(Article) "Trump says Ford, GM pushing bill to restrict right to repair"

[Dr_Strangelove]

https://www.freep.com/story/news/po...s-from-fixing-their-own-vehicles/90410359007/


This is intended to be a discussion about Right to Repair and not White House Politics. Per the article:

"President Donald Trump says he had a "great meeting" with the heads of General Motors, Ford and racing team legend and businessman Roger Penske this week about legislation that, in the president's words, would prohibit people from repairing their own motor vehicles."


As someone that works on their own vehicles this saddens me greatly to see that this issue will not be dropped by GM & Ford. Even the President himself says he doesn't understand why they want to stop people from fixing their own cars. I hope there is someone representing us, lobbying from the other side!

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[Dereku]

Would be my last new vehicle ever then. Used car prices would go through the roof and automotive enthusiasts like ourselves would be a dying breed.

 

[Motorpsychology]

As I commented on Blue Oval Forums:
Another assault on small business. It's the DIY's and independent shops that keep OEM franchise repair rates in check somewhat. In most cases, OEMs still make money on parts, whether through dealers or wholesaled to auto parts stores. A provision in any such legislation should include much longer bumper to bumper warranties, like 7- or 8- years & unlimited miles. Dealers across all brands have a shortage of qualified techs, and Ford for one has had recalls to fix the botched recalls.

Triumph Motorcycles already has a unique OBDII port and "secret" software to make it extremely difficult to reset DTC'S or even the service interval counter except by a franchise dealer; you can change your own oil, but the service due light cannot be cleared by the owner and is designed such that it blocks the odometer until cleared.
I was able to buy a subscription to their technical service manual, and browsing through deeper maintenance, like periodic valve adjustment, some unique Triumph tools are required to complete the job.

 

[Dr_Strangelove]

As I commented on Blue Oval Forums:
Another assault on small business. It's the DIY's and independent shops that keep OEM franchise repair rates in check somewhat. In most cases, OEMs still make money on parts, whether through dealers or wholesaled to auto parts stores. A provision in any such legislation should include much longer bumper to bumper warranties, like 7- or 8- years & unlimited miles. Dealers across all brands have a shortage of qualified techs, and Ford for one has had recalls to fix the botched recalls.

Yeah I agree with the above sentiment. When I would visit an independent mechanic it had a lot more to do with the fact that I was, at least in an ideal scenario, working with an individual that was trying to earn my business through trust, good work, and fair prices. At the dealership I felt like they were earning my business through the "we've got you now, minion" business strategy.

Ironic that Ford's new advertising is "you should trust our service facilities." Ever care to wonder why they are not trusted?

 

[AzScorpion]

If this goes through (I highly doubt it will) I'll never buy another vehicle from the manufacturers that pushed for it. I think this will get heavy pushback especially the repair shops. Also, Ford has some nerve even trying to get this through considering they have the highest amount of recalls than anyone else. But I guess they're just trying to recover some of their losses by doing this forcing people to use them for their screw ups in the first place!

 

[ScarzRanger21(2.0)]

If that’s the case and ends up happening, this will be the last Ford I ever own. Myself, along with most of my family, have been Ford owners most of our lives. If this is what the future of vehicle ownership looks like for Ford and GM, I’ll become a Ram owner overnight.

 

[21rangerCactus]

I mean at this point idk if the dealer would be able to work on my 2005 PONTIAC.. they probably wouldn't even know what a Pontiac is. Then add that it's a GTO made in Australia.

"why does the speedometer go up to 200mph.. Is that aftermarket?"

 

[Jason B]

If that’s the case and ends up happening, this will be the last Ford I ever own. Myself, along with most of my family, have been Ford owners most of our lives. If this is what the future of vehicle ownership looks like for Ford and GM, I’ll become a Ram owner overnight.

Don't kid yourself, If Ford and GM can do it, all others will follow, including, Stelantis, Honda and Toyota.

 

[Jason B]

If this goes through (I highly doubt it will) I'll never buy another vehicle from the manufacturers that pushed for it. I think this will get heavy pushback especially the repair shops. Also, Ford has some nerve even trying to get this through considering they have the highest amount of recalls than anyone else. But I guess they're just trying to recover some of their losses by doing this forcing people to use them for their screw ups in the first place!

Recalls that have to be fixed for free, whether it's in warranty or not.

 

[AzScorpion]

Recalls that have to be fixed for free, whether it's in warranty or not.

I realize that (probably should've phrased it better) I was talking about all the other work non warranty/recall related. If they shut down all the other competition (garages/shops) they'll be able to monopolize the repair work and charge pretty much whatever they want.

 

[LaBalbe]

Ironically, this is the logical conclusion of the Dodge vs. Ford case, where a judge decided that a company's (Ford, in this case) first priority was to it's investors (the Dodge brothers) over its consumers and long-term strategy. Predictably, Ford (and every other corporation) is now trying to maximize every single profit avenue to the benefit of investors by further restricting the consumer's ability to choice, and thereby undermining the entire concept of the free market that advocates of the current system claim is their end goal. I'm very much a moderate, but this is the perfect illustration of "they'll sell us the rope that we hang them with."

 

[Motorpsychology]

I think the can will be kicked down the road for awhile. Suppose they introduced this for the 2027 model year. That still would leave the 2026's and older not subject to exclusive repair. In 2030, those vehicles, the '27s, will be at the end of the 3/36 B2B warranty and 2032 will be the end of powertrain. Some will have extended warranties, but the vast majority won't. If the general population balks at the proposal if it goes through, we may end up like Cuba driving duct taped 70 year old smokin' cars. hey have a very comprehensive cottage industry there that will fabricate an adapter kit to put a '58 283 Chevy bell housing on your 312 Y-block Ford-engined '55 Oldsmobile.

The next lockout would be to encode the software such that only dealers with propriety passwords would be able to reset codes. That exists now for keyless entry key pads. Only the factory or a franchised dealer can activate the door pad regardless of where you bought it.

Finally, Ford and others are looking down the road when EVs are the majority choice and servicing will be greatly reducedr. It will be like power tools now; you can't put your Ryobi battery on your Milwaukee sawsall.

 

[Jason B]

If this does pass, (where's Louis Rossman when you need him) I imagine Extended Warranty sales will rise significantly.

 

[TJC]

You won't own anything.... and you'll be happy.

 

[dtech]

AI Overview further below and in bold italics from Ford authority, also GM alone has spent over $11m 2026 ytd on lobbying congress. gotta make up for those EV investment losses somewhere. One might think that the polling showing 80% of consumers opposed to ROR restrictions would carry the field but that's not how the game is played.

Ford just launched a new ad campaign amid its efforts to ramp up repair support for older vehicles, all as consumers are holding on to their cars longer than ever. This all comes as vehicle owners are increasingly using independent shops versus going to a franchise dealership - those highly profitable dealer service visits have declined over the past eight years, from 33 percent to 29 percent. Over that same time period, the number of independent repair shops has grown from 266,000 to 300,000, which is alarming for both Ford and its dealers.

AI overview:
Whether Congress passes auto right-to-repair legislation in 2026 remains highly uncertain, as the issue faces intense, balanced lobbying from both the automotive industry and aftermarket/insurance groups. While bipartisan, popular support exists, significant industry spending has successfully stalled federal action, leading to a "pitched battle" in Congress. [1, 2, 3]
As of June 2026, the legislative situation is characterized by the following:

• Intense Lobbying and Counter-Lobbying: "Big Auto" (including GM, Honda, BMW) is spending heavily to block federal legislation, arguing that giving independent shops access to telematic data compromises cybersecurity and consumer safety. Conversely, insurance companies (like Allstate), independent mechanics, and the CAR Coalition are pushing back, investing millions to ensure access to vehicle data to keep repair costs down. [1, 2]
• Legislative Standoff: Despite bipartisan support for the REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566/S. 1379), which would guarantee independent access to tools and data, similar language was stripped from earlier legislative attempts in 2026 following industry pressure. [1, 2]
• 2026 Progress and Hurdles: In May 2026, a House committee advanced a modified bill that included some repair provisions but not all of the key demands of the REPAIR Act, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). A potential, watered-down compromise, often referred to as a "2014 memorandum of understanding," is being considered, but it does not fully address the modern telematic data issues, per the ⁠Detroit Free Press. [1]
• Political Context: The bill's chances are impacted by the 2026 midterm election environment, which makes controversial, industry-opposed legislation harder to pass. []

Conclusion on Lobbying Impact:
While lobbyists' dollars have undeniably delayed the passage of a robust, comprehensive federal right-to-repair law, they have not completely killed the effort. The final outcome in 2026 will likely depend on whether the bipartisan, consumer-focused push (supported by over 80% of voters, according to ⁠CAR Coalition polls) can overcome the heavy, well-funded opposition from major automakers. [1, 2]

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