June 7, 2018—Kia Motors America issued a new position statement on pre- and post-repair diagnostic scanning, noting "it is imperative to perform both pre-repair and post-repair scan procedures within all the systems."
Kia did not previously have a position statement on scanning.
Kia Pre and Post Diagnostic Scanning Related To Collision Repairs Position Statement:
Kia Motors has designed many electrical modules and complex electrical components which communicate with each other in Kia vehicles. These systems help control many of the phases of vehicle performance, as well as vital safety systems that were designed to prevent accidents and/or to help protect the driver and occupants in the event of a collision.
After a collision has occurred, it is imperative to perform both pre-repair and post-repair scan procedures within all the systems to test for potential diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). The DTCs may be stored in specific modules such as the airbag, body engine, or powertrain control units. The DTCs can provide information about these and other components, such as sensors, cameras, and radars (if equipped), used in the vehicle’s safety systems and equipment.
A DTC alert may not always illuminate a DTC indicator light on the dash board, so testing for codes is important both before and after repairs are made, even if the repairs appear to be minor. Not only can scanning help ensure accurate estimating before a job commences, after-repair scanning helps ensure that all systems are communicating and functioning as originally designed and can help indicate that the repair was completed thoroughly, resulting in the vehicle being restored to the state and condition as originally engineered.
The scanning procedure should not be considered an option, but rather as an essential task both during the pre-repair collision estimating phase and after the repairs are completed.
