https://youtu.be/c32SdYpMI04

 

 

INFINITI says you shouldn’t take chances with the condition of your air bags.

Most car manufacturers issue “OEM Position Statements” to car repair shops that outline their expectations of how repairs should be performed.  INFINITI has issued a statement about the air bags in their vehicles and how only new OEM parts should be used during repairs, instead of salvaged or used air bag components.  

 

In their Position Statement, INFINITI explains the following:

“The installation and use of a salvaged or used Supplemental Restraint System component in an INFINITI vehicle may compromise the intended performance of the vehicle’s air bag system, as there is no certainty of the history, quality, condition, compatibility, environmental or other degradation prior to salvage of a recycled or used air bag system component.”

What INFINITI is saying is that they can only vouch for the air bag components that their engineers have designed, tested, and manufactured.  Original Equipment Manufacturer parts are made of the highest quality materials, designed to fit that specific manufacturer’s vehicles.

While you might be able to find salvaged or used OEM air bag components to use on your INFINITI, those parts might already be compromised.  For instance, the vehicles they came from might have been in a collision previously.  No matter what the vehicle’s history is, if the parts aren’t new, their integrity is automatically questionable.

 

 

Don’t take a chance with your life.

When it comes to the parts of the car that are designed to save a life in the event of a collision, brand new OEM parts are more important than ever.  The last thing you want is for your air bag to fail in the event of a collision.  The use of used or salvaged parts can put you at risk of this happening.

 

What about pre- and post-repair scans?

Here’s what INFINITI says about pre- and post-repair scans:

“When repairing an INFINITI Supplemental Restraint System, INFINITI strongly encourages pre- repair system scans where appropriate, and requires post-repair system scans to ensure internal trouble codes are addressed.”

It is generally a standard procedure to scan a vehicle for trouble codes prior to a repair and it is equally important to scan for trouble codes after a repair is completed.  This allows a technician to determine whether the repairs have been conducted properly.

 

Don’t forget about your warranty.

Using any other parts besides new OEM parts on your INFINITI can void your warranty:

“INFINITI’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and Limited Warranty on replacement parts do not apply to any parts other than genuine original equipment parts.  INFINITI will not be responsible for any subsequent repair costs associated with a vehicle and/or part failure caused by the use of parts other than genuine replacement parts.”

Because they can’t vouch for the integrity of used or salvaged parts, INFINITI will void your warranty if you choose to use anything other than new OEM air bag components.  

 

 

Not all shops pay attention to these guidelines, but we do.

Unfortunately, some shops choose to cut corners and use salvaged air bag components, in spite of the recommendations clearly expressed in the INFINITI Position Statement to use ONLY new OEM components.  They can get away with this because they are not required to do as INFINITI suggests, even though it can be detrimental to the customer to ignore the manufacturer’s guidelines.  

When you bring your car to us, you can rest assured that we will adhere to the position statement in using only new OEM air bag components and performing both pre- and post-repair scans.  We do this because we care about the integrity of our work, of course. 

More importantly, we care about the safety and wellbeing of our customers. 

Wheel reconditioning is a dangerous and risky practice of collision repair.

INFINITI is very clear that the company does not approve of any wheel repair that involves reconditioning.  If you are not familiar with wheel reconditioning, it is a process of using various tools and methods to try to repair a damaged wheel, instead of replacing it entirely.  Some methods include welding, reforming, or reshaping the wheel.  

When it comes to steel and aluminum wheel repair, INFINITI has issued a Position Statement explaining why they do not accept wheel reconditioning in any vehicle repairs.  Here’s what they say:

“Reconditioned wheels are not an acceptable method of repair on any INFINITI vehicle, as these wheels were once subjected to the prohibited repairs referenced above. A reconditioned wheel, or any wheel not approved by INFINITI, may cause unsafe vehicle operation and performance, including loss of control which may result in injuries to the vehicle occupants or other drivers. Following a collision situation, all four wheels should be thoroughly inspected for damage, especially the wheel(s) closest to the impact area of vehicle.”

INFINITI is saying, in no uncertain terms, that it’s simply not worth the risk to your life to cut corners with the state of your wheels.  If the wheels are damaged enough to warrant reconditioning, then they should just be replaced outright.  Heating, welding, reshaping, and any other methods of reconditioning could compromise the structural integrity of your wheels.  

Being the only parts of the car to actually make contact with the road, your wheels are essential to your safety and are worth investing in.  

 

 

What wheel repairs are approved by INFINITI?

While wheel reconditioning is not approved of by INFINITI, certain wheel repairs are permitted:

“Any repair of steel or aluminum wheels must be strictly limited to minor cosmetic sanding or polishing that removes ONLY the finish, not the metal.”

Basically, only superficial cosmetic adjustments are allowed, since they won’t jeopardize the integrity of the wheel structure.  Minor sanding and polishing repairs do not involve the use of heat or reshaping that reconditioning would entail.  

 

Replace your wheel components with Genuine INFINITI parts to preserve your warranty.

If your vehicle’s wheels require replacement, INFINITI explains that you must use Genuine INFINITI original equipment parts:

“INFINITI’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and Limited Warranty on replacement parts do not apply to any parts other than genuine original equipment parts.  INFINITI will not be responsible for any subsequent repair costs associated with a vehicle and/or part failure caused by the use of parts other than genuine replacement parts.”

The use of aftermarket, used, or salvaged parts puts you almost at the same risk of problems as reconditioning the wheels would.  Used and salvaged parts come with a questionable history, as it’s possible they’ve been compromised in a collision or through natural wear and tear. 

Aftermarket parts present another problem in that they are often not comprised of the highest quality materials and they are also not designed to fit the parameters of your specific make, model, and year of INFINITI.  Therefore, INFINITI will have to void your warranty if you choose to use anything other than OEM parts.

 

 

Not all shops follow these recommendations, but we do.

It’s disappointing, but some shops throw caution out the window and continue to practice wheel reconditioning, despite INFINITI’s clear instructions to avoid it at all costs.  They can get away with this because no body shop is actually forced to adhere to a manufacturer’s Position Statement.  

At our shop, we strongly believe that there’s no reason to take a chance with your INFINITI’s repair by going against the advice of the manufacturer.  Reconditioned wheels can lead to very dangerous problems down the road.  We will always replace your INFINITI’s wheels entirely if they’ve sustained damage. 

You won’t have to worry about voiding your warranty or driving on unstable wheels when you bring your vehicle to us.  We always follow the manufacturer’s recommendation to deliver the best possible repair to our customers. 

INFINITI wants you to have the best replacement parts for your collision repair.

Nearly every car manufacturer releases “Position Statements” that instruct body shops in how to perform repairs on their vehicles to the highest standard.  While all body shops should have access to this vital information, not all shops take the time to read the statements and follow the directions expressed by the manufacturers.  At our shop, we closely examine these statements, because we make it our mission to provide the best possible repair to our INFINITI customers.

In a statement released by INFINITI, they explain in detail why they do not recommend the use of salvage or recycled parts in repairs of their vehicles:

“INFINITI recognizes the importance of recycling, but the use of salvage/recycled parts to repair collision-damaged vehicles raises serious concerns about quality, suitability, safety, and warranty. For this reason, INFINITI does not approve of the repair of our vehicles with salvage parts or assemblies.”

 

 

Salvage and recycled parts come with a lot of risk.

Salvage and recycled parts can often have a questionable history.  They might have been involved in a previous collision or damaged during normal wear and tear.  They might have been in storage for a while or exposed to extreme temperature variations. 

Because of these factors and the questionable conditions that the parts might have been exposed to, it’s nearly impossible to predict their durability and structural integrity.  Even the most minute disparities can lead to problems during assembly, as well as issues with the reliability of your repair.

INFINITI makes a great point in their Position Statement:

“In cases where the donor vehicle was repaired due to a prior collision, recycled parts may not even be an original or genuine INFINITI replacement part. At this time, there is no generally accepted process in place for the repair industry to regulate the quality or suitability of salvage/recycled parts.”

This is very important: there is no regulation of the quality of salvage and recycled parts.  Without any regulations in place, it’s impossible to determine whether these parts are suitable for collision repairs.

 

Why new OEM parts are the best:

It’s extremely important to use the best replacement parts for your INFINITI when repairs are needed, and the best parts are always new Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts.

According to INFINITI:

“INFINITI strongly believes that the interests of our owners and collision repairers are best served when new genuine OEM replacement parts are used in the repair of our INFINITI vehicles.  We ask that the collision repair industry adhere to these guidelines going forward.”

The engineers at INFINITI have rigorously designed, tested, and manufactured the parts for their specific vehicles.  They only trust the parts they have produced to meet the qualifications necessary for your specific make, model, and vehicle year. 

You’ll need new OEM parts if you want your vehicle to be as good as new after your collision repair. 

 

Your warranty is at stake.   

Another major reason to use OEM parts in your repair is that the parts you use affect your warranty.  According to INFINITI:

“INFINITI’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and Limited Warranty on replacement parts do not apply to any parts other than genuine original equipment parts.  INFINITI will not be responsible for any subsequent repair costs associated with a vehicle and/or part failure caused by the use of parts other than genuine replacement parts.”

You risk voiding your warranty by using recycled or salvage parts on your INFINITI, which might cause you major financial headaches down the road.

 

 

Not all shops follow these recommendations, but we do.

We take all manufacturers’ Position Statements very seriously at our shop, because we care about your safety AND your wallet.  Despite the recommendation to use new OEM parts in repairs, some shops will continue to use salvage and recycled parts, even though this choice can jeopardize your vehicle and your safety.  It might shock you to learn that body shops are not forced to abide by the manufacturers’ guidelines.  

When you take your INFINITI to us for repairs, we will use only new INFINITI OEM replacement parts so that you don’t risk future problems with your car that could potentially lead to an accident.  There is no guarantee that every shop will make the smartest and safest choice for your car, but rest assured, we always will.