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Industry News & Insights

Repair Planning Is Everyone’s Job

OEC | October 7, 2026

OEM repair procedures affect every role in the collision shop. See 3 real OEM examples that are easy to miss and how to build a safer repair plan.

A technician in a blue polo works on a laptop resting on the hood of a blue car in a collision repair shop.

Why OEM procedure research belongs to every role in the shop, not just the estimator.

Vehicle complexity has turned the repair plan into the most important document in the shop. When OEM procedures are researched at intake and reach each person performing an operation, the shop plans accurately, orders correctly, and delivers a safe repair. When those procedures stay with one person, requirements can be missed even when the repair plan is complete and accurate.

Two technicians stand beside a dark sedan in a collision repair shop bay, discussing the vehicle.

The examples below come from published OEM procedures. Each is easy to miss and falls to a different person in the shop:

1. A few extra mils of paint can cause sensor failure

Impacted roles: Painters, Refinish Techs, Quality Control

“Apply paint, paint thickness shall not exceed 4.4 mils of paint to the head of the sensor (1) using care to ensure the sides maintain the same paint film thickness as the top.” GMC HUMMER EV Pickup and HUMMER EV SUV (2024–2026) — Advanced Parking Assist Rear Object Sensor Replacement

The limit is written in mils on the head of the sensor, not on the fascia, and it varies, even within the same OEM. Even GM elsewhere instructs that a previously painted sensor not be refinished at all. Other OEMs, like Lexus, instruct that paint joints and blends never be placed over the radar transmission area. A refinish that passes a visual inspection can still send the customer home with a faulty parking assist or radar system.

2. The roof may have to come off to replace a quarter panel

Impacted roles: Blueprinters, Body Techs, Parts, Estimators, Service Advisors

“To remove the quarter panel assembly, remove the roof panel. (Refer to the roof panel repair procedures)” Kia EV6 (2025) — Body Panel Repair Procedure, Quarter Panel Assembly

“Remove all related panels and components. Remove roof if needed. Roof Outer Panel Replacement” Cadillac XT4 (2024–2025) — Body Side Outer Panel Sectioning

Two manufacturers, with two closely related quarter panel operations require two different sets of procedures. Kia states the roof comes off. Cadillac leaves it to the tech and to where the sectioning cut takes place. Several manufacturers publish both versions for the same vehicle, one that removes the roof and one that does not, so knowing the brand does not settle it either. The answer changes the parts list, the labour plan, the refinish, the calibration work, and the cycle time.

3. Two manufacturers, two different triggers for the same part

Impacted roles: Mechanical Techs, Estimators, Parts, Service Advisors

“If the Driver AirBag (DAB) has been deployed, the DAB, the clockspring and stalk unit, the steering column assembly including the intermediate shaft and coupler, both front seat belt anchor buckle tensioners, both front seat belt retractor and tensioner assemblies... must be replaced.” Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid (2024) — Service After a Supplemental Restraint System Deployment

“If the vehicle has been in a collision, or if noises are heard coming from the steering column, check column length. If out of specification, replace the steering column as an assembly.” Nissan Frontier (2024) — Steering System, Steering Column, Removal and Installation

The Chrysler Pacifica fires on airbag deployment: once the driver airbag goes off, the column assembly comes out, with no damage judgement involved. The Nissan Frontier fires on the collision itself or even on a noise, and the column is replaced only if a measurement puts it out of specification. Other Nissan models carry stronger language than that. Assume the wrong rule and the shop either buys a column it did not need or returns a vehicle carrying a part the manufacturer said to replace.

A technician in work gloves and an apron leans over an open hood, working on a vehicle's engine bay.

What this asks of the shop

  • Research at intake. Pull procedures before estimate is written and before first part is ordered.
  • Re-check at teardown. Applicable procedures often change once damage is visible.
  • Put them in everyone’s hands. Painters, body techs, parts managers and mechanical techs each need the full procedure for their own operation(s).
  • Document what you read and when. Repair file should show the decision and source.
  • Look again on supplements and re-repairs. Manufacturers revise procedures between model years and mid-cycle.

Note: Every quotation above is verbatim from a published OEM repair procedure for the model years noted; procedure titles are abbreviated for space. Procedures are revised regularly and coverage differs by manufacturer. Always verify against the current procedure for the specific year, make, model and VIN before planning or performing a repair.