Car manufacturers are always releasing statements that tell an auto repair technician how to properly repair your car. Just recently, Mazda released a statement on how to perform a repair on the bumper of their CX3 vehicles. Because of the advanced driver assist systems in today’s modern vehicles, repairing a bumper is nowhere near as simple as what it used to be. Here at 3D Collision Centers, feel that it’s our job to let Pennsylvania car owners like you know about specific repair procedures that a car’s manufacturer releases. Not only will you have a better understanding of the importance of a shop following OEM repair procedures when repairing your car. But you’ll also have higher expectations of what to look for when searching for the best auto body repair shop.
Car repair is extremely complex nowadays. It requires extensive training from the technicians to be up-to-date on how to work on today’s vehicles. Also, they need to always to be checking the car’s manufacturer to see what the latest repair procedures are for each vehicle. It’s incredibly complex and can cause severe, lasting damage to the vehicle if incorrectly repaired. Almost every state in the country doesn’t require technicians to have a license to work on your vehicle. So, how do you know they are correctly repairing your vehicle? It’s anyone’s guess, but it comes down to where you take your car to be repaired.
ADAS Technologies in the Bumper
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS for short, refers to the new technologies in your car designed for safety. They are now commonly seen in today’s vehicles. These can include lane departure warning, forward collision warning, parking assist, and more. Some of the ADAS systems that use sensors behind bumper covers include adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.
Despite their popularity, there are specific repair procedures that your car’s manufacturer releases that are required for technicians to follow. These are required in order to maintain the functionality of the advanced safety features your vehicle is built with. These are known as OEM repairs, which are the best for your vehicle. They are straight from the manufacturer instructing technicians on how to repair your specific vehicle.
Mazda’s CX3 Bumper Cover Repair Procedures
Although we are specifically discussing bumper repair on the CX3, the diagram below demonstrates the ways Mazda instructs technicians to repair bumpers on the 2019 CX-5 in three possible scenarios:
When it comes to properly repairing the bumper cover of a 2019 CX3, there are several OEMs with various levels of warnings. The blind-spot monitoring couldn’t be calibrated if there are obstructions on the bumper. The entire rear bumper would have to be replaced if the area around this specific ADAS system is damaged.
Here’s what Mazda has to say in the 2019 CX-5 repair manual:
“Radar aiming cannot be performed correctly if obstructions which interfere with radar emission are stuck on the blind spot monitoring (BSM) control modules or the rear bumper. Perform the following procedure before performing the radar aiming.
—Verify that there is no water, mud, soiling, sticker adhesion, or repairs done using putty application on the surface of the rear bumper and that there is no mud, soiling, or scratches on the blind spot monitoring (BSM) control modules…If the rear bumper around the BSM control module is damaged, replace the rear bumper.”
The Importance of Following OEM Repair Procedures
As you probably noticed in the above diagram, the three common bumper repairs require specific OEM repair procedures. Although following these repair procedures is critical to ensuring a safe repair, there are still several technicians out there who will approach an auto repair their way based on “experience.” However, each repair is unique and comes with its own set of repair procedures. Due to the critical role BSM plays in vehicular safety, this is why repair technicians might need to replace the bumper if there’s any damage.
You want to take your Mazda to an auto repair shop that knows to check the OEM repair procedures before they begin any repair for any vehicle. These are the best technicians out there because they know the importance of following OEM repairs. If a technician repairs a car just based on “experience,” they can severely damage the ADAS systems your car is built with. Not to mention, the overall structural integrity of the vehicle can also be damaged in the repair process.
Who In Pennsylvania Knows How To Repair My Mazda The Right Way?
We at 3D Collision Centers know the importance of following OEM repair procedures for each one of our unique repairs. There are no shortcuts done in the repair process here, no matter how experienced our technicians may be. Each one of our technicians has gone through extensive training and are I-CAR Gold Class certified, which is the highest level of certification an auto repair technician can receive. We follow OEM repair procedures and aim to give you the best possible repair for your car. We will also work with you throughout the entire repair process to ensure a stress-free repair!
We also know you have several choices on where to take your car to be repaired in Pennsylvania. Luckily, we have 7 different locations across Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester counties. We want to make the repair process as stress-free as possible for you, which is why we feel confident you can trust us with your auto body repair needs.
Feel free to give us a call at anytime at (877)-692-7776. Or, for a list of the numbers for each of our locations, click here. We look forward to hearing from you!
