Right to Repair Act reintroduced to Congress

April 28, 2009

The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, or H.R. 2057, has been reintroduced to Congress.

U.S. Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY), the lead Right to Repair sponsor, states that by guaranteeing access to vehicle repair information, "we can empower consumers and give them the opportunity to choose where, how and by whom to have their vehicles repaired."

Joining Rep. Towns as original sponsors are Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and George Miller (D-CA). Rep. Towns is the Chairman of the Government Management, Organization and Procurement Committee and serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee.  Representative Eshoo is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Rep. Miller is Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee.

A recent study by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) concluded that repairs conducted at new car dealerships cost consumers on average 34% more than at the independent repair shops, resulting in $11.7 billion in excess costs annually. 

"With dealerships closing at unprecedented rates, the ability for consumers to obtain convenient and affordable repairs from their local independent vehicle repair shops is more important than ever," says Aaron Lowe, vice president, government affairs for AAIA.

"Right to Repair ensures that independent shops have access to the most up-to-date information, tools and software so that they can continue to maintain and repair their customers' late model vehicles."