The Database Enhancement Gateway on Tuesday recognized the Kansas Auto Body Association as among the trade groups which recently signed on to sponsor the resource at the Gold level.

“The Kansas Auto Body Association is proud to support the DEG. Our members, and the industry at large, we all benefit greatly from the DEG through their work helping get accurate information into the estimating databases,”  KABA Vice President Tony Adams (Weaver’s Auto Center; retired) said in a statement. “It just makes sense for us to support an organization that does so much to support our industry.”

KABA is one of three trade groups that recently signed on to support the free estimating resource at the Gold level. Other recent Gold sponsors include Carolina’s Collision Association and the Auto Body Association of Texas.

The DEG allows collision repairers and insurers to ask questions about and suggest changes to Audatex, CCC and Mitchell. It’s responsive and quick; either the DEG or the information providers typically will have answers for you within a few days — often within the same day.

Questions and responses also are preserved within a DEG database drawing from more than 17,000 past inquiries. Thus, it’s possible for estimators and adjusters to find answers to their queries within the archives and not even need to file an inquiry.

The nonprofit is a joint effort of the national Alliance of Automotive Service Providers and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. It’s also supported by sponsors and advertisers.

The DEG said it recently gave a presentation to KABA members.

“We are all really proud to recognize KABA for sponsoring with a generous contribution to help invest in industry resources that are having a positive impact on their membership,” DEG Administrator Danny Gredinberg said in a statement. “KABA’s support of our program helps to maintain the DEG as a free resource for the Collision Repair Industry, and is a true testament to the commitment the KABA board of directors has made to their member base.”

The Automotive Service Association, Collision Advice and PPG sponsor the DEG at the Platinum level. ALLDATA, the Auto Body Association of Texas, CCA, KABA, Nylund’s Collision Center, Redwood City Autobody and Spanesi support it at the Gold level. Silver-level sponsors include the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association and Auto Body Hawaii, and Integrity Auto Collision Fairfield and Osceola Autobody back the DEG at the Bronze level.

In honor of KABA, here’s a DEG inquiry about a vehicle produced in the state: a 2019 Cadillac XT4. GM builds the luxury crossover at its Fairfax, Kan., facility.

A DEG user in December 2020 wrote in to advise that CCC’s headnotes for the 2019 XT4 “Should show if Driver airbag deployed – > Replace steering column.”

CCC agreed.

“In the Restraint Systems group, Headnotes, Replacement Components, Front Deployment, the Steering Column has been added to required components to replace following a Collision where Frontal Airbag Deployment occurred,” CCC wrote.

The change was expected to have taken effect around Jan. 11.

See how easy it is? Submit your own DEG inquiry or search the database today! It’s completely free.

More information:

“DEG Welcomes KABA as Newest Gold Level Sponsor”

Database Enhancement Gateway, Feb. 9, 2021

DEG inquiry database

Featured image: The Kansas Auto Body Association’s logo is shown. (Provided by Kansas Auto Body Association)