It is a real document
Not a guideline or best practice — a numbered, model-year-specific instruction set published by the manufacturer (Toyota, Honda, Ford, GM, Stellantis, etc.) for a specific operation on a specific VIN.
Explainer
What is an OEM repair procedure?
When a body shop or calibration center says they 'followed the OEM procedure,' they are referring to a very specific document — the carmaker's own published, VIN-specific instructions for that exact repair. Understanding what that means, where shops get it, and what happens when it gets skipped is one of the most important things a driver can learn before signing a repair authorization.
It is the industry standard
I-CAR and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) both recognize OEM procedures as the only acceptable repair methodology. 'We have always done it this way' is not a defense.
It changes every model year
A 2023 Honda Civic forward-facing camera calibration is not the same procedure as a 2024 Civic. Shops have to pull the procedure fresh, by VIN, every single time.
What 'OEM procedure' actually means
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer — the company that built the car. An OEM repair procedure is that company's own published, step-by-step instruction document for performing a specific repair, replacement, or calibration on a specific vehicle. It includes the required tools, the torque specs, the diagnostic pre-checks, the exact sequence of steps, the post-repair verification, and the documentation the shop is expected to retain. For ADAS work, the procedure also specifies the target distance, target height, floor levelness tolerance, tire pressure, fuel level, ambient lighting, and which scan tool functions to run before and after the calibration. Nothing about it is optional or open to interpretation.
How body shops actually access OEM procedures
There are two main paths. Aggregators like ALLDATA and Mitchell ProDemand license the procedures from every major manufacturer and present them in a single subscription interface — most independent body shops use one of these. The second path is OEM-direct portals: Toyota TIS, Honda Service Express (HET), Ford OASIS / Motorcraft Service, GM Service Information (SI), FCA / Stellantis TechAuthority, Hyundai HMA Service, and so on. Direct portals are usually paid per-day, per-month, or per-year, and they are considered the gold standard because the data is published by the carmaker without a middle layer. At ADC, our calibration technicians pull procedures by VIN from these sources before every job — not from memory, not from a printout that was current last year.
Why this matters specifically for ADAS calibration
Calibration is one of the most procedure-sensitive operations in modern collision repair, because every step affects whether the sensor will see the road correctly. The OEM procedure tells the technician whether the calibration is static (target boards in a controlled bay) or dynamic (driving the vehicle on specific road types at specific speeds), or a combination of both. It defines which target pattern to use, how far in front of the bumper it sits, and how level the floor has to be. Skip a step — say, you forgot the procedure requires the fuel tank to be at least half full because vehicle ride height changes the camera angle — and the calibration will complete on the scan tool but the camera will be aimed slightly wrong. That error compounds at distance. A camera that is half a degree off in the bay is pointing several feet off the road at 200 feet ahead.
The Seebachan v. John Eagle Collision Center case
In 2017, a Texas jury awarded Matthew and Marcia Seebachan $31.5 million against John Eagle Collision Center in Dallas. The case has become the most cited example in the collision repair industry of what happens when OEM procedures are ignored. Years earlier, the shop had repaired a 2010 Honda Fit and bonded the roof on with adhesive instead of welding it according to Honda's published procedure. The Seebachans later bought the car used. When they were struck by another vehicle, the structure of the Fit collapsed in a way it was not engineered to, the car caught fire, and both occupants were severely burned. The shop manager testified that they had knowingly deviated from Honda's procedure. The verdict established, in clear legal terms, that the OEM procedure is the professional standard of care — and that 'the insurance company would not pay for it' is not a valid reason to deviate.
Position statements vs full procedures
You will sometimes hear shops reference an OEM 'position statement.' These are short, public documents (usually one to three pages) where a manufacturer states a clear stance — for example, Honda's well-known position that all collision-damaged vehicles require pre- and post-repair scans, or Toyota's position that windshield replacement on a vehicle equipped with TSS requires camera recalibration. Position statements are easy to find and free to read. They are not, however, a substitute for the full repair procedure. The position statement tells you what is required; the repair procedure tells you exactly how to do it. A reputable shop references both.
Find your car's specific procedure.
Each manufacturer has its own ADAS suite, warning messages, and calibration steps. Pick yours for the brand-specific procedure.
Next step
Get a quoteWant your calibration done to the OEM procedure?
Every ADAS calibration at ADC starts with the manufacturer's repair procedure pulled fresh for your VIN, and ends with a documented pre-scan, post-scan, and procedure citation in your paperwork. Schedule a calibration or request a quote and we will walk you through exactly what your vehicle requires.