New diagnostic workflow brings together OEM repair information, real-world repair intelligence, and AI-powered insights in one workflow to reduce search time and improve diagnostic confidence

Elk Grove, Calif.— (September 29, 2026)—ALLDATA^®, an AutoZone^® company, today announced the launch of Diagnostic Intelligence, a guided diagnostic solution designed to help technicians of all skill levels diagnose vehicle issues faster, improve accuracy, and complete more repairs right the first time.

AutobodyNews' Lisa McArdle Reports on New Requirements for California Shops

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed SB 988, the California Motor Vehicle Glass Act, his office announced in a Sept. 27 legislative update. The law gives policyholders filing first-party glass claims the right to choose where their glass work and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) recalibration are performed.

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Owners of certain 2015-2018 Ford Focus and 2013-2014 Fusion models may find their clutch is cracking under pressure. According to Ford Safety Recall 18S07, excessive clutch slip can overheat the assembly, causing unusual noise, an odor, smoke or an engine speed flare accompanied by a loss of power. If the condition goes unaddressed, the pressure plate can crack and eventually fracture. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men might want to stand back: A fractured pressure plate can damage the transmission, and a resulting fluid leak could create a fire risk if it reaches an ignition source.

AutobodyNews' Lisa McArdle Highlights the Value or Repair and Research Documentation as a Modern Necessity

Tanya Sweetland, senior vice president of collision at OEC, pointed to repair research and documentation technology as the clearest source of real value right now. Working with tens of thousands of shops, she said the value isn't just that looking up a procedure is faster than flipping through a manual. It's that a technician gets the correct procedure the first time, from torque specs to ADAS calibration steps to OEM position statements, instead of relying on memory.

Experienced technicians rarely solve problems by guessing.

They follow a systematic process of gathering information, validating symptoms, performing tests, and eliminating possibilities until the root cause becomes clear. This methodical approach is what separates effective diagnosis from unnecessary parts replacement.

AI-assisted diagnostic tools can support that process by bringing likely causes, relevant tests, and repair information into view sooner. The technician still decides what to test and uses the results to confirm or rule out a fault.

Big Reveals, Smarter Workflows, and New Ways to Grow Your Shop

SEMA 2026 is just around the corner, and ALLDATA is gearing up to showcase new solutions designed to connect every stage of the repair process. From Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered diagnostics to new shop management capabilities, attendees will get a firsthand look at how ALLDATA continues to help shops work more efficiently, improve repair confidence, and uncover new revenue opportunities.

More than a decade ago, a customer brought his late-1990s Suzuki Sidekick into our shop and asked us to install a 2,000-watt power inverter that he had purchased. His goal was to have 120-volt household power available while using the vehicle.

In an effort to improve fuel economy, and reduce unnecessary engine load, mechanical engine-driven cooling fans have largely given way to electric cooling fans. Depending on the application, these systems may use high and low speed relays or a PCM-controlled pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal sent to a fan control module.

AutoBody News’ Stacey Phillips Ronak Reports on Innovations Showcased at AutoSens USA, Detroit, Mich.

The latest innovations in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicles (AVs), and in-cabin technologies were showcased in June at AutoSens USA, co-hosted with InCabin USA in Detroit, Mich. In addition to external sensors used for ADAS and automated driving features, automakers and suppliers are developing in-cabin sensing systems — including biosensing technology— to help vehicles better understand the driver and their occupants.

There are few things more frustrating than diagnosing a vehicle, finding the problem, and realizing the part you need to fix it has been discontinued. The trouble for the customer is even worse when it’s their work truck used daily to earn a living.

Whether it’s winter or summer, a lack of airflow is not a good thing. Without airflow, the heater or A/C cannot keep the cabin comfortable. Begin diagnosis with the blower switch on. Try each speed and listen for the blower. Can you hear the blower motor running at each speed? If you hear it but do not feel adequate airflow, check the cabin air filter. A filter that has gone too long without replacement can become restricted with dirt and debris. Just one severe dust storm can load a cabin filter with debris. Even a less dramatic dust storm can reduce airflow.

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Owners of certain Porsche Cayenne, Panamera and Macan models as of 2010 may notice an engine knock during hard acceleration, but this isn't the beginning of a bad joke. According to Porsche Technical Information bulletin 17/18, excessive carbon buildup on the intake valves and intake ports can cause knocking combustion under high-load conditions. Before replacing ignition components, sensors or internal engine parts, Porsche says to inspect the intake valves and ports for carbon deposits first.

Running a successful auto repair shop today requires more than just word of mouth. While many of us still remember wearing Little League jerseys with a local company's name on the back or seeing the dusty team photo hanging in the shop waiting room, the way customers find repair shops has changed. Instead of calling around for recommendations, many drivers start with a Google search or ask for advice in a local Facebook group.

Every summer, A/C shops see the same event happening. A customer pulls into your shop and says, "I already added a can of refrigerant, but my A/C is still blowing warm." Often, these customers are adding a can a month and hoping to make it to cooler months in fear the fix will be cost-prohibitive.

In June, ALLDATA attended the United ADAS Collective Leadership Summit at SEMA Garage Detroit and received a firsthand look at one of the automotive industry's most impressive innovation hubs. More than a traditional garage, the 45,000-square-foot facility serves as an incubator for aftermarket manufacturers, giving smaller businesses access to advanced vehicle-development tools and technologies that would otherwise be difficult or cost-prohibitive to obtain.

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There are some noises you never want to hear coming from the rear of your vehicle. For owners of certain 2015-2022 Ford Transit vans, a mysterious moan at highway speeds is apparently one of them. According to Ford Technical Service Bulletin 22-2271, certain rear-wheel-drive, single-rear-wheel Transit models may produce a boom, hum, or moan from the rear between 70 and 90 mph, depending on axle ratio. Ford says the culprit may be a second-order driveline frequency traveling through the rear driveshaft and axle and into the body through the leaf springs.

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Owners of certain 2014-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles may experience Blind Spot Detection (BSD) or Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) system performance issues or warning conditions, leaving drivers to rely on the antiquated combination of side-view mirrors and turning their heads. Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin 19-BE-011H addresses conditions that can cause BSD/BCW systems to malfunction or inconsistent operation, including potential calibration-related issues.

We've all seen it. A customer walks into the shop convinced they've already diagnosed the problem after borrowing an OBD-II scanner and spending 20 minutes on YouTube. Suddenly, you're not just diagnosing the vehicle; you're explaining why that four-digit trouble code doesn't necessarily identify the failed part.

Storage prep services help shops maximize profitability from snowbirds and sunbirds

Many shops are located in areas with seasonal customers—“snowbirds” who leave cold climates for warmer winters and “sunbirds” who travel north during the summer to escape the heat. Catering to their needs, including vehicle storage, can make their business more profitable. The problem is that most customers don’t prepare their vehicles for storage or know how to return them to service. This is where shops can help.

If you’ve paid attention to most blue-collar jobs in the last decade, you’ve probably heard the same phrases: "Nobody wants to work anymore," "good help is hard to find," and countless other adages. Regardless, the availability of skilled labor has decreased over the years, leaving many to ask: Where will the next generation of skilled technicians come from?

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Owners of certain 2014-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles may experience the loss of their Blind Spot Detection (BSD) or Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) system, leaving drivers to rely on the antiquated combination of side-view mirrors and turning their heads. Hyundai Technical Service Bulletin 19-BE-011H addresses conditions that can cause BSD/BCW systems to malfunction, including false warnings, missed detections, and calibration issues.

Year-Round Formula Creates Opportunity for Maintenance Conversations

While E15, a fuel blend containing 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline, has been available at pumps throughout much of the United States for years, it has not historically been sold year-round. That may soon change, as the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, legislation aimed at allowing permanent year-round E15 sales across the country. The bill still requires Senate approval before becoming law, but in the meantime, the EPA has continued issuing temporary summer waivers allowing E15 sales during months when fuel volatility regulations would normally restrict them.

Technology Adoption Study Reveals Challenges

Today’s automotive repair and collision shops rely on technology more than ever—but that reliance is also creating new challenges. According to a new State of the Market: Technology Adoption Within Automotive Repair Shops report, sponsored by AutoZone, ALLDATA, and RATCHET+WRENCH, independent shops now use a wide range of digital tools to keep daily operations moving.

In many industries, the need for skilled labor is a constant challenge. From small shops to large corporations, finding trained, capable workers seems to be getting harder each year. The conversation often points to a shortage, but that is only part of the story.

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Owners of certain 2014-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express models equipped with GM’s 8L45 and 8L90 transmissions may experience a condition where the vehicle suddenly refuses to move following a valve body replacement. Not slipping. Not shuddering. Just sitting there like a teenager asked to unload groceries.

Outside temperatures are rising, and a faulty air conditioning system will bring in overheated customers. Look out for these common causes to turn your bays before things get too hot.

In our current timeline, every shop is looking for ways to expand coverage and drive more profit. Taking on more OEM work can keep bays full, but it also ties up technicians. In some cases, stepping into a specialized niche can position your shop as the go-to, delivering higher dollars per hour with a better overall return.

If you’ve been around the automotive scene long enough, you know car show season has a way of sneaking up fast. That time crunch usually gets pushed onto the shop, with customers expecting their classic hot rod or vintage cruiser to be ready by the weekend. That’s a tough ask for technicians already working through a packed schedule on a car that hasn’t seen daylight in nine months.

Would an airline operate safely and profitably if they changed the way they calculated fuel consumption every flight? Would employees operate efficiently if they were pointed in the direction of an airplane and were told to “go for it?”

Repairer Driven News’ Teresa Moss Reports on Alarming Trend

The family of a Utah teen killed by a counterfeit airbag has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a national used car dealership that had the salvaged vehicle repaired, according to a press release from Morgan & Morgan law firm. 

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Owners of various AWD Nissan models, including the Murano and Pathfinder, may notice abnormal noise, vibration, or a binding feeling from the rear differential. This occurs during low-speed turns when the rear end starts acting a little unsettled. Nissan Technical Service Bulletin NTB10-029I covers this condition and confirms that not every rearend disturbance is cause for immediate concern.

When it comes to fuel smells, the cause is usually somewhere in the fuel system. Seems obvious that somewhere between the fuel tank and injectors there is bound to be a torn or damaged hose, a pinched O-ring on an injector, or any number of other issues. So, it makes sense that most technicians start with the obvious. But in this case, the problem existed in a place most would consider the very end of the line, where you would not expect fuel vapor to escape, especially with “internal” being in the engine’s name.

In the spirit of April Fools’ Day, three of our Tech Tips are true … and two are pranks. But which two? Find out by clicking each one to unlock the true Tech Tips, or the pranks. Ultimately, we know there’s no foolin’ around when it comes to OEM-accurate, tech-verified automotive mechanical repairs.

Elk Grove, Calif. — March 9, 2026 — ALLDATA®, the global leader in unedited OEM repair and collision information, proudly marks its 40th anniversary — celebrating four decades of groundbreaking innovation and the people who built the industry’s most trusted source for automotive repair solutions.

If you’ve worked in automotive long enough, you’ve probably seen it. The customer complains that the brakes don’t stop like they used to or that the vehicle seems to drag as it rolls to a stop. Sometimes there’s a faint burning smell they can’t quite explain or a noise they cancelled out via the radio. Often, though, the customer doesn’t mention anything at all, but to your trained eye, the story is already visible through the wheel. The rotors are heat scorched, the pads are worn unevenly, and something clearly isn’t right.

Mark Allison Recounts his 40 Years of Change and Success 
 

Mark Allison doesn’t need to be behind the wheel to feel at home. Put him on a racetrack, in the driver’s seat, as a race instructor, or even as a spectator, and he’s exactly where he wants to be.

“Even when I’m not racing,” Mark said, “I’m just happy being at a racetrack. It’s my happy place.”

AutobodyNews' Lisa McArdle Recounts How One Shop Built Its Own Top Talent

Eight years ago, John Melendez took a chance that many collision shop owners wouldn’t consider. Instead of hiring an experienced technician, the owner of JDM Collision in Thornton, Ill. brought in a tow truck driver with no formal collision repair background and committed to developing him from the ground up. The investment was significant. It took years of training, education costs, and lost short-term productivity. Melendez jokes that if he added up what he’s spent on that one individual, he could probably retire.

TRENDING TSB

Owners of 2020–2022 Toyota Camry AWD models equipped with the A25A engine have reported fuel gauges that refuse to read “full” immediately after refueling, prompting second guesses at the pump. Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0005-22 addresses this condition when the instrument cluster/MID displays an inaccurate fuel level following a fill-up.

Elk Grove, Calif. — February 13, 2026 — ALLDATA®, the industry’s leading provider of unedited OEM repair and diagnostic information for automotive professionals and DIYers, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Rivian, the innovative manufacturer of electric vehicles “designed for adventure.”

Repairer Driven News’ Lurah Lowery Reports on Yanfeng’s Innovation

Global automotive supplier Yanfeng’s first-of-its-kind passenger seat airbag system will debut on a minivan in China. Revealed in 2023, in the event of a collision, passengers would be wrapped in a cocoon-like safety restraint system, including a Pre-Crash Seat Rapid Return mechanism, Follow Up Seat, Hoodie Airbag, Buttock Airbag, and Seat Integrated Seat Belt – All Belt to Seat.