Wisconsin Automotive News Fall 2016

The Official Publication of the Wisconsin Auto Collision Technicians Association Ltd.

Fall 2016

Scan Tools and Training: Where Are Our Resources?

PLUS: www.grecopublishing.com

Fox Valley to Host Free Educational Event Wausau East High School Opens Automotive Technician Lab

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Fall 2016

2016-2018 WACTAL BOARD of DIRECTORS President Larry Terrien MJ Collision Center larry@mjcollisioncenter.com Vice President Mark Williams Williams Auto Body mark@williamsautobody.com Secretary/Treasurer Ronnie Goss Goss Auto Body, Inc. ronnie@gossautobody.com Treasurer Sue Black Dean’s Auto Body suzieq@deansautobody.com Directors James Bryhan Bryhan's Body & Paint Specialists Eileen Haberman Glen's Auto Body, Inc. Mike Miyagawa M & M Auto Body Inc. Michael Taylor Zimbrick Chevrolet-Sun Prairie Tracy Black Dean’s Auto Body, Inc. Association Administration Sue Peterson wactal@execpc.com / info@wactal.com (800) 366-9482 Lobbyist Jolene Plautz jplautz@aol.com

Fall 2016

Vol. 4, Number 1

CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ........................................................5 Strength in Numbers

by Larry Terrien

LOCAL NEWS Wausau East High School Opens Automotive Technician Lab..............7 A Commitment to Training: Fox Valley to Host Free Educational Event ..9

by Chloe Durante

WACTAL MEMBER BENEFIT SPOTLIGHT ......................................10 West Bend Mutual Insurance Company WACTAL MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ................................................11 Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center

by Chloe Durante

TALKING TECHNICAL ................................................................12 Invest Now or in Five Years Do Something Else

by Larry Montanez III, CDA & Jeff Lange, PE

FEATURE STORY ....................................................................14 Scan Tools and Training: Where Are Our Resources?

by Chloe Durante

PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

WACTAL BENEFIT PROGRAM ..................................................17

244 Chestnut St., Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110 PHONE: 973-667-6922 • FAX: 973-235-1963 ADVERTISING: 973-667-6922 • alicia@grecopublishing.com

WACTAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION ........................................18

PUBLISHER: Thomas Greco (thomas@grecopublishing.com) SALES DIRECTOR: Alicia Figurelli (alicia@grecopublishing.com) CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lea Velocci (lea@grecopublishing.com) EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Joel Gausten (joel@grecopublishing.com) EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Chloe Durante (chloe@grecopublishing.com) OFFICE MANAGER: Donna Greco (donna@grecopublishing.com) www.grecopublishing.com Wisconsin Automotive News is published quarterly by Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc., 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110. Distributed free to qualified recipients; $48 to all others. Additional copies of Wisconsin Automotive News are available at $5 per copy.

Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission of the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily representations of Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. or of WACTAL. Copyright © 2016 by Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. Cover image © www.istock.com

Fall 2016

ADVERTISER’S INDEX Axalta Coatings........................................OBC Morrison’s Auto Parts ..............................4 Body Shop Supply Co. ............................6 P&L Consultants......................................12 Buerkle Hyundai ......................................5 Straight and Square ................................8 CAPA ......................................................IBC West Bend Mutual Insurance ..................IFC Dentsmart ................................................10 Zorn Compressor & Equipment ..............16 International Autos Waukesha..................8 3

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Fall 2016

President’s MESSAGE

Strength in Numbers

There’s strength in numbers – a well-used and truthful phrase. If you’re not already a WACTAL member, now is your opportunity to become a part of WACTAL’s strength. For a limited time, WACTAL is offering a free one year membership to new members who are independent collision repair businesses and dealerships with a collision repair center. The only catch?

You must fill out and submit a membership application by January 1, 2017. An application for membership can be found on page 18 of this issue, or on the WACTAL website at www.wactal.com.

The WACTAL Business Insurance Program is offered by West Bend Mutual Insurance through local independent insurance agencies. Not a member but insured with West Bend? Then you’re leaving money on the table. This program includes a seven percent discount on garage coverages plus enhancements unique to the WACTAL program. West Bend Mutual’s Home and Highway program is available to WACTAL member owners and key employees at a discounted rate.

Fall 2016

The updated Consumer Guide to Auto Collision Repair includes references to Wisconsin’s consumer choice law. This brochure is available to WACTAL members at a nominal cost.

Additional member programs and benefits include WACTAL’S CSI program, credit card processing, Personal Concierge (phone app), legislative involvement and monitoring and much more.

Now is your opportunity to become part of the organization dedicated to representing the unique interests of the collision repair industry in Wisconsin. Be part of the solution, not the problem. Join WACTAL today!

Larry Terrien WACTAL President

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Fall 2016

Local

NEWS

Wausau East High School Opens

Automotive Technician Lab

by Chloe Durante

This past September celebrated the grand opening of Wausau years. The district recognized that although the high school did have an East High School’s Automotive Technician Lab. The Wausau School existing automotive program, the building itself was just too small for all District was able to partner with Northcentral Technical College in addithe students interested in taking automotive courses. tion to receiving donations from local industry professionals and busi“There were just too many kids in a very small space,” Winter nesses to provide students with a high-tech lab which includes general explained. “This was preventing them from really thriving.” automotive, auto collision and diesel curriculums. While the demand for The district looked to the community to participate in a survey highly-skilled automotive technicians will about what was most important to them for continue to rise well into the 21st century, their students and 86 percent of surveyors this industry is ever-changing; therefore, its stated that employable skills were critical success relies heavily on the training and for the students in technical education. This education of future technicians. only elevated the idea that something In April 2015, the Wausau community needed to be done to revamp the current approved a facility referendum to expand curriculum and facility. the Career and Technical Education pro“The survey was very influential. We gram which included expanding the thenhad a good program, but we just needed automotive lab from a three-bay facility to a more space and more options,” Winter sugseven-bay facility. All high school students gested. now have the opportunity to take classes In addition to reaching out to the comsuch as Transportation, Intro to Power munity, Winter noted that the district also Mechanics, Automotive Awareness, reached out to the most important people Occupational Mechanics I and of all, the students. They ran various focus Occupational Mechanics II. In addition, stugroups with the students discussing their dents can enroll in a Youth Apprenticeship new addition plans.

Program to earn credits in the “There were a lot of conversations Transportation course. about what equipment they wanted to be “The increase in size of the automotive brought in and we really got a student’s lab, coupled with our students’ post-secperspective of learning.” ondary opportunities, will bolster the transThe 9,000-square-foot facility now portation pathway for students exploring the has a brand-new paint mixing booth, a automotive industry and related careers,” heavy duty hoist that allows students to Students of the Wausau East High School said Career and Technical Education work on diesel vehicles and an auto colliutilizing the new automotive lab.

Coordinator of the Wausau School District sion program. While enrollment hasn’t necJon Winter. “We believe this innovative essarily skyrocketed just yet, Winter is conapproach to showcase careers in transportation to students in their very fident they are headed in the right direction. own automotive lab will have a dramatic impact on the number of stu“Now that we have the facility and the support we need, there dents entering a transportation career.” needs to be some fine-tuning. How do we get the students more Winter has been an educator for over 12 years and has been in involved at an earlier age? We must work on inspiring them to advance his current position with the Wausau School District for the past two their knowledge and skills of this trade.”

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Fall 2016

A Commitment to Training: Fox Valley to Host Free Educational Event

Local

NEWS

On Saturday, October 15, Fox Valley Technical College of Appleton, WI will be offering an all-day training seminar from some of the industry’s top professionals and trainers. Sponsored by Automechanika Chicago and in partnership with Joliet Junior College, repair professionals are invited to be a part of various educational presentations on how technicians and shop owners/managers can improve their skills. This event is being offered to all attendees free of charge, and includes both a complimentary breakfast and lunch from 7:30am to 4:30pm.

A Welcome Breakfast/Keynote presented by industry expert Mike Anderson will be followed by a series of morning classes that will last until noon. At that time, attendees will break for a complimentary lunch featuring a presentation about Fox Valley Technical College and the importance of training. The scheduled classes will then resume at 1:30pm. The course titles and presenters will be as follows:

Financial Best Practices and Positioning Yourself in the Collision Repair Industry presented by advisor, instructor and former shop owner Mike Anderson.

Practical Electrical and Scope Techniques presented by technical editor for Motor Age Pete Meier.

Aluminum Welding & Attachment Overview presented

by Fox Valley instructor Jerry Goodson.

Estimating Best Practices presented by Fox Valley instructor Mel Schampers.

Service Counter Selling Skills and Capitalizing on Customer Satisfaction presented by author and educator Greg Marchand.

How to Diagnose P0420s & P0430s (Catalyst Below Threshold) DTCs and Critical Thinking Diagnostic Skills presented by shop owner and author Jerry Truglia.

Vehicle Technology and Trends presented by I-CAR’s Director of Client Relations Jason Bartanen.

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to receive the latest and greatest in automotive training from the best industry professionals across the country. If you would like to register for this event, please visit tinyurl.com/jp22k6y.

WAN

SAVE THE DATE!

The 2017 WACTAL Conference will be held April 28-29 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Oshkosh, WI. Fall 2016

WWW.WACTAL.COM FOR DETAILS

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WACTAL Member Benefit Spotlight: West Bend Mutual Insurance Company

WACTAL’s Business Insurance Program is offered by West Bend Mutual Insurance Company through local independent insurance agencies. For those members who are eligible, the program includes a seven percent discount on garage coverages, plus coverage enhancements unique to the WACTAL program. Although workers’ compensation and umbrella premiums are not included in the group experience discount plan, participants in the program may receive dividends on their workers’ compensation coverages.

WACTAL’s Personal Lines (home and auto) Insurance Program: West Bend’s Home and Highway® program is available to WACTAL member owners and key employees. In addition to many benefits and discounts, qualifying members who participate in this program will receive an eight percent association discount.

Visit www.thesilverlining.com for an insurance agent near you.

Increase Your Sales and Support the State’s Most Influential Automotive Repair Association!

Get In on the Start of Something BIG! Contact Alicia Figurelli 973-667-6922 alicia@grecopublishing.com www.grecopublishing.com

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Fall 2016

Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center

WACTAL

Member

SPOTLIGHT

by Chloe Durante

Waukesha, WI WACTAL is pleased to announce that Todd Gillette, owner of Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center in Waukesha and longtime I-CAR instructor, has graciously accepted the position of Wisconsin State Chairman of I-CAR. Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center is a Certified Collision Repair Facility for General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai in addition to being a Certified Aluminum Facility. The 8,500-square-foot facility has 18 working bays and Gillette and his staff pride themselves on their continued participation in industry training and education with organizations such as ASE and I-CAR.

Wisconsin Automotive News: How did you get involved in the automotive industry?

Todd Gillette: I started working for a GMC dealership after I had won a scholarship from Waukesha County Technical College. I had to make a choice between school and work. I chose work. I never actually used the scholarship, which is quite funny because now, years later, I wound up teaching there. Because I never took advantage of my opportunity, I cannot stress enough to my students how important education and training is. It’s about investing in the future people of our industry.

WAN: Have there been any recent changes to Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center?

TG: When my wife and I built this new facility a year and a half ago, we had the steel repair room be built on one end of the facility with the paint shop in the middle and the aluminum repair room on the opposite side of the facility so that everything would be completely segregated.

We have a complete clean room (a true clean room), which Jaguar was very impressed with after an inspection for us to become Jaguar Certified. We are currently in the process of that now.

WAN: What sets Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center apart from the rest?

TG: Well, my wife is really the backbone of this place. I spend most of my time traveling and training while she’s here running the show. We have a really great culture here and all 10 of the employees are a vital piece to a well-oiled machine. From Dan the production manager to Dominick, our estimator, everybody here is so critical and important.

And our cycle times? We knock them out of the park!

WAN: What does being Wisconsin State Chairman of I-CAR entail?

TG: I’ve been an instructor with I-CAR since 1989 with an exception of a two-year hiatus. I oversee the Wisconsin operation of I-CAR. I work with about five different committees to make sure they have all the resources and marketing information they need in Wisconsin. I am also in charge of all the course schedules.

WAN: Because training is so important to you, how do you think the industry is currently handling training?

TG: Unfortunately, our training has been passed down from generation to generation while automobile technology has skyrocketed, so there is this huge gap. Because of this, the guys who have been doing this for 30-plus years are resistant to training and don’t believe in change.

I-CAR is trying to change that and that is why I always try to stay current on what’s going on in our industry. I promote I-CAR and OEM certifications to insurance companies so that the DRPs can get up-to-date on training and certifications. There is a huge investment in the training and the new equipment, we get that, but it’s a necessary investment for the future of our industry. I just spent $10,000 on a new scanner last week, but I know that it’s worth it. We’ve been teaching scanning in ICAR for over eight years and now it’s finally turning mainstream. The landscape is changing in this industry extremely fast. The people who are ready for it will capitalize on the opportunity and I know it’s a full time job keeping up with everything, but that’s the price you have to pay to work in this industry.

WAN

Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center unveiled their new 8,500-square-foot facility a year and a half ago.

Fall 2016

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Talking

TECHNICAL

By Larry Montanez III, CDA and Jeff Lange, PE

Invest Now or in Five Years Do Something Else The world around us moves very quickly, and it has been this way forever. If someone told you in 1994 (when Audi announced the all-new aluminum A8) to invest in aluminum repair at your shop, you would have thought they were crazy. But over the next 20 years, most of the European OEs added two to three aluminum-intensive and/or hybrid-construction vehicles to their lineups. Still, many shops felt the investment in aluminum repair was not

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worth it because the large percentage of shops would not see these types of vehicles.

To be honest, we used to agree with that.

Well, in 2014, Ford announced that the 2015 F-150 would be constructed with an aluminum monocoque body over a newly advanced steel frame, and most shops went into a panic. The floodgates were about to burst open.

Cadillac added to the panic with the announcement of its 2016 CT6, a hybrid con-

struction steel/aluminum monocoque. So for all the shops that didn’t see the writing on the wall in the early 2000s, the time is coming soon and fast where the steel-to-aluminum vehicle ratio could be 1:1. By 2019, most of the European vehicles will be aluminum/steel construction, and the exotics will be mixedmaterial construction (steel, aluminum, carbon fiber). Additionally, Chrysler and GM have stated that their 1500 Series Pickups will be aluminum construction by 2019. Jeep has hinted that they will produce an aluminum-intensive vehicle in the next few years. Now, one can only assume that Ford and GM will produce two to three other aluminum-intensive models in two to three years.

The topic of OEM Certified Repair Programs is also worth discussing. Since the early 2000s, European OEs have had Certified Repair Facilities with specific equipment and training requirements and restricted the sale of structural parts. Although Ford does not restrict the sale of F-150 parts, Cadillac does restrict the sale of its parts. By 2020, 40 percent of the vehicles produced may very well be of mixedmaterial construction. Additionally, 30-40 percent of the vehicles produced will be made up of hybrid, electric or diesel propulsion, all due to the CAFE rule of 53mpg by 2025.

More and more OEMs are looking into Certified Collision Repair Programs. GM recently announced that it is looking into a more extensive program, Chrysler/FIAT is launching one later this fall and Honda recently stepped up its requirements. You will soon see 80-90 percent of the OEs with a Certified Program by 2020, with about 20 percent of those facilities being mixed-material facilities with restricted components.

Fall 2016

Some of you might be wondering why you should invest. Depending on the category you fall into, you may be right to ask. Which category fits you best?

Restoration, rural area (newest car is eight-10 years old), commercial fleet only, detail and bumpers only.

Answer: No, you probably don’t need to invest in any tooling or training at this time, except for some aluminum outer panel cosmetic repair.

Small mom-and-pop shop in a rural area (newest vehicle is five-seven years old), metropolitan poorer area (vehicles are three-10 years old), restoration.

Answer: No, you probably don’t need to invest today, but you may need to look into some aluminum outer panel cosmetic repair training and tools in two to three years.

Rural/country/suburban facility (vehicles are one-seven years old), DRP/Non-DRP, dealer collision facilities (non-European/exotic). If your facility doesn’t see high-end European or exotic super cars, you may need to invest in the Ford F-150 program and possibly the Cadillac program. The big three American OEs will be offering aluminumintensive and hybrid construction vehicles in the next two to four years. We predict that in the next few years, the Ford Taurus (or whatever they will call it) and Mustang will probably be constructed with some sort of aluminum, and GM will most

Fall 2016

likely have at least two other cars similar to the CT6. (The Malibu and Camaro are good bets, too.) How far behind are Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan and even Honda?

All makes and models with a good volume of high-end luxury, exotic super cars. You are probably already invested in the whole of aluminum repair and most likely on your way to carbon fiber training, too.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of shops in the United States still do not have modern structural repair equipment, resistance welders and training to repair modern steel vehicles. This epidemic must stop.

Repair facility owners must invest in equipment, tooling and training to ensure not only safe and correct repairs, but that their technicians possess the knowledge, skills and ability to repair the vehicles. The post-repair inspection horror shows we see online and in the media every day generally start off as Diminished Value cases and explode into “bad repair” posts because of the substandard repair procedures used. We can no longer look at a job and say, “Oh boy, I can’t wait to see how this comes out. I love the challenge of figuring things out.” We can no longer think like cavemen and say, “We can figure it out,” or, “I never had a problem before.” We need to understand there are procedures and protocols from the OEM that must be followed. If you don’t think this will affect you, look at all the changes over the past four years. If you don’t feel the need to invest now, then plan on selling

your business.

Hopefully, this article has brought to your attention the reasons why we need to act and invest now in our shops. Feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions.

Larry Montanez, CDA is co-owner of P&L Consultants with Peter Pratti Jr. P&L Consultants work with collision repair shops on estimating, production and proper repair procedures. P&L conducts repair workshops on MIG & Resistance Welding, Measuring for Estimating and Advanced Estimating Skills. P&L also conducts investigations for insurers and repair shops for improper repairs, collision reparability and estimating issues. Larry is ISO 9606-2 Certified for Audi and Mercedes-Benz and is a certified technician for multiple OEM Collision Repair Programs. P&L can be reached by contacting Larry at (718) 891-4018 (office), (917) 860-3588 (cell) or via email at info@PnLEstimology.com.

Jeff Lange, PE is president of Lange Technical Services, Ltd. of Deer Park, NY (www.LangeTech.net). Jeff is a Licensed New York State Professional Engineer who specializes in investigating vehicle and component failures. Lange Technical Services, Ltd. is an investigative engineering firm performing forensic vehicle examinations and analysis for accident reconstruction, products liability and insurance issues. Jeff can be reached at (631) 667-6128 or by email at Jeff.Lange@LangeTech.net.

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Scan Tools and Training: Where Are Our Resources?

by Chloe Durante

Now that we’re all clear on the importance of pre- and postrepair scanning (and if you’re not, keep reading Wisconsin Automotive News for ongoing coverage and discussions), it’s time to raise an even more pressing question: How do shops get their repairers properly trained on operating and interpreting highly advanced scan tools? If a local shop is totally new to pre- and post-repair scanning and is not familiar with using diagnostic scanners, where are the resources for general diagnostic information and training? According to Mike Anderson of Collision Advice, accessing the OEM repair information is step number one.

“First and foremost, shops need to research the OEM repair information based off the VIN of the vehicle before doing anything,” he says. “It’s not just about scanning the vehicle.

Technicians have to refer to the OEM repair manuals because they don’t know what they don’t know, right? Just looking up this information that is readily available online is the first step to educating themselves…They can’t assume that because they fixed 10 of these vehicles in one lifetime that they are all the same. They are all going to be different based on what collision avoidance systems they have installed at the time of purchase. The proper procedures are listed right there in black and white! Some involve scanning,

and some don’t.”

When shops neglect to take this vital step in the right direction, repairs can go awry. For example, Volkswagen has a feature called pinch protection (as many other manufacturers do), similar to an elevator door stopping when it senses something in its path.

Volkswagen’s repair information says that if the door has to be replaced, the window must be run up and down twice in order to re-initialize the pinch protection. However, a procedure as simple as running the window up and down is too often overlooked. So when a young mom gets her car back from the shop and her fouryear-old son gets his hand stuck in the window the following day, who do you think she is going to blame?

“There’s a variety of different things that need to be done on vehicles pre- and post-repair – not just scanning, but recalibrating and re-initialization,” offers Anderson. “This is a common misconception. Just plugging a scanner into a vehicle and clearing all the fault codes is not protocol, nor is it safe for drivers.”

Anderson recalls another example of a repair being done incorrectly due to lack of simple research.

“A shop replaced a Toyota grille emblem, and the repair information stated it had to be clear in color so that the cruise control

“Just plugging a scanner into a vehicle and clearing all the fault codes is not protocol, nor is it safe for drivers.”

- Mike Anderson, Collision Advice

Feature could get a good signal through it. But the tech did not read the OEM repair information before replacing the emblem. Because of this, the cruise control system didn’t work, and I had to use a scan tool to check the fault codes.”

Whether you’re performing a windshield replacement on a Toyota Camry, a Honda Civic or Chrysler Pacifica, the OEM repair information must be referenced before a repair. Vehicles are now so sophisticated that some encompass over 200 computers. Not only can technicians access OEM repair information, but many manufacturers publish position statements (many of which can be found at oem1stop.com) on various repair procedures – including scanning. However, most of these position statements highly recommend only using the OEM’s factory scan tool. For example, Honda’s position statement from this past June stated the following: The recommended way to accurately determine the post-collision status of all Honda and Acura vehicle electronic control systems is with the i-HDS.

If shops do decide to purchase the i-HDS Diagnostic Software and Interface Hardware, how do they get properly trained on using it?

According to Chris Tobie, collision business specialist for American Honda Motor Company, “Using a scan tool to read DTCs is pretty straightforward and a matter of following on-screen prompts. But if training is needed, all of the same online technical training that we provide to Honda and Acura dealers can be purchased and downloaded from Helm Incorporated (HELMInc.com). There’s a link to their website on the Honda Independent Repair/ServiceExpress website (techinfo.honda.com). Just click on ‘Training Information.’

However, very few shops take advantage of this available training.

With the exception of the user guides, training is not included with the software and vehicle communication interface device purchases. We already are planning to create an online training course on driver support systems calibration as part of our HON collision repair training series delivered by I-CAR. A second online HON course about pre- and post-repair scanning is also under consideration. However, development of this training will take some time.”

Although reading and interpreting codes may seem fairly simple to most, not everyone in this industry is exactly up to speed with the concept of pre- and post-repair scanning and may require more training than others. Local shops that repair all makes and models don’t always know where to turn for general information. Yes, the OEM repair manuals provide answers and procedures for specific cars, but sometimes that isn’t enough.

Thankfully, I-CAR has decided to address the confusion and Fall 2016

STORY

provide shops with the answers they so desperately need.

“We held an I-CAR Repairability Summit at NACE this year with a number of vehicle makers, collision repair facilities, insurers, scan tool manufacturers and other subject matter experts,” says I-CAR Director of Industry Technical Relations Jason Bartanen. “What we did during that meeting was try to land on some definitions. There is a lot of confusion in the industry with regards to scanning and calibration. We really want to focus on the pre-scan being a vital step in the damage analysis and blueprinting process. It provides a complete picture of what we’re working with. In addition, we want to create a best-practice document that is published by I-CAR and was developed and vetted by the inter-industry as we bring in all the stakeholders and subject matter experts to have the discussion.”

In addition to the upcoming scanning and calibration courses, I-CAR’s Repairability Technical Support Portal (rts.i-car.com) is another resource for the latest repair information. It is currently utilized by over 100,000 repair professionals and offers thousands of pages of OEM information, including diagnostic and calibration procedures/requirements.

During the most recent NACE in Anaheim, Anderson conducted a panel (available as a video at tinyurl.com/z6qezbe courtesy of Repairer Driven News) in which OEM representatives discussed diagnostics in collision repair. In addition to Tobie, Brian Wayne of Chrysler was a member of this panel and also showed his support for offering proper diagnostic training to technicians.

“We want to change the way the game is played. We have come up with a certified program to help give shops the tools, equipment and training to repair these vehicles safely.”

In addition to Honda, Nissan and Chrysler, Toyota will also be incorporating scanning and calibrating in their training curriculum in the near future.

Because no vehicle or manufacturer is remotely the same, OEMs recommend only using their factory scan tools to avoid certain fault codes being misread or missed altogether. So what do the local shops do? Do they go out and purchase nine different OEM scanners to ensure accuracy? Do they go out and purchase one aftermarket scan tool and hope for the best?

“I don’t want to sit here and say all aftermarket scan tools are bad because I haven’t used them all,” says Anderson. “But I will say that I have personally scanned vehicles with OEM factory scan tools that other repairers scanned previously with aftermarket scan tools, and I found things that the aftermarket missed. In my mind – because we’re talking about people’s lives being at stake here – I don’t recommend using a scan tool that may or may not find everything. But when I use an OEM scan tool, like iHDS or the Nissan Consult III Plus, I have complete confidence that it will absolutely identify everything for me since it is based on the actual manufacturer of that particular vehicle.”

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FEATURESTORY continued from previous page

So if purchasing an aftermarket scanner is off the table for repair experts and buying several different OEM scanners is also inconceivable, what do repairers do? Anderson believes AsTech has the answer. AsTech essentially works as an extension cord that connects to Dallas, TX (their headquarters), where they have access to OEM scan tools on-site. The AsTech is an interface connecting repairers to information from certified technicians. The product interprets the fault codes for the shops and researches the solution for the repair. AsTech seems like the answer to repairers’ prayers, but once again – is it that simple? The various OEM panelists at NACE certainly seemed to think so.

“AsTech has a great option for shops,” said Chrysler’s Wayne.

“Working with eight or nine different scanners is crazy – we get that. But if you can use an interface with access to all the OEM tools, you have the advantage of knowing you are getting an accurate, quality scan.”

According to Jake Rodenroth, AsTech’s director of client services, customers can take advantage of a weekly, 30-minute webinar every Wednesday at 2pm free of charge. These sessions cover not only the basics in diagnostics, but also teach the shops how to research the OEM data and explain it to an insurer or consumer.

“We have some other support and training opportunities

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planned for the future as well. The ‘Ask AsTech’ webinar sign-up page can be found on our website [tinyurl.com/jet7lxh] and is open to everyone,” he says.

With more and more OEMs coming out with position statements on mandatory scanning, shops will have no choice but to purchase some type of scan tool. Whether it is the AsTech interface, an OEM factory scanner or an aftermarket tool, making an informed decision requires research, education and training. This includes making sure that the device you’re using is truly capable of handling the vehicles in your shop – especially if that product is an interface or an aftermarket product. Similar to running a business, success does not happen overnight. It’s time to get involved and get vehicles repaired as safely as possible.

“Shops need to take a good look in the mirror first and educate themselves before they can educate anyone else, especially their customers,” says Anderson. “Watch videos, read articles, attend training conferences like the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show [in New Jersey in March] and SEMA [in Las Vegas in November], take an I-CAR class—this is how we get educated and informed. The information is out there; all they have to do is look!”

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