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Stacey Phillips is an award-winning freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.
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Jake Rodenroth of asTech on Vehicle Tech’s Relation to Collision Repair Diagnostics variety of tools can be used to acTelematics, Advanced Driver Assis- mechanical diagnostics. tance Systems (ADAS) and OEM “Collision repair technicians cess the systems responsible for the repair procedures are all predicted and mechanical technicians will cause. Ultimately, mechanical diagto significantly with impactStacey the way Phillips ve- look at the same vehicle from a very nostics comes down to first identifyhicles are repaired in the future, ac- different perspective,” said Roden- ing the concern, and then the cause cording to Jake Rodenroth, direc- roth. Speaking from firsthand expe- and correction. tor of OEM and industry technical rience working as a master techni- In comparison, collision dician for a large OEM in his agnostics involves having relations for asTech. technicians first confirm the During a virtual presentation earlier career, he shared the vehicle model and trim levco-sponsored by the Nebraska Auto difference between the two. el and then determining the On the mechanical side, Body Association with(NABA) Victoriaand Antonelli cause and correction. It also the Kansas Auto Body Association most of the repairs revolve involves inspecting the se(KABA), Rodenroth shared insight around a concern or the veverity of damage by confirmabout several vehicle technologies hicle’s maintenance scheding body specification and and how they relate to collision re- ule. Jake Rodenroth, pair diagnostics. He also discussed “The technician’s job asTech’s director of suspension geometry using some of the future concerns techni- is to identify the cause of OEM and industry pre-alignments and 3D meacians will likelywith face. Ed Attanasio that concern and then rec- technical relations, suring systems. wearing augmented ommend the correction or “The trim level designates reality glasses Diagnostics repair on the vehicle,” said how many features and conIn the evolving landscape of vehicle Rodrenroth. trol modules it has,” said Rodenroth. diagnostics, Rodenroth said body Since many mechanical repairs “All collisions are inheritably differshops must recognize the difference are routine, he said the correction ent and there is nothing routine about between collision diagnostics and is usually predictable. Therefore, a each vehicle repair.”
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Often dealing with the newest vehicles in the worst shape, technicians need access to all vehicle control modules and features to ensure a safe and proper repair. Welding and painting operations, as well as vehicle disassembly, may impact the vehicle control systems. In addition, many labor operations require ADAS calibration. “After a collision, we should be really focused on making sure we see all of the modules and identify all of the problems as proactively as possible,” said Rodenroth. OEM Repair Procedures & Scan Tools Although some collision repair technicians turn to YouTube when looking for information to repair a vehicle, Rodenroth highly advises checking the OEM repair procedures. “I feel like we learn on every car,” he said. “We have to humble
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