DEARBORN, Mich., April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AAA and Ford are giving Michigan high school students the keys to success in the automotive repair industry as they team up to test their automotive knowledge and technical skills.

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Twenty juniors and seniors from 10 high schools and tech centers across Michigan will meet at Macomb Community College Expo Center, located at 14500 East Twelve Mile Road in Warren, on Wednesday  (April 13), at 9:30 a.m., to challenge each other in the annual Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition.   Winners will be announced at 11:30 a.m.

Each two-student team will race the clock to correctly identify and fix intentionally installed "bugs" on identical 2012 Ford Mustangs. After properly diagnosing and repairing their vehicle, the teammates must drive their assigned vehicle across the finish line, where the car will be inspected for accuracy and workmanship.

In addition to receiving scholarships and other valuable prizes, the winners will represent the state in the National Finals at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn on June 14.

The state teams were selected based on their high scores in an online qualifying exam that tests each team's automotive knowledge.

Michigan's championship team will compete against students from all 50 states in a written exam and another hands-on competition at the national finals.

Both the national and the statewide competitions are organized with the support of Ford personnel, local automotive instructors, and AAA's Approved Auto Repair program; a public service AAA performs to identify quality repair facilities throughout the country.

SOURCE AAA Michigan