| June 24, 2008 Mechanics fight back with Right to Repair laws
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(Peter Howe, NECN) - Despite the name, Direct Tire does all kinds of car repairs. Air conditioning, steering exhaust, scheduled maintenance. But more and more, Barry Steinberg has been running into a huge frustration: secret high-tech systems on cars that make it impossible for him or anyone else who isn't a car dealer, to fix them.
"The manufacturers are limiting us in the amount of information we can gather to fix your car."
Like what is causing basic trouble lamps to light up on the dashboard. His four shops now turn away 25 cars a day.
A faulty oxygen sensor went off on Steinberg's own brand new Audi and his guys couldn't track the problem.
Steinberg: So I called the dealer and they said, ‘bring it back.’
The situation is sparking a legislative backlash, as lawmakers on Capitol Hill and many state capitals push for so-called Right to Repair laws, ensuring that car makers can't deny mechanics information they need to fix cars. Congressman Mike Capuano just became the newest sponsor of Right to Repair.
“It strikes me as ridiculous that I should be required to bring my car to a particular place to get it fixed. It's my car, I should be able to do what I want with it.”
Auto manufacturers are fighting back, insisting they already share plenty of information with independent mechanics and asserting the law would compromise vehicle security and jeopardize drivers' safety.
A Boston Alliance spokeswoman goes farther,
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