BETHESDA, Md. – Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and George Miller (D-Calif.) have introduced the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2057) into the 111th Congress.  

The Right to Repair Act would mandate that car companies provide full access to all tools and service information needed to repair motor vehicles, thus leveling the competitive playing field between dealers and independent repair shops.  

“We want to thank Reps. Towns, Eshoo and Miller for taking the lead and supporting this very important piece of pro-consumer and pro-small business legislation,” said Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. “As car dealers close service bays at unprecedented rates and more motorists look to neighborhood repair shops to service their vehicles, it is important that these local shops have the same access to the most up-to-date information, tools and software as the new car dealer network.  Right to Repair ensures that trusted neighborhood shops have that access so they can continue to maintain and repair their customers’ vehicles.”

“This legislation is really about who owns the vehicle’s repair information, the car owner or the car company,” said Ray Pohlman, president of the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality. “Without the Right to Repair Act, millions of motorists would be forced back to fewer dealers for service. Consumers spend thousands of dollars to purchase their vehicle and should not be told where they should obtain those repairs by the manufacturer.”