Last updated: October 29, 2026. This page is a plain-English overview, not legal advice. Laws and bills change, so check the linked sources for the latest.
What Is Vehicle Right to Repair?
Right to repair is a simple idea: if you own a vehicle, you, or the independent shop you choose, should be able to get the information, tools, parts, and data needed to diagnose and fix it. Not just the dealer.
For decades that mostly worked, because a good service manual and a scan tool on the OBD-II port got you a long way. Today’s vehicles send a lot of their diagnostic and performance data wirelessly (that is called telematics) straight to the manufacturer. Some repairs also need software, security codes, or calibration tools that are hard for anyone outside a dealership to get.
Why It Matters for DIYers
- Cost: When only the dealer can do a job, you lose the option of doing it yourself or shopping around.
- Choice: Independent shops and aftermarket parts keep prices competitive.
- Keeping vehicles on the road: Older and higher-mileage vehicles are often easier and cheaper to keep running when information and parts are widely available.
- Learning: You cannot fix what you are not allowed to understand.
Key Milestones, in Plain Words
2020: Massachusetts Data Access Ballot Law
In November 2020, Massachusetts voters approved Question 1, which expanded the state’s existing right to repair law to cover wireless (telematics) vehicle data. It calls for vehicles with telematics sold in the state to give owners and independent repair shops access to repair and diagnostic data through a standardized, open platform. Automakers challenged the law in federal court, and the fight over how and when it is enforced has dragged on for years.
2023: Automaker and Repair Industry Agreement (MOU)
In January 2023, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents most automakers, signed a memorandum of understanding with two repair trade groups, the Automotive Service Association and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. Automakers committed to give independent shops access to the same diagnostic and repair information they provide to their dealers. It builds on an earlier 2014 national agreement. Supporters called it progress. Critics, including parts and aftermarket groups that did not sign, pointed out that it is voluntary and not enforceable by law.
The Federal REPAIR Act
The REPAIR Act (Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act) would require automakers to give vehicle owners and independent shops access to the data, tools, and parts information needed for diagnosis, repair, and calibration, including wireless vehicle data. In the current Congress it was introduced in the House as H.R. 1566 on February 25, 2025, with a Senate version, S. 1379.
- February 10, 2026: A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee forwarded H.R. 1566 to the full committee by voice vote.
- May 21, 2026: The full committee did not advance the full REPAIR Act. Instead it approved the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act (H.R. 7389), 48 to 1, which includes a narrower right to repair section. That section would make the existing industry repair agreements legally binding with Federal Trade Commission enforcement, but it leaves out the REPAIR Act’s mandate for access to wireless vehicle data.
- As of late October 2026: Neither bill has become law. Right to repair supporters are still pushing for the stronger REPAIR Act language as the bill moves forward.
We will update this page as things change.
Sources and Further Reading
- H.R. 1566, REPAIR Act (Congress.gov)
- H.R. 7389, Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026 (Congress.gov)
- House committee advances Motor Vehicle Modernization Act (Autobody News, May 2026)
- Massachusetts Question 1 (2020) (Ballotpedia)
- Nixing the Fix: FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions (2021)
Right to Repair Updates from Garage Dad
No Right to Repair posts yet. They are coming soon.