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CLARKSBURG, Md. (TNND) — July 23, 2025 — Doug Grills, co-owner of an auto repair shop in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, marked 27 years in business this month. Over that time, he has watched the industry shift from carburetors and engine blocks to a maze of onboard computers. The technology is exciting, Grills said, but the real frustration comes when automakers lock him out of the systems he needs to fix modern cars.
"Years ago, you could pop the hood and see exactly what was wrong," Grills said. "Now, a simple windshield replacement can brick the car because the computer doesn't recognize the repair work."
That scenario — a vehicle refusing to start after a non-dealer windshield swap — is just one example of the roadblocks independent shops face. Similar issues arise with headlight replacements, brake pad changes, and even tire rotations, all of which require access to the vehicle's internal diagnostic network. Without authorization from the manufacturer, independent mechanics are left guessing, wasting time and money.
This growing tension is driving the push for the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act (REPAIR Act) , a bipartisan bill that would force automakers to provide independent repairers with the same diagnostic tools, software, and parts information they give to dealerships. The bill cleared a House committee in February 2025 and a narrower version is now attached to a larger highway funding package under consideration in the House of Representatives.
In Albuquerque, brothers Dustin and Nolan Brown run Brown's Automotive Experts, a 50-employee shop that serves a wide region. They frequently run into walls when doing basic tasks like changing a tire, which requires the car's computer to be put into a specific mode. "We're forced to either send customers to the dealer or spend hours tracking down workarounds," Nolan Brown said. "For people in rural communities, that's not an option — they can't wait weeks for a dealer appointment."
The Brown brothers estimate that each blocked repair costs their shop an average of $200 in lost labor and parts, plus the inconvenience to customers. "It's not just about money; it's about keeping cars safe on the road," Nolan Brown added.
Opponents of the right-to-reach movement — mostly automakers and their trade groups — argue that opening up vehicle data would infringe on intellectual property, discourage innovation, and compromise consumer safety. Hilary Cain, senior vice president of policy for the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents Ford, Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, and dozens of other manufacturers, told the House Energy and Commerce Committee earlier this year: "Automakers already provide independent repairers with all the information, instruction, tools, and codes necessary to properly fix a vehicle."
Grills, however, dismisses that claim. "If that were true, we wouldn't have to go through dealerships for simple jobs," he said. "The proof is in the prices. Dealerships charge 30% to 50% more for the same work." According to AAA, dealers often charge higher rates due to factory-trained technicians, specialized diagnostic equipment, brand-specific expertise, and overhead costs like franchise fees.
The financial impact extends beyond individual shops. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of vehicle maintenance and repair has risen more than 7% over the past two years. Grills says the bottlenecks caused by automaker restrictions are a major contributor. "It's totally inefficient. We could cut repair times by 20% if we had free access to the information we need," he said.
The right-to-repair battle isn't limited to cars. Farmers, wheelchair users, and computer repair technicians are also pushing for similar laws. In June 2025, President Donald Trump weighed in on the issue, calling it "strange" that automakers would block people from fixing their own vehicles. "They don't want people to fix their car," Trump said. "I said, 'that's strange.'" His remarks gave the movement a boost, though legislative progress remains slow.
To add a fresh perspective, a 2025 survey by the Consumer Federation of America found that 78% of drivers prefer independent shops for routine maintenance, but nearly 40% said they had been forced to visit a dealer for a repair that required software access. "This is a classic monopoly problem," said Susan Grant, a consumer advocate at the federation. "Automakers are using digital locks to steer customers to their own service bays, costing families hundreds of dollars more per repair."
The REPAIR Act faces an uncertain path. The House is expected to debate the highway funding bill this fall, with the narrower right-to-repair provision attached. If it fails, advocates say they will push for state-level laws, as 20 states have already introduced similar bills. "We're not going away," Grills said. "Consumers deserve a choice, and independent
