Take action Repair Act Takes a Step Forward

[98valk]

contact your legislatures here
https://igniteadvocacy.com/go/you-gotta-fight-for-your-right-to-repair---support-h-r-906-/589

""Thursday, the House Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce passed H.R. 906, the Repair Act. As a reminder, H.R. 906 mandates that consumers and independent maintenance shops have access to the parts, tools and information needed to work on vehicles.

Fundamentally, this act helps preserve motorcyclists’ choices and a fair marketplace. It allows consumers to work on their bikes themselves or to obtain service at the shop of their choice. Otherwise, they could have no choice but to receive service from a dealer or manufacturer.

This move by the subcommittee is a key step toward the passage of this much-needed bill. Next, the full House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has authority over this issue, will consider the bill. The subcommittee and committee processes allow lawmakers the opportunity to discuss, debate, and amend bills before they head to the House floor for final passage.

Concerns, including public safety, data ownership and cyber security, were raised during the subcommittee hearing. The lead author of the bill, Representative Neal Dunn of Florida,

has pledged to collaborate with his colleagues to address these concerns.

This committee was a crucial legislative process in the long road to the final passage. H.R. 906 now has forty-six (46) bipartisan cosponsors. It is not too late to contact your Representative and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 906. Click here and tell Congress to support the Repair Act.""

[Timbo1]

The right to repair has been going on for years.  Louis Rossmann has been at the forefront of the fight for a long time and it seems there's always something or someone obstructing the consumer rights.  More obviously who's pockets are being padded.

Here's  one of his videos he talks about Right to Repair antics by NHTSA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nXVljRUnoc&ab_channel=LouisRossmann

[POPS 57]

John Deer is where this started. Farmers have big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ into there tractors and when something goes wrong they can't repair there own tractors. There was a law suit to let them into the software. I think they won it but  don't know fore sure.

[3W-lonerider]

i can see both sides of this issue. but here is my take. i work in the heavy equipment field. been working on Duetz, GM, kabota and ford engines for 24 years in this field. a couple of months ago i went threw 50 hours of training just for the Duetz engine. there was alot of things that were very confusing during that training and passing the tests were a feat. at least 6 out of 15 tests i had to take multiple times just to pass at a 70%.  one thing to keep in mind. the software that is used to diagnose engine issues can also royally screw that engine up if you hit the wrong tab. a couple of years ago i was using the software and inadvertently changed the engine model, in the process of changing it back to what it should be i had to re-calibrate every sensor and function on the machine which took hours. i see no problem with the average person repairing their own equipment but i'm a firm believer in they would have to take the training to use the software.

[Timbo1]

i can see both sides of this issue. but here is my take. i work in the heavy equipment field. been working on Duetz, GM, kabota and ford engines for 24 years in this field. a couple of months ago i went threw 50 hours of training just for the Duetz engine. there was alot of things that were very confusing during that training and passing the tests were a feat. at least 6 out of 15 tests i had to take multiple times just to pass at a 70%.  one thing to keep in mind. the software that is used to diagnose engine issues can also royally screw that engine up if you hit the wrong tab. a couple of years ago i was using the software and inadvertently changed the engine model, in the process of changing it back to what it should be i had to re-calibrate every sensor and function on the machine which took hours. i see no problem with the average person repairing their own equipment but i'm a firm believer in they would have to take the training to use the software.

To the best of my knowledge the Right to Repair advocates have not proposed forcing the manufactures to create training programs or facilities to train the consumer.  They just want to make sure the parts and tools are available and there are no software hindering programming to prevent such repair.

IMO I should be able to get parts for most anything I choose to repair myself.  And if I fudge it up well that's my problem and I'll have to take it on the chin.  I don't like the idea of purchasing a product from Company A and when it breaks down I'm told I have to send it in to Company A for repair or have Company A service come do the repair.  I should be able to choose who I want to repair my consumer products and they should be able to have access to original parts / tools necessary to do such repair.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_repair


Right to repair refers to the concept that end users, business users as well as consumers, of technical, electronic or automotive devices should be allowed to freely repair these products. Four requirements are of particular importance:

1.    the device should be constructed and designed in a manner that allows repairs to be made easily;
2.    end users and independent repair providers should be able to access original spare parts and necessary tools (software as well as physical tools) at fair market conditions;
3.    repairs should, by design, be possible and not be hindered by software programming; and
4.    the repairability of a device should be clearly communicated by the manufacturer.

The goals of the right to repair are to favor repair instead of replacement, and make such repairs more affordable leading to a more sustainable economy and reduction in electronic waste.

[3W-lonerider]

i fully understand. as of right now, you can take anything you have any place you want to be worked on, wether or not they have the capabilities to work on it is a different story.
in response to number 1, it is the federal government that is mandating all this emissions crap to begin with. i don't like it mainly because it has made repair bills way over the top price wise.
number 2, any repair shop can order any part they want threw a dealer, doesn't have to be the manufacturer.
number 3. in the current state of emissions, thats impossible. todays engines have to have sensors to monitor the engine, without the sensors the engine would not run
number 4. i agree with, but again, if the sales person did that. do you really think people would actually buy a newer product.
we have all sizes of generators from 25K to 150K output. these generators can be put on either 120/230 volts--240/280 volts or 480 volts.
if we send a generator out and the customer uses it on 120/230 he is not loading the engine down and wet stacks the engine costing hundreds in repairs.
what is wet stacking you ask. if a modern diesel is not being loaded to the point that it creates enough heat it cannot burn all the diesel that is being put into the cylinders. when that happens that diesel goes into the particulate muffler where it results in soot. when that muffler gets at least 30% plugged you either have to throw the engine into a regeneration mode or remove the muffler and have it cooked out which costs over 1000 to do.
i despise these teir 4 diesels but there is nothing i can do about it. again. the government created the problem. i really don't look for them to go out of their way to solve it.

[Robert]

For my own personal car I cannot purchase or replace the engine computer, instrument cluster, transmission computer, brake pump, ignition switch, shifter assembly, alarm computer, and key replacement requires a valid drivers license and car registration in your name. Each MFG requirements are different and all will need programing that you cannot get either. All those the dealer will not even sell me even though I do have the knowledge to replace them. In the transmission shops its a nightmare with some cars since they will not sell the transmission computers to you.

To be able to purchase these parts you have to be bonded, go to a course, get approved by the mfg.

As for diesels how does it make sense that if you have a problem with the DEF system the vehicle will not start or drop dead.

[Timbo1]

i fully understand. as of right now, you can take anything you have any place you want to be worked on, wether or not they have the capabilities to work on it is a different story.
in response to number 1, it is the federal government that is mandating all this emissions crap to begin with. i don't like it mainly because it has made repair bills way over the top price wise.
number 2, any repair shop can order any part they want threw a dealer, doesn't have to be the manufacturer.
number 3. in the current state of emissions, thats impossible. todays engines have to have sensors to monitor the engine, without the sensors the engine would not run
number 4. i agree with, but again, if the sales person did that. do you really think people would actually buy a newer product.
we have all sizes of generators from 25K to 150K output. these generators can be put on either 120/230 volts--240/280 volts or 480 volts.
if we send a generator out and the customer uses it on 120/230 he is not loading the engine down and wet stacks the engine costing hundreds in repairs.
what is wet stacking you ask. if a modern diesel is not being loaded to the point that it creates enough heat it cannot burn all the diesel that is being put into the cylinders. when that happens that diesel goes into the particulate muffler where it results in soot. when that muffler gets at least 30% plugged you either have to throw the engine into a regeneration mode or remove the muffler and have it cooked out which costs over 1000 to do.
i despise these teir 4 diesels but there is nothing i can do about it. again. the government created the problem. i really don't look for them to go out of their way to solve it.

I think your looking at Right to Repair in a very narrow view.  It's not just about machinery or emissions and has nothing to do with government mandates.

Many manufactures today do not readily make parts or components or technical information available to the service industry or consumer.  Many manufacturers input software restrictions that have nothing to do with how the product functions and are only intended to hinder service or repair.

Right to Repair advocates would like to put an end to this type of manufacturer monopolization and allow consumers the choice of who they want to use for repairs.

[3W-lonerider]

you might be right, i'm probably misunderstanding the whole picture. i'm just going by my experience of working with the software for different engines and how fast an engine can be totally screwed up by someone not familiar with such software.  as far as parts i agree it is rediculas on that end of it. i also know John Deere is the worst when it comes to monopolizing things.