Toyota issued a revised position on the repair of high-strength steel (HSS) and ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS) occupant cabin reinforcements, according to I-CAR.
Toyota's Collision Repair Information Bulletin (CRIB) 175, says:
• Do not straighten HSS or UHSS occupant cabin reinforcements, hot
or cold.
• Do not section pillar reinforcements 980 Megapascals (MPa) and 590
MPa.
• Only section 440 MPa parts where specified in the Toyota service
information.
Occupant cabin reinforcements include not only pillar, rocker panel, and roof rail reinforcements, but roof bows, floor crossmembers, door beams, and the rear bulkhead as well. Any of these parts that are HSS or stronger cannot be repaired, according to the bulletin.
"This recommendation is based on a reduction in reinforcement strength and crash energy management revealed during research and testing conducted by Toyota Motor Corporation," Toyota said in its bulletin. "Repaired and/ or improperly sectioned reinforcements failed to exhibit the strength and performance ratings of genuine new original equipment service parts installed to specification. Therefore, damaged occupant cabin reinforcements must be replaced."
To identify the strength ratings of steel, particularly in newer models, refer to the model-specific Toyota Repair Manual for Collision Damage structural outline.
Some applications of 440 MPa steel (HSS) include the bottom third of many B-pillars on Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles. 590 MPa steel (UHSS) is common in the upper two-thirds of the B-pillar reinforcements and rocker panel reinforcements. 980 MPa steel (UHSS) is also used on some rocker panel reinforcements.
I-CAR launched a new training course July 19 called Collision Repair of Toyota, Lexus, and Scion Vehicles (TOY01). The course introduces vehicle- specific procedures exclusive to Toyota, service information, systems found in Toyota vehicles, and design considerations. Visit www.i-car.com to learn more about classes in your area.
