UPDATE: New Honda certification requirements demand OEM procedures, scan tool usage outright

Honda has toughened the word what on its conditions and terms for certified auto body shops to state shops “must” follow OEM procedures and “must” pre-and post-scan vehicles with Honda-approved processes.

The automaker had previously implied certified repairers must perform that work. The brand new language leaves no wiggle room.

“American Honda Motor is definitely researching ways to enhance the clarity and knowledge of the program's purpose as well as the expectation we've of repair focuses on our certified collision programs,” Honda national collision program manager Rossana Alvarez explained the tougher language within an email July 23. “The word what was a naturally clarifying extension of language which already existed and created further alignment using the annual audit requirements.”

“The store are required to follow Honda and Acura vehicle repair procedures in the most current Honda and Acura repair procedure data issued by Honda and Acura,” Honda wrote in the new set of terms and conditions dated July 20. The brand new rules exist for both shops certified under the outgoing ProFirst certification program and its replacement Honda and Acura Certified Repair shop Program being phased in this season.

The old January program conditions and terms had already stated, “The Shop will refer to the Service Information System website for that applicable repair procedures and/or position statements for every model Honda or Acura vehicle to be repaired or serviced through the Shop.”

The latest version retains this language immediately following the new definitive “are required to follow repair procedures” bullet point.

Honda also had declared, “The Shop is anticipated to and agrees to make use of the tools and equipment specified by the Tools and Equipment list for every Honda and Acura vehicle repaired or serviced through the Shop, and agrees to keep all such equipment and tools inside the Shop all the time.”

This language remains . But Honda has prefaced it with a brand new bullet point declaring, “The store must conduct an American Honda-approved pre-scan as well as an American Honda-approved post-scan for every Honda and/or Acura vehicle involved with a collision according to the Honda and Acura position statements and also the OEM position statement put forth with respect to American Honda by the Alliance for Automotive Innovators.”

“The chance identified was clarity for the industry and our Honda and Acura customers. ‘Kind of implied’ leaves lots of room for improvement,” Alvarez wrote, quote our description from the old scan and repair procedure language. “Since you may bear in mind, continuous improvement is a core tenet of Honda which is applied wherever a chance is identified.

Asked how Honda would search for compliance on these points, Alvarez wrote July 23: “We have looked for compliance for years through physical and virtual audits. Each of which have served us very well and can continue doing so.”

Honda could potentially conduct more audits than before.

“The Shop shall maintain full, clear and understandable records in relation to its participation in the Program and its compliance with this Agreement,” another new program term states. “American Honda reserves the authority to inspect the premises from the Shop and to audit the Shop's records every so often during normal business hours to determine the Shop's compliance with this Agreement and all Program Requirements.”

Previously, Honda requirements had merely stated that Honda would be inspected annually, though “The store might be requested by American Honda to provide evidence of adherence to program requirements at any point through the Shop's certification.” This language remains in the July 20 terms too.

Honda also warned repairers that it is failure to enforce the contract at one point didn’t remove being able to do so in the future.

“The failure or delay associated with a party to insist upon the performance associated with a of the terms of this Agreement in any a number of instances won't be construed like a waiver or relinquishment of the future performance associated with a such term, and the obligation from the parties with respect to such future performance continues entirely force and effect,” a brand new general provision states.

Finally, Honda-certified collision repairers must commit to limiting Honda’s liability to the shop towards the amount the repairer has paid in to the program throughout the prior year. The Honda agreement now states:

The rules are effective July 20, but Alvarez said shops will be expected to sign when they certify or recertify this year.

“Within an ongoing effort to continually add value to the American Honda Certified Collision programs, strengthen alignment with the programs' purpose of quality repairs on all Honda and Acura vehicles, and reflect recent vendor changes, American Honda is very happy to share revised ProFirst Certified Collision Repair shop Program Conditions and terms in addition to revised Honda and Acura Certified Collision Repair shop Program Conditions and terms,” Alvarez wrote to certified shops on July 20.

The definitive repair procedure language in the automaker might make it hard to comply with both an immediate repair program and the Honda certification program.

DRPs and OEM networks

Such challenge was discussed with regard to certification generally during last week’s Collision Industry Conference.

Asked throughout a CIC Emerging Technologies panel July 15 if a DRP program and OEM certification program were naturally opposed, Assured Performance CEO Scott Biggs said about a third of his company’s United states shops were certified for some insurance company and multiple OEMs.

It’s not an either-or prospect, he explained. “That is a misperception,” he said.

However, he agreed that meeting both requirements involved “conflicting agendas.” But when some insurance company wants someone who could fix the vehicle correctly, they’ll need to go to a certified shop, Biggs said. And if a store wants to be acknowledged as performing the work correctly, they need certification, he explained.

“I don’t think you may be a higher performer both in,” said fellow panelist Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. The expectations are different, he explained.

“It’s hard for these to coexist,” said panelist Robert Grieve, owner of Nylund’s Collision Center. He pointed to a 2021 vehicle brought to Nylund’s for a post-repair inspection.

The vehicle had just 900 miles and a temporary license plate onto it, he said. Yet a professional shop fixed it by having an aftermarket hood, refurbished headlight and aftermarket air conditioning condenser, and also the customer wasn’t because of the choice of paying more for OEM parts, according to Grieve.

“That’s trying to reside in all possible worlds simultaneously,” Grieve said. “I don’t think it works out well for any guest.”

Wayne Weikel, Alliance For Automotive Innovation senior director of state affairs and the other CIC panelist, drew a different contrast forwards and backwards teams of networks. Most automakers publish the rules for their certified networks, he explained. Yet he’d heard body shops describe being unsure of if they are “in or out or otherwise, understanding what you’ll get dropped for” on DRP networks.

“I believe that's part of the tension,” he explained from the distinction between the 2 networks.