TIA supports Right to Repair Act

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) "strongly urges" Congress to pass the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) to ensure that car owners and their repair shops have the same access to safety alerts and repair information as the franchised new car dealer network.

"Because most new vehicles are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems that are controlled by computers, we believe there is a greater urgency to pass Right to Repair than ever before," says Roy Littlefield, executive vice president of TIA.

"TPMS systems do not replace regular maintenance on tires, but rather are intended to protect motorists from the dangers of operating a vehicle with underinflated tires. Without ready access to complete and accurate information from the car companies regarding the vehicles they produce, it is very difficult to keep these systems activated and in safe working condition."

The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act was introduced into the 111th Congress by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and George Miller (D-Calif.) to offer protections for vehicle owners by allowing them to have full access to the repair information for the vehicle which they purchased, new or used, so that they can choose where, how and by whom their vehicle is repaired.

"We support each motorist's right to patronize the auto service facility of their choice and seek to have repair information equitably available to every repair shop in the country," says Littlefield. "We encourage our members and all motorists to visit www.righttorepair.org to send a letter to each of their congressional representatives, urging them to support the Right to Repair Act."