QAP Changes for 2023

by Chuck Hardy NMEDA DIRECTOR OF QUALITY & COMPLIANCE

enough to live near and those like me who travel, I hope you were all able to spend some quality time with your families over the holidays.

So, what’s in store for 2023? Only time will tell, but what I CAN tell you about is the changes for our Quality Assurance Program. As you all know, each year our standing committees for QAP Rules and Guidelines examine opportunities to improve our programs and keep an eye on other market forces that could impact any of our existing rules and guidelines. And this year with QAPx rolling out, there was sure a lot on our plates, but overall, I think you will find there won’t be too much change to adapt to. All of the changes I am about to talk about are found in the 2023 release of the QAP Rules and Guidelines which can be found on the NMEDA website.

Probably the biggest change to the QAP Rules has to do with the Dealer QC manual. Prior to 2023, the Dealer QC manual was a template that the dealer made some simple updates to by adding their name and various employees to, then saving it, sending it into NMEDA for approval and then uploading to QAPx (or Docutrack, aka “DT”). Now with everyone using either QAPx or Docutrack, the committee thought that we could streamline the QC manual and make it easier for a dealer to make changes to their product and tools listing (appendices C & D) and the committee looked at the value in constantly updating the org chart (appendix A) and the facility layout (appendix B). What was decided was to simplify the QC manual and place it directly in QAPx (and DT), eliminate the need to complete the Org Chart and Facility Layout (more about that later) and separate the Product Listing and Tools Listing to make them easier to edit and upload into QAPx/DT. I know that’s a mouthful so let me go over it one more time and a little slower for you.

DEALER QC MANUAL CHANGES FOR 2023:

• Simplify the manual, make it ‘universal’ for all dealers, and place it directly in QAPx/DT.

• Make the Product Listing and

Calibrated Tools Listing separate documents that are uploaded into QAPx/DT.

• Eliminate the Organizational Chart and Facility Layout appendices.

Here is the rationale for these changes. First off, the QC manual is used “as-is” by 99% of all dealers, so making it “universal” just seemed like the right thing to do. For anyone in the 1% that wants to continue to use their own custom QC Manual, you can still do that! It just needs to be

The reason we eliminated the Org Chart is because we have all the information we need in our association management system (AMS) and QAPx/DT so there is no need to have you update that in your QC manual. And for the facility layout, the committee agreed that is not necessary as there is no longer a requirement for shop square footage. That’s it for the QC manual changes! The other updates for 2023 QAP Rules document are as follows:

• Some minor wording changes are sealed, they provide an alternative to the gel cell batteries. In this same section the committee also updated the flammability (FMVSS 302) requirement for the battery enclosure. Here the guideline was updated to include battery enclosures that meet a more stringent US Coast Guard specification USCG DHS 111.15. Other minor changes to the Guidelines are as follows:

• Updated Electronic Left Foot Accelerator (section 15B) to “low tech”

• Revised the make inoperative section 1 to include FMVSS 111 (Rear Visibility) and FMVSS 216 (Roof Crush Resistance) under the available make inoperative exemptions

• Minor wording changes to After Sales Service section 4.5.1 to be consistent with the form approved by NMEDA and uploaded into QAPx/DT. to the “Out of Area Service Requirements” section to bring consistency between the rules and the wording on the form.

For everyone else, you don’t have to do anything other than create the product listing and calibrated tools listing and upload these in the same place you have your insurance certificates. That said, you have time, we will not require you to create these separate documents until the first time you have to make an update. So, rather than ask everyone to do all that work now, you can wait until you need to make a change to the product listing or tools listing and upload them as separate documents at that time. We will continue to use the product listing and tools listing you have in your existing uploaded QC manual until you need to make a change.

• QAP 1-2-3-4 Training is now just called “QAP Training”. In fact, if you don’t know or haven’t taken the training in a while, do it. The entire training module was redone and modernized. Now onto the Guidelines. Probably the biggest change to the Guidelines was the “Battery Installations” section 6.5.

What the committee realized is that the section did not provide accommodation for the newer AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries that are prevalent on the market. These AGM batteries are non-spillable and

• Removed appendix A (Out of Area Service Agreement) as this requirement is already a part of the QAP Rules

In conclusion, a new year is upon us! All of these changes are shown in the 2023 version of the QAP Rules and Guidelines found on the website. If you have any questions, or know of anything that any one of our committees should be addressing, please drop me a line.

I hope your 2023 is a good one and I am looking forward to seeing you at our next conference in Kansas City. I hear they got some good BBQ there and can’t wait to try it out. Until next time, keep on doing what you’re doing and moving life forward!

Total

No new dealers were accredited in Q4 2022.