How TecDoc Actually Works: A Developer's Guide to Automotive Parts Fitment Data
If you've ever tried to build "does this part fit my car" search for an e-commerce site, you've probably hit TecDoc — the European standard database for automotive parts fitment — without anyone actually explaining how it's structured. Here's the developer-level version. The core problem TecDoc solves "Does part X fit a 2018 Toyota Corolla?" is not a well-formed question. A 2018 Corolla shipped…
TecDoc is the European standard database for automotive parts fitment, maintained by TecAlliance, a consortium of OEMs and aftermarket suppliers. It contains 500+ vehicle makes, 900+ aftermarket brands, and 400M+ fitment records. The data model consists of two linked structures: a Vehicle catalog and a Parts catalog. The Vehicle catalog follows a 4-level hierarchy (Make → Model → Type → Engine), each with its own TecDoc ID.
The Type level is crucial, as different engine variants of the same car (e.g., 2018 Corolla 1.8 Hybrid vs. 1.6 Petrol) have separate Type IDs, even though they are essentially the same vehicle from a marketing perspective. The Parts catalog is organized by Generic Article Group (GAG), a standardized category code that permits cross-brand comparisons.
Fitment records are essentially a join table connecting (GAG, Type ID) to compatible components. TecDoc also stores cross-reference records, mapping IAM part numbers to OEM part numbers, enabling multi-directional lookups. However, this only functions if aftermarket brands submit the cross-reference data. Most teams building product pages opt for a data provider that combines TecDoc with other sources, as licensing direct access to TecDoc is a complex commercial process.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
