Pre-scan establishes a baseline
Captures every fault code present before repair begins — protecting the shop from being blamed for pre-existing issues and the driver from hidden damage being missed.
Collision Repair Diagnostics
Pre-scan vs post-scan: the OEM-required collision repair workflow
Every modern vehicle that comes in for collision repair should be scanned twice — once before the body shop touches it, and once after the work is complete. Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, GM, and Stellantis have all published position statements saying so. Here is what those scans actually do, why insurance carriers now reimburse them, and what drivers and body shops should expect from the process.
Post-scan confirms the repair
Runs after the body work is finished to verify nothing new was introduced and to identify modules that still need calibration or relearns.
OEM position statements require it
Major manufacturers have published written requirements stating pre and post scans are mandatory on collision repairs, regardless of visible damage.
What a pre-scan actually does
A pre-scan is a full diagnostic sweep performed before any repair work begins. The technician connects an OEM-grade scan tool to the OBD-II port and pulls fault codes from every module on the vehicle — engine, transmission, ABS, airbags, body control, steering angle, blind spot, lane keep, adaptive cruise, parking sensors, infotainment, and more. Modern vehicles can have 60 to 100 individual control modules, and a collision can disturb sensors and wiring that show no visible damage. Without a pre-scan, those faults are invisible until someone notices a warning light weeks later — and by then it is unclear whether the body shop caused the problem or simply failed to catch it.
What a post-scan actually does
A post-scan is performed after the repair is complete, after the vehicle has been reassembled, aligned, and any ADAS calibrations have been done. Its job is to confirm three things: every pre-existing code has been addressed or documented, no new codes have appeared as a result of the repair, and any module that needs a calibration or relearn has been completed. The post-scan is the proof that the vehicle is leaving the shop in the condition the OEM expects. It is also what a driver, attorney, or insurance adjuster will want to see if a question comes up later.
Why the OEMs require both scans
Starting around 2016, Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, GM, and FCA (now Stellantis) began publishing formal position statements stating that pre and post collision scans are required on essentially every collision repair — not just severe damage. The reasoning is simple: a sensor knocked half a degree out of alignment, a connector shaken loose, or a module that lost power during repair can all produce faults that affect safety systems without producing a visible warning light. The OEMs build the vehicles, they know what their systems can tolerate, and their written procedures are what I-CAR, ASE, and most reputable shops train against.
What insurance carriers cover today
Through 2017 and 2018, the major auto insurance carriers — State Farm, Allstate, Geico, Progressive, USAA, and Liberty Mutual — gradually shifted their positions to accept pre and post scans as a legitimate, reimbursable line item on collision claims. The carriers do not always volunteer to pay, and not every body shop bills for them, but when supported by an OEM procedure citation and a scan report, these charges are recoverable. Drivers should not assume their shop performed scans just because the carrier paid the claim, and shops should not assume the carrier will deny the line item just because it used to be denied years ago.
What body shops without scan tools should do
Not every body shop owns OEM scan tools for every brand it repairs, and the licensing cost to do so is significant. The standard industry practice is to sublet pre and post scans to a mobile diagnostic partner. ADC provides this service across the Springfield, IL area: we come to the shop, perform the OEM-procedure-correct scans, run any required calibrations, and deliver the documentation packet the shop needs to support its repair file and its insurance billing.
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 quoteNeed a sublet pre/post scan partner in Springfield, IL?
ADC works with body shops across Central Illinois to deliver OEM-procedure-correct pre and post scans, ADAS calibrations, and the documentation packet your repair file and insurance billing need. Drivers can also bring their own vehicle in to verify a recent collision repair was completed correctly.