Addison Auto Repair and Body Shop are proud to announce we are one of only three Subaru Certified Collision Centers in all of Denver.
So why does the Subaru Certification matter so much when getting your vehicle repaired? We sat down with Addison’s founder, Jim Addison, to learn more.
Interviewer: Jim, thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Can you tell us why a manufacturer’s certification matters?
Jim: Absolutely. A decade or so ago, collision repair consisted mostly of replacing or repairing damaged body and suspension parts, but today the body systems and mechanical/electrical systems are deeply intertwined.
It used to be that a bumper was just a somewhat flimsy piece of plastic that made the front and rear of the vehicle look nice. Now a bumper is also often a structure that contains sensors for parking assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and more. After a bumper cover is replaced, the sensors need to be calibrated. This is necessary even if the cover is removed and immediately reinstalled.
A manufacturer’s certification is the result of a robust process a collision shop goes through to demonstrate to the manufacturer they have the equipment, experience, skill, and expertise required to return a vehicle post-accident to its original factory specifications.
Interviewer: Can you give us an example of a body and mechanical system being intertwined?
Jim: Sure! I’ll give you a few. Even before a repair is begun, someone has to look up the manufacturer’s procedures to determine what systems may be involved and what operations need to be done before removal and after installation. For instance, on a late model Prius, before the bumper is removed, it is necessary to put the grill shutter in maintenance mode before removing and initialize it after reinstalling. If this isn’t performed correctly, the engine could overheat.
Another example is a late model Infinity. A rock broke the grill so that ought to be pretty straightforward, right? Well, the emblem is actually the adaptive cruise control radar module cover, and it is one-time use; it breaks on disassembly!! When a new emblem is installed, the millimeter-wave radar needs to be calibrated, and before that is done, the vehicle needs to have wheels aligned. This stuff is complex.
One last example is that Honda requires every vehicle in any collision has the passenger seat occupancy sensor calibrated. The passenger airbag is called a dual-stage airbag and based on the occupant’s size, the bag may deploy at full speed, partial speed or not at all. If the bag deploys at full speed, it could injure a smaller person. The other day as we were calibrating an occupancy sensor, we discovered it was registering 500 pounds with no weight on the seat. It is likely that in a crash if the bag deployed, it would do so at full force regardless of who was in the seat.
Interviewer: In a city of 600,000 people and hundreds of body shops, Addison is currently one of three Subaru Certified Collision Centers. Is this a big deal for the customer?
Jim: Definitely, this certification helps customers to know and be able to trust that Addison will repair their vehicle correctly- which also means restoring it to full safety.
The manufacturers are aware that they are building more complicated vehicles that are much more difficult to repair. They have a high interest that their vehicles are repaired correctly, so their customer remains loyal. Because of this, many manufacturers have created certification programs in order to have more control of how the vehicles are repaired through their certified shops. We believe this is a good trend because it will bring higher standards to the industry.
It is time-consuming to do the research for every repair, yet every model year it becomes more necessary. This is such an important issue that the Automotive Service Association is backing state by state legislation that requires insurers to pay for any repair procedures recommended by the original equipment manufacturer. Times are changing, and Addison is happy to continue our role as trustworthy leaders in our industry.
Interviewer: Thank you, Jim, for your time and information.
Jim: My pleasure.
In honor of Addison’s Subaru Certification, refer a Subaru driving friend, and you and them will receive 10% off any mechanical service*. Your friend must provide your name to redeem their offer.
*offer valid up to $50 and may not be combined with another offer. Expires 9/30/19
