The Proof Is In The Scientific Data. Crash Tests Show After Market Parts Cause Catastrophic Injuries
Auto insurance companies dictate and bully the collision industry into using cheaper aftermarket parts rather than replacing damaged parts with those produced by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). A Dallas County Jury slapped the John Eagle Collision Center in Dallas with a $42 Million damage verdict for replacing a hail damaged roof on a 2010 Honda Fit with glue instead of 108 welds called for by Honda’s OEM specifications.
The Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) and the Tracy Law Firm decided to put the insurance bullies to the test by crash testing three Honda Fits.
Aftermarket Parts Required by Car Insurance Carriers Flunk Crash Safety Test By Vehicle Safety Lawyer Todd Tracy
Vehicle Safety Lawyer Todd Tracy who has a degree in Physics and deep knowledge about automotive engineering details the crash test results in this video.
Every body shop should show this video to insurance estimators that try to force them into using aftermarket structural parts that are key to the performance of a vehicles safety systems. As the Dallas verdict shows, the collision industry is ultimately liable for using aftermarket parts.
Follow the Scientific Results of Crash Testing Non OEM Repairs & Aftermarket Parts
If your prefer to read, here’s a transcript of Todd’s video:
What we have learned is, when you make slight changes to the assembly by not utilizing OEM parts and by not utilizing the OEM-specified repairs, you change the head injury criteria dramatically. You’ll notice that when you use roof adhesive, the head injury criteria numbers are 427. When you use after-market parts, the head injury criteria numbers are 332, and when you have the Honda OEM, it’s the lowest at 262. Each of these numbers represents the ability to cause a brain injury.
Let’s go to the neck. When you have the rood adhesive, on the neck, 500 Newtons for both the roof adhesive and the after-market part, but when you compare that to the OEM, 250 Newtons. When you double the Newtons like that, because it’s an exponential change in numbers, you have a serious risk of a neck fracture.
Let’s keep going down. When we look at the femurs, the long bones between your knee and your pelvis, looking at the roof adhesive, 800 Newtons for the roof adhesive. For the after-market parts, 1700 Newtons, and for the OEM, 180 Newtons. Basically, what this means, that with the after-market parts and with the adhesive, you’re going to fracture your long bones. With the OEM, you’ll walk away with not a single bruise.
Let’s look at the – when we look at the ankles. The rood adhesive, 150 G. With the after-market, 180 G, and with the OEM, 65 G. What does this mean? It means that your ankles and your feet will be crushed when you alter the material used and you change the repair specification that is required by the OEMs.
What does this all mean? It means when you don’t follow the rules, when you don’t follow OEM, when you don’t follow I-CAR, serious and catastrophic injuries follow, and don’t trust me – you trust the scientific data.
2 Responses
I was about to leave this alone without a comment, but my conscience wouldn’t allow it. I have no experience with aftermarket body parts, but I have extensive experience with aftermarket engine, suspension, and nearly every other part. And I take exception to your blanket condemnation of the aftermarket industry. Statistics can be made to say whatever you wish to convey. Fact is, the automotive aftermarket industry prides itself on producing markably superior quality parts than the original manufacturer did. And just who decided that the original manufacturer is more knowledgable about what goes into their vehicles? Yeah, I remember Ford trying to force their opinion that they knew more about tires than Firestone did. And people died. So take your report and pitch it to the liberal panzies that created things like NHTSA, and Consumer Reports.
I will continue to follow my own thoughts and opinions, it’s got me to 61 years old! Pretty damn good so far!
Scott… I have 33 years of experience (we are the same age, too) in the OEM Manufacturing, Collision, and Auto Glass industries. I don’t really believe that this video is about Aftermarket alternators or starters; it’s about the sheet metal and structural components that are substituted by either the Collision or Auto Glass shops who knowingly try to repair vehicles without following OEM Standards. Due to insurance company influence (and their ability to direct consumers to their “preferred shops”), consumers are lead down many blind paths. I have personally examined over 130,000 repairs in my career. There is absolutely no way to deny the science that was defined in the above video by Mr. Tracy. I’ve seen other OEM’s perform similar tests… and get the same results.
Most consumers are too naive to understand how complicated vehicle manufacturing is. The Safety Systems inside these vehicles are very complex and cannot be safely repaired by anyone other than an OEM trained professional. The majority of consumers are basically duped into believing what their insurer says. While there may be a place for Aftermarket alternators & starters for the D.I.Y.’s, there is no comparing the cheap tin that is used to stamp Non-OEM hoods, fenders, radiator supports, reinforcements, etc.. These parts will NEVER function the same as the OEM parts that were part of the vehicle’s original design for passenger safety.
What is even sadder is that this attorney (Tracy) has only scratched the tip of the iceberg. Poor repairs abound in this country. I still perform post repair inspections and can state with absolute certainty that if you understood the exact nature of the extent of today’s insurer influenced “poor repairs,” you would become nauseous from the reality that there are vehicles on the road (driving right next to you) that would not only kill them, but; you and your passengers. Yes, at any given time and under the wrong circumstances, there are still millions of vehicles on the streets that are poorly repaired that present a clear and present danger to all Americans.
The only reason Americans don’t know more about poor “insurer influenced repairs,” is that when these dangerous events take place; the insurers quickly settle the claim with their insured’s or claimants… knowing that their own preferred shops will reimburse them… to continue the influx of more vehicles to repair. All they have to do is retain the evidence (the “totaled” vehicle) and “rinse and repeat” the cost containment process.