Your  kid might be on the honor roll, but where are you putting the sticker?

Background:

A recently repaired Toyota RAV4 was brought to our ADAS Lab after experiencing intermittent blind spot system failures. After the collision repair, the owner noticed that the blind spot system was behaving erratically, detecting random objects and not functioning as intended. This raised safety concerns and reduced the driver's confidence in the vehicle. 

Challenge:

The shop that initially repaired the car was unaware of the cause of these malfunctions. A required blind spot calibration was not performed at the completion of the repairs, and the vehicle was returned to the owner. The owner was left with a compromised safety feature, impacting both the usability and reliability of their car.

Approach:

Upon receiving the vehicle, our team at ADAS Diagnostic Solutions performed the required calibration as directed by Toyota. We were unable to complete a successful calibration to the right blind spot module indicating an underlying issue. We removed the rear bumper cover and found that the issue was linked to an aftermarket bumper cover that was installed during the repair. This part had a foil label with a "void if removed" warning, applied to the underside of the cover directly in front of the right blind spot sensor, and was left on the part for warranty purposes. However, unknown to the client and the collision shop, this foil label was interfering with the blind spot sensor.

Solution and Results:

With our deep understanding of ADAS technology, we recognized that while the label was necessary for warranty protection, its placement was the key issue. We removed the label and residue so that it would not interfere with the ADAS sensors. This simple yet critical adjustment restored the full functionality of the blind spot system, without requiring any expensive part replacements.

This solution not only resolved the immediate problem but also shed light on a widespread issue in the industry – many vehicles are repaired without referring to and adhering to the vehicle maker's service information. 

In this case Toyota has multiple documents within their repair information that could have changed the outcome for the repairer and their customer. Toyota cautions against the use of aftermarket bumpers specifically due to the possibility of affecting ADAS system performance. Toyota also specifies that there should be no accessories or stickers attached to the bumper cover and no repair directly to the bumper cover in the surrounding area of the blind spot sensors. Lastly, Toyota states that after any repairs are completed in the area of the blind spot sensors, a functional inspection and calibration must be completed.

At ADAS Diagnostic Solutions we take pride in being a resource that our partners can rely on to assist in providing a complete and safe repair for their customers!