involved and participate in industry meetings and events. There are good conversations going on right now about calibrations and getting involved is one of the best ways to learn up-to-date information.

Following OEM repair procedures

When calibrating a vehicle, a shop’s first point of reference should always be to check the OEM procedures. OEMs are the best source of information. If you are working on a model that you don’t repair regularly, a lot of OEMs have different subscription options to access the necessary information.

If you are going to commit to repairing a particular car, it’s worth the investment for even a day subscription to make sure you are fixing it the way it was designed.

We’re finding that some third-party companies suggest workarounds such as using smaller targets or converting the distance to adapt to the amount of floor space available in a shop. Remember that these aren’t always being driven by the OEMs, and as such it would be good to check for confirmation by the automaker for any adjustments made to their initial instructions. It’s up to the repair facility to decide how they want to proceed.

The default is to always reference the OEM information. Cars are designed to react in a certain way in the event of an accident and it’s critical to bring them back to those specifications after a repair. Scanning and calibrating ensures the safety systems are working the right way so that in the event of a secondary accident, the vehicle still performs to the utmost safety standards that it was designed to. 

If you are unsure about the guidelines or have questions, reach out to an OEM field representative or someone knowledgeable in this area who can help you find the right answer.

About the Author

Gabriel Morley | Senior Vice President, VeriFacts Automotive

Gabriel Morley has a unique background, having worked at Enterprise Holdings within their rental and fleet divisions before moving to Massachusetts and becoming a licensed adjuster for GEICO. This led Morley to join BMW of North America in 2013 as Body & Paint Business Development and Collision Insurance Manager. He worked with insurance and shop partners to improve the collision experience and develop a high-performing network through education and open conversation. Over the years, Morley assumed various positions, developing the parts and service business as well as online digital sales for BMW before joining VeriFacts in late 2020. In his current role, he leads the daily operations as well as the strategic vision to bring repair quality and new technologies together for consumer safety and experience. 

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