The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) says its Web-based CAPA Tracker program is a solution for tracking aftermarket parts that have been recalled. The five-year-old program can notify participating shops that installed one of the recalled parts so the shop can alert the customer and take appropriate action.

This program was designed specifically for repairers who expressed concern that should a problem surface with a CAPA-certified part, it would be difficult for them to determine if they actually installed that part on a particular customer’s car. “The CAPA Tracker, launched in 2004, effectively solves this dilemma for shops concerned about safety,” says Jack Gillis, executive director.

The program provides repairers with more control over the part identification process than they have with car company brand parts, CAPA said. Unlike car companies, which have to recall millions of vehicles because they don’t know where their parts are, the CAPA Tracker enables specific part tracing. CAPA’s unique, individually numbered, part identification system incorporated in the CAPA Quality Seal, enables positive identification of parts in the market, CAPA said.

With the CAPA Tracker, shops will be notified only if they used one of the parts. No general, wide-ranging vehicle inspection is necessary and only those consumers who have the part need to be contacted.

How the CAPA Tracker works
The CAPA Tracker is a free, Web-based program that connects the unique CAPA seal number to the vehicle on which it was installed. Each repair facility that uses a CAPA part can enter the required information on the Web site using an individual shop code.

To use the tracker, the repairer goes to the Web site and registers the part with CAPA. If there is a problem later, CAPA will immediately notify the shop. Costs associated with the replacement of the part would be the responsibility of the part distributor, who deals with the manufacturer of the part. Because shop time is valuable, CAPA suggests that the shop compile the information and enter it on a daily or weekly basis.

This effort should ease matters for those shops concerned about ongoing part quality. CAPA is experimenting with barcode readers, which would further automate the process for the shop. To know more about this safety identification tool, collision repair shops can visit www.CAPAcertified.org and sign up for free with the CAPA Tracker program.

“Recently, various repairer associations have been raising concerns about product recalls. The CAPA Tracker provides these associations with a tool they can pass on to their members. The CAPA Tracker is available on the 3 million-plus CAPA-certified parts used by collision repairers. However, four out of five times when a repairer installs a CAPA-certifiable part, they use a non-certified part,” says Gillis. The CAPA seal is the only way to confirm that the part is truly CAPA-certified.

“Unfortunately, just because you order a CAPA part doesn’t mean you’ll get one,” says Bob Anderson of Anderson’s Automotive Services and CAPA board chairman. “We’ve learned that just because a part is listed as CAPA-certified on an estimate or in a distributor’s catalog or Web site doesn’t mean one will show up at your shop. It is the shop’s responsibility to make sure they get what they requested – if not, simply refuse to accept the part,” says Anderson.