How A Post-Repair Inspection Protects Your Safety

Your car shouldn’t feel “kind of fine” after a collision repair. If the steering feels different, the ride seems off, or something just doesn’t add up, a post-repair inspection can be the difference between peace of mind and driving a vehicle with hidden structural or safety system problems. We sit down with Megan Mueller, co-owner and CEO of Ozzie's Body Shop in Northern Colorado, to explain how a proper reinspection works and why the details behind the scenes matter more than shiny paint.

We walk through what our team looks for first: your concerns, your final invoice, and the documentation you have a right to request. That includes pre-scan and post-scan results, proof of ADAS calibrations, and any records tied to seatbelt inspections or steering column checks. We also talk about why some repairs get missed, how “in-network” doesn’t automatically mean “done correctly,” and what can happen when a vehicle looks good but the frame or alignment is still wrong.

Then we dig into calibrations, one of the most misunderstood parts of modern collision repair. Many systems require strict conditions like level floors, correct lighting, clean space, and specific targets or drive cycles. We share why low-cost mobile calibrations can be risky when they’re treated like a quick code clear instead of an OEM-required procedure, and how OEM-certified access to live manufacturer data helps us verify what’s truly required for safe repairs. 

If you’ve ever wondered what to do when you don’t trust the work, or you want repairs done right the first time, listen now. Subscribe, share the show with a friend who just had a repair, and leave a review so more drivers can find this guidance. What’s the one warning sign you’d never ignore after picking up your car?

To learn more about Ozzie's Body Shop visit:
https://www.OzziesBodyShop.com
Ozzie's Body Shop 
5280 N. Garfield Ave.
Loveland, Colorado 80538
970-667-7849 

Transcript

Welcome To The Shop

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Welcome to Crash Course, the Aussies Body Shop Show, where bent metal, mystery noises, and uh-oh moments meet Northern Colorado's finest collision repair center. Hosted by Megan Mueller, co-owner and CEO of Aussies Body Shop, an OEM certified and authorized collision repair facility that's been getting families safely back on the road since 1967. From fender benders to full-on frame repairs. Insurance questions to will this ever look right again? Megan's here to explain it all in plain English. With a little grease, a little grace, and a lot of art. Because around here, the motto's simple. To be the best, you gotta be the best. And your car deserves nothing less. Let's pull into the shop and get started.

What A Post-Repair Inspection Is

SPEAKER_01 1:06

Welcome back, everyone. I'm Melanie Winter here in the studio with Megan Mueller, co-owner and CEO of Aussie's Body Shop. Megan, how are things going on your end today? I am doing wonderful. How are you? I'm great. Thanks. And it's great to be here again with you today. Same thing. So Megan, let's Megan, let's get right into today's topic. What exactly is a post-repair inspection and why is it such an important part of the process?

SPEAKER_00 1:32

So a post-repair inspection is when you have gone and you've had your vehicle repaired and you just have some concerns. Um, that you know, either you've taken it back to the shop multiple times or um you don't feel comfortable going back to the shop, whatever the case may be. Um and what it is is the full inspection of the repairs that were performed. Um a lot of times insurance companies, they used to kind of they used to do those, especially with some of their like in network shops, just to make sure that things were being done correctly, um, that sort of thing. But as far as I know, I don't think that that's still happening. So um, you know, it's vehicle repair is such an interesting thing because you can a vehicle can look pretty good on the outside. Like a lot of times, um, post-repair inspections, the main thing that brings somebody in is they're just not happy with the paint color or there's a little bit of a fitment issue or something like that. And once you actually get behind that, uh, what you find is it can be quite astounding.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

So and so when a vehicle comes in for a post-repair inspection, what are the first things

Documents To Request From The Shop

SPEAKER_01 2:44

your team evaluates?

SPEAKER_00 2:45

Yeah, so of course, first we meet with the the vehicle owner um and find out what their concerns are, why they're there. Um we get a copy of what their final bill looked like from the from the shop that they went to. And then we try to have them get whatever documentation they can possibly get. Because if you if you have a repair done on your vehicle, all of those records are you have the right to. It can be hard sometimes to get those from certain shops, um, but but it's your right. Um, so we have them try to get like almost all vehicles these days are gonna have what's called a pre-scan and a post-scan at least, um, and then typically calibrations performed, and all of that is to do with the computer, the safety systems, all of that. So we just want to get as much documentation as we possibly can. Um, and then also find out, you know, did this go through entrance? Did it go customer pay? Like, so that we can try to um help the vehicle owner if if we do find concerns, we want to be prepared for how that's gonna roll out.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

So and so then how often do you find issues that weren't repaired correctly the first time?

A Jeep Repair That Became Totaled

SPEAKER_00 3:54

Um, all too often. Um, so I mean, even just in the last few months, we had we had a a Jeep Wrangler come in um that was lifted and beautiful, and they customized this thing. Like you could tell that they just loved this vehicle. Um, they went to an in-network provider. The in-network provider did a $26,000 repair. And when the owner picked it up, he was like, something's just not right. Like it's not driving right, something's not right. Um, he took it to an off-road shop that had done a lot of the customizations and stuff for him. And they suggested that he give us a call because we're Jeep certified. So um it came down and we had to do really very little inspection to know that there were concerns with the frame. You could see it. Um, you could see the way that the wheels were aligned, you could just you could tell that something was really not right. Um, got it up on the frame rack, and sure enough, it ended up actually being a total loss in the end. Um, so not only did the $26,000 worth of repairs happen, but then it ended they ended up having to pay them out on the value of the vehicle as well.

Calibrations And Safety Checks Missed

SPEAKER_01 5:06

Wow. So what kinds of safety systems like sensors or calibrations are most commonly missed in improper repairs?

SPEAKER_00 5:14

Oh gosh, so many of them. Um most vehicles are going to most vehicles, there needs to at least be a seatbelt inspection performed. There needs to be a lot of them are going to ask for what's called a steering column inspection, which is to make sure that the steering column hasn't collapsed, because that's going to affect in the future what that airbag timing is like and safety features there. Um and when it comes to calibrations, so calibrations are supposed to be done on a level floor. There's a lot of specifications about like what the lighting is supposed to be like, how each calibration is supposed to be performed. Are you supposed to drive at a certain rate for a certain amount of miles while you're performing the calibration on the computer system? If it's being indoor or done indoors, it has to be in a very like clean, wide space where you can set up all these targets. Um, and there are now mobile companies doing calibrations, which terrifies me. Um but they're also the least expensive. So a lot of shops are being pushed to utilize them, as that's all that the um insurance companies would like to contribute to the cost of the calibrations, but it's just terrifying because they're not being done right. Like there's absolutely no way. Um, they're basically doing like a glorified post scan where they kind of clear some stuff and and move on with their lives. Um so yeah, so we look at all of that. We look at all of those documents, um pull more information from the computer system, and and that's how the post-repair inspections go.

What To Do If It Feels Off

SPEAKER_01 6:55

And so, what should a customer do if they suspect something isn't right after repair elsewhere?

SPEAKER_00 7:01

I always recommend that the first thing they do is give the, if they're comfortable with it, right? But give the shop that they went to a chance to try to make it right. The thing is, is if you're noticing outside concerns, like I can understand why people don't want to go back, because it's like, well, I already, if I already have these concerns, I don't who knows if they're gonna actually make it right, you know. Um, so some vehicle owners are like, I'm just not going to. Um, the next thing is getting all of those documents, um, getting as much as you possibly can about what was done to your vehicle. And then um the next step would be to, if there's an insurance carrier involved, to inform them that it's going to be happening and that you're having it reinspected.

Why OEM Data Changes The Outcome

SPEAKER_01 7:48

And so how does your OEM certification influence the way you conduct those inspections?

SPEAKER_00 7:54

So um in order to, there's a lot of aftermarket companies, um, computer programs that will pull data from the OEMs, from the manufacturers. Like there's a company called All Data. Um they do supply how the OEM procedures are laid out. They're just not always completely updated, right? Because they're, let's say the OEMs make a change in it, they're gonna have to submit that to all data. All data is gonna have to then upload it to the computer system. So we being highly certified, we have access to the manufacturer's websites for how to pull all of those procedures in live data. Um, and so, you know, I feel very blessed that we're able to do that. Um, because all shops have access to it. They would just have to pay for like a one-day subscription or three-day subscription or whatever that that might be, but a lot of them are unwilling to take on that cost. So they're not getting necessarily the most updated information on the procedures.

Closing And How To Reach Us

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Megan, thanks for walking us through that. Such valuable information, and we'll see you on the next episode. Great. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 9:10

You've been listening to Crash Course, the Aussies Body Shop show with Megan Mueller, serving auto owners all across northern Colorado with certified family-owned collision care. If your vehicle's had a rough day, or you just want repairs done right the first time. For more information, visit OzzyBodyShop.com or call 970-667-7849. Ozzy's Body Shop. To be the best, you gotta be the best. On the road and in the repair bay. Until next time, drive safe. And if life dents it, you know where to send it.