Glossary
Automotive Quality Glossary
Definitions of the most important automotive QA terms — from a working quality engineer. 8D, PFMEA, PPAP, IATF 16949, VDA 6.3, customer portals (CATS, SCAR, G8D), statistical indices (Cpk, MSA). Short definition + full explanation from 12 years of practice.
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8D Report
#- Structured customer-complaint response in 8 steps: D0 plan, D1 form team, D2 describe problem, D3 containment, D4 root cause, D5 corrective actions, D6 implementation, D7 prevent recurrence, D8 close + congratulate team. Required output format for most OEM complaints (VW, Stellantis, Ford, BMW). Originally codified by Ford in the 1980s, now an industry standard.
AIAG-VDA 2019 FMEA
#- Joint standard from AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group, US) and VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie, Germany), published 2019. Replaced both the older AIAG FMEA 4th edition and VDA Volume 4. Uses a 7-step process and Action Priority (AP — High / Medium / Low) instead of the older RPN (Risk Priority Number = S × O × D). Mandatory for most OEM nominations after 2020.
CATS portal
#- Web portal where VW Group suppliers (VW, Audi, Porsche, Škoda, Seat) file 8D-Bericht and supporting evidence. Timing: 2-hour initial reaction + containment confirmation, 24-hour D1-D3 draft, 10 working days full close. A second occurrence of the same failure mode within 12 months triggers Wiederholfehler escalation (2× evaluation impact).
Cpk
#- Measures how well a process holds a characteristic within specification. Formula: Cpk = min(USL − μ, μ − LSL) / (3σ). IATF baseline is Cpk ≥ 1.33 (≈ 63 PPM out-of-spec). Safety-critical or special characteristics typically require Cpk ≥ 1.67 (≈ 0.6 PPM). Cpk = 1.0 means the nearest spec limit sits 3σ from the mean (≈ 1,350 PPM on that side).
Containment
#- Immediate action to prevent further non-conforming product from reaching the customer. Typically: (a) quarantine of all suspect parts, (b) 100% sorting of current production, (c) customer-side stock check. Always comes BEFORE root cause analysis — stop the bleeding first, then investigate why.
G8D (Ford)
#- Ford variant of the 8D, filed via the Ford supplier portal. Adds D0 emergency response actions and specific Ford evidence requirements (e.g. MMOG/LE logistic score, references to AIAG-VDA PFMEA). Full close timing typically 10 working days.
IATF 16949
#- International Automotive Task Force quality management standard. Builds on ISO 9001 but adds automotive-specific requirements: customer-specific requirements (CSR), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), MSA, SPC. Current edition: IATF 16949:2016. Recertification every 3 years, surveillance audits scheduled periodically within the 3-year cycle per CB policy. Without IATF certification, you cannot supply most OEMs.
MMOG/LE
#- Materials Management Operations Guideline / Logistics Evaluation. Self-assessment tool used by Ford (and other OEMs) to rate supplier logistics maturity. Score 0-100 %, classification A/B/C. Assesses inventory management, demand planning, EDI communication, packaging, transport, customer service. Required as part of supplier scorecard.
MSA
#- Statistical assessment of a measurement system for accuracy, repeatability, reproducibility, and linearity. Most commonly via a Gauge R&R (Gage Repeatability & Reproducibility) study. Acceptance criteria: GR&R ≤ 10 % excellent, ≤ 30 % acceptable, > 30 % unsuitable. PPAP element 9.
OEM
#- In automotive: the car brand (VW, Stellantis, BMW, Mercedes, Ford, Toyota, Tesla etc.). Tier 1 suppliers sell directly to OEMs. Tier 2 suppliers sell to Tier 1. Tier N is generic for n levels removed from OEM. QualityOS specialises in Tier 1/2 suppliers.
PFMEA
#- Systematic identification of how a manufacturing process can fail. For each process step: what Failure Mode can occur, what is the Effect on the customer, what is the Cause, what Detection mechanisms exist. Rated via Severity × Occurrence × Detection. Output: prioritised action plan reducing risk. AIAG-VDA 2019 PFMEA is the current standard.
PPAP
#- AIAG standard with 18 elements (Design Records, PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA, Cpk Study, Sample Parts, etc.) across 5 submission levels (Level 1 minimal, Level 5 full + on-site audit). Required before mass production of any new automotive part. Customer reviews and either Approves, Conditions, or Rejects. Re-PPAP triggers: design change, supplier change, location change, 12-month inactivity.
PPM
#- 1 PPM = 1 defect per 1,000,000 parts shipped to customer. Target PPM varies by OEM, commodity and program — typically single-digit to low-double-digit for production parts, stricter for safety-critical. The exact target lives in your supplier scorecard. Calculated over a 12-month rolling window.
SCAR
#- Stellantis variant of the 8D, submitted via eSupplierConnect. Containment and full-close timing vary by platform (PSA / FCA legacy) and complaint type — always verify against the current Stellantis CSR bulletin or SQAM (Supplier Quality Assurance Manual). Watch out for FMDS (Failure Mode Detection Strategy) on safety-critical components — requires additional documentation.
Tier 1 / Tier 2
#- Tier 1 = ships directly to OEM (car brand). Tier 2 = ships to Tier 1 (e.g. plastic components for a Tier 1 making a headlamp for an OEM). Tier 3+ are raw material and sub-component suppliers. Hierarchy drives certification requirements — Tier 1 typically requires IATF 16949, Tier 2 needs ISO 9001 plus cascaded IATF clauses from Tier 1.
VDA 6.3
#- Verband der Automobilindustrie process audit standard. Module A: project planning audit. Module B: process audit — B2 product development, B3 supplier management, B4 mass production, B5 customer support. Most German OEMs (VW, BMW, Daimler) require VDA 6.3 certified internal auditors. Recertification every 3 years.
Wiederholfehler
#- VW term meaning the same failure mode has recurred within 12 months. Triggers automatic escalation: customer evaluation rating impact doubles, expanded root cause analysis required, escalation to OEM Quality Director, sometimes an audit. For the supplier this can mean losing the next-project nomination.
Eight-discipline problem-solving methodology from the automotive industry.
Joint AIAG + VDA standard published 2019.
Volkswagen Group customer-complaint management system.
Process Capability Index.
Immediate action — step D3 of the 8D.
Ford-specific variant of the 8D.
Global QMS standard for the automotive industry.
Logistics maturity self-assessment.
Measurement System Analysis.
Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
Production Part Approval Process.
Defect rate metric (Parts Per Million).
Stellantis Supplier Corrective Action Request.
Position in the automotive supply chain.
German process audit standard.
VW term for "repeat error".
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