The Canadian Automotive Service Industry Standard (CASIS) provides access for the independent aftermarket to original equipment service information and tools.

The voluntary agreement between automakers and the industry has been in place since 2009, but since the usage of many of the resources continues to be at lower levels, it is useful to reminder the industry what is available today.

Special thanks to John Norris for providing this content.

What is CASIS?

The Canadian Automotive Service Information Standard (CASIS) provides a framework for Canadian automobile manufacturers to share their service, training and repair information with the automotive aftermarket industry on a level equivalent to that of their authorized dealers.

The CASIS provides access to OEM information and tools to any service provider on a national basis, regardless of association affiliation. As a result, consumers will have a broader availability of facilities – either authorized OEM dealerships or independent shops – in which to have their non-warranty vehicle service work conducted.

The important thing is that independent service and repair shops now have access to that information and can purchase it depending on their business needs, similar to OEMs’ authorized dealers and those independent shops operating in the U.S. A website, www.OEMRepairInfo.ca, was launched to serve as a portal to OEM technical information websites plus helpful third-party resources. The site is provided as a “free” service for repair professionals. OEM position statements are provided where available from the manufacturers. The site contains helpful “How To” videos and other instructional videos. There are links to scan tool and reprogramming information.

Pricing levels will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and will depend on the specific information being requested.

What kinds of information does the CASIS allow me to access?

The CASIS agreement states that “Service Information” includes mechanical, collision, trim and glass information, as well as programming, coding files and initialization information. Service Information also includes information contained in repair manuals, wiring diagrams, and technical service bulletins (“TSBs”).

Service Information does not include:

• Information exchanged between individual authorized dealers and OEMs for the purpose of dealing with a technical or quality issue for which the need for or a general remedy has not yet been defined or developed.
• Information related to the administration of motor vehicle warranties, service contracts, or recalls under Canadian federal or provincial law.
• OEM hotlines and/or technical lines for authorized dealers.
• Customer information, or any information about an identifiable individual as restricted by privacy legislation.
• Information related to the repair history of specific motor vehicles or models of motor vehicles.
• Information not made generally available to an authorized dealer by an OEM.
• Any source code for software, or full copies of any software program managing any motor vehicle function or technical information that provides the design parameters or criteria for the motor vehicle or any of its parts, or any information licensed from a third party.
• Information exchanged or discussions between individual OEMs and authorized dealers on technical, consumer or business issues to resolve individual motor vehicle service or repair issues, or matters relating to the franchise relationship between the OEM and its authorized dealers.