Troy, Michigan — June 13, 2016 — The US-based branch of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has issued a statement confirming that scans before and after any repairs are essential. Even something as simple as disconnecting the battery means the vehicle needs to be scanned, according to the statement from FCA.
FCA also cautions against the use of aftermarket scanners in the statement, instead saying the Mopar wiTECH vehicle diagnostic tester should be used. “This tool contains software that aftermarket tools may not contain and can assess whether any FCA US vehicle’s safety and security systems contain active or stored Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs),” according to the statement.
The statement from FCA also notes that all safety and security related systems must be tested for fault codes that could be active or stored following a collision. These systems include antilock brakes, supplemental restraint systems (air bags), occupant restraint controller, seat belts, active head restraints, forward facing camera and radar, blind spot monitoring and other automated electronic driver assistance systems. The statement reiterates that this scan must take place both before and after collision repair.
FCA’s statement also includes a list of conditions that could trigger fault codes, either prior to or during the repair process.
– Vehicle is involved in an accident or collision, even though the damage may appear minor
– Vehicle has been in an accident with or without air bag deployment
– Voltage loss, including battery disconnects and hybrid battery disabling
– Significant vehicle disassembly including, but not limited to, bumpers, door handles, headlamps and mirrors
– Interior trim repair or removal
– Glass removal and replacement operations
In addition, multistage air bags with multiple squibs must be checked to determine that all squibs were used during the deployment event. In most cases, according to the statement, all squibs are exhausted during an airbag deployment. However, the statement warns, it is possible for only one squib to be exhausted. Repairers must always confimrm that all of the squibs have cycled to minimize the risk of improper handling or disposal of potentially live pyrotechnic or hazardous materials. “This procedure must be performed using the Mopar wiTECH diagnostic scan tool or at a company such as Collision Diagnostic Services that diagnostically remotely scans the vehicle using FCA US scan tools in conjunction with their patented asTech device, to verify the
status of all air bag squibs, prior to removing deployed air bags from the vehicle for disposal,” according to the statement.
