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—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988. He is the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). Contact him by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.
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GM Scales Back Post-Crash Inspections Requirement for Collision Repair Shops
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General Motors recently rolled out without any structural repair.” subject to damage” for which further a significant overhaul of the vehi One exception: GM wants “ev- inspections are needed. For each of these, the new doccle inspections it calls on auto body ery seat belt of every [GM] vehicle with Ed Attanasio shops to perform post-collision, say- inspected every time” a vehicle is in ument lists different steps necessary ing the changes in no way compro- for repairs, “regardless of the [crash] based on whether there has been an mise safety. severity level or what’s being done” airbag or pretensioner deployment. The automaker previously had to the vehicle. If a front airbag has deployed, for a long list of such inspections it required “after any collision,” including inspection ofwith the steering wheel Ed Attanasio and column, the instrument panel mounting points and brackets and seat mounting points. It now says most inspections are necessary only after “any collision that exceeds minor outer body panel cosmetic distortion.” This with Ed Attanasio eliminates the need for some “pretty invasive” steps, said John Eck, General Motors now says most post-crash safety inspections are necessary only after “any collision that exceeds minor outer body panel cosmetic distortion.” collision manager for GM, in a webinar about the changes, like “re- When damage is more than example, the steering wheel must moving the headliner or…dash, or “minor outer body panel cosmet- be replaced; if not deployed, a visumeasuring a steering when ic distortion,” GM has a list of the al inspection of the module cover is withcolumn, Ed Attanasio all you’re doing is replacing a fascia “unrelated components that could be sufficient, provided no “deformation,
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distortion or indentations” are seen. There is also additional information from GM’s engineers about many of the inspections, such as what to look for during visual inspections of different components. Given only a seat belt inspection is required in the event of collision repairs that involve only “minor outer body panel cosmetic distortion,” Eck was asked to clarify what types of repairs that might include. “If you’re looking at just the front quarter panel, no mounting brackets or no structural support brackets are damaged,” Eck cited as an example. “Or a fascia that might be cracked but the bumper bars aren’t damaged and there’s no airbag deployment. Or that side mirror that comes off backing out of a garage.” A dime-sized dent on a rocker panel? “A rocker panel is not a cosmetic outer body panel,” Eck said, mean-
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