"Vehicle manufacturers must comply with legislation" – IGA

"Vehicle manufacturers must comply with European legislation and make their technical information available to independent garages" said Stuart James, Independent Garage Association (IGA) Director, speaking to fleet operators at the BVRLA Technical and Operational Management Forum.

During the IGA led session, James outlined the problems independent garages are currently experiencing when trying to access technical information from vehicle manufacturers. Car manufacturers have an obligation to provide technical service bulletins, recall information, online diagnosis and software updates for new cars.

James continued: “A detailed study carried out recently confirms that access to this information is still proving difficult for an independent garage to obtain.

“The report highlights some key areas of concern. Garages were unable to access fault codes from half of vehicle manufacturers and part numbers were unavailable in many cases. Many vehicle manufacturers are failing to provide quality technical support to independent workshops, support that is vital if they are to carry out repairs on the latest vehicles effectively.

“Independent garages need this information and the IGA is committed to ensuring that our members have access to it, allowing them to continue operating in a market place which is becoming more technology focussed.”