Stop Working on Your Car
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Disallowed: religion, race, politics, war and disrespect toward others.
Allowed: history, science(!), computers, sports, movies, careers, art, music, relationships and the ten million other topics in our lives.
Disallowed: religion, race, politics, war and disrespect toward others.
Allowed: history, science(!), computers, sports, movies, careers, art, music, relationships and the ten million other topics in our lives.
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93Regina
- Posts: 2813
- Joined: 18 January 2014
- Year and Model: 93:240/940
- Location: Sunflower State
- Been thanked: 65 times
Stop Working on Your Car
There's a battle being waged over who's allowed to service or modify your car. Right now, the U.S. Copyright Office is trying to decide whether the many computer systems found in today's cars should be protected as intellectual property as defined by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which was passed in 1998. Lobbyists for a number of automakers say they should be, and in addition have submitted comments to the office saying their systems are too complex for consumers and independent mechanics to service
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93Regina
- Posts: 2813
- Joined: 18 January 2014
- Year and Model: 93:240/940
- Location: Sunflower State
- Been thanked: 65 times
About The Right to Repair Act
The Right to Repair Act is bipartisan legislation that would require automakers to provide the same service information and tools to independent auto and maintenance shops, as well as to consumers, that the automaker dealership service centers receive.
It further instructs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to provide oversight and enforcement of the bill.
As a means of protecting intellectual property, the legislation states that the manufacturers’ proprietary information will not have to be disclosed.
Right to Repair legislation does not attempt to restrict motorists from choosing car dealerships, it simply ensures that vehicle owners have a choice when deciding where to take their vehicles for repairs and what parts are best to use in maintaining their vehicles.
The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association and the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality urge Congress to support the Right to Repair Act to give consumers a choice and keep repair costs down. It's the right thing to do for consumers, for business and the economy.
The Right to Repair Act is bipartisan legislation that would require automakers to provide the same service information and tools to independent auto and maintenance shops, as well as to consumers, that the automaker dealership service centers receive.
It further instructs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to provide oversight and enforcement of the bill.
As a means of protecting intellectual property, the legislation states that the manufacturers’ proprietary information will not have to be disclosed.
Right to Repair legislation does not attempt to restrict motorists from choosing car dealerships, it simply ensures that vehicle owners have a choice when deciding where to take their vehicles for repairs and what parts are best to use in maintaining their vehicles.
The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association and the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality urge Congress to support the Right to Repair Act to give consumers a choice and keep repair costs down. It's the right thing to do for consumers, for business and the economy.
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93Regina
- Posts: 2813
- Joined: 18 January 2014
- Year and Model: 93:240/940
- Location: Sunflower State
- Been thanked: 65 times
Fox 13 Tampa: Sometimes, the dealership is the only option
Monday, March 25, 2013
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"Most of these components that the dealer will not sell will make the car break down. The car is towed in, we check it out, and it needs a particular part, and the dealer says we won't sell you the part," continued Speltz.
What does Mercedes-Benz say? We contacted the company and Donna Boland, the manager of corporate communications at Mercedes-Benz USA, sent us this statement:
"Our top priority is to protect our customers and their vehicles.
We and our dealers work closely with independent service providers (ISPs) to facilitate general repairs and have channels through which virtually all parts and repair documentation is available. For theft-relevant parts (TRPs), though, we require authentication and an additional level of security. We accomplish this by requiring that this information be accessed either through our own website (STAR TekInfo) or via the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF).
All of our TRPs are available to any ISP, except for the valve body of our newest, 7-speed, transmission, and the associated repair equipment for this valve body. This particular valve body has an integrated control unit that must be 'mated' with the vehicle for proper operation of the vehicle's anti-theft immobilizer and other safety technologies on the vehicle. The other seven TRPs -- by far the parts in highest demand -- are all available to any ISP as long as the ISP uses the NASTF registry and their security process to obtain the TRPs.
Our experience is that most ISPs use this process and have no issues repairing Mercedes-Benz models. Where there are issues, and these are relatively few, it is typically a case where the ISP refuses to register through the NASTF website and/or follow the security processes that we feel are integral to protecting our customers and their property."
Some mechanics think it's more about money than safety and security and wonder why valve body parts in the transmission are theft relevant parts.
"You're not going to go out and steal a car and put a value body in it," said Brian Arturi at M Complete. "The customer should be able to go where ever they want to have their car repaired."
Ted Spletz is worried that if it's Mercedes-Benz today, other automakers could follow suit and restrict parts down the road.
That concern led to the state of Massachusetts to enact the 'Right to Repair' initiative in November. Voters overwhelming passed it and now all automakers must give owners and independent repair shops access to the same vehicle diagnostic and repair information that's available to dealers.
Monday, March 25, 2013
...
...
"Most of these components that the dealer will not sell will make the car break down. The car is towed in, we check it out, and it needs a particular part, and the dealer says we won't sell you the part," continued Speltz.
What does Mercedes-Benz say? We contacted the company and Donna Boland, the manager of corporate communications at Mercedes-Benz USA, sent us this statement:
"Our top priority is to protect our customers and their vehicles.
We and our dealers work closely with independent service providers (ISPs) to facilitate general repairs and have channels through which virtually all parts and repair documentation is available. For theft-relevant parts (TRPs), though, we require authentication and an additional level of security. We accomplish this by requiring that this information be accessed either through our own website (STAR TekInfo) or via the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF).
All of our TRPs are available to any ISP, except for the valve body of our newest, 7-speed, transmission, and the associated repair equipment for this valve body. This particular valve body has an integrated control unit that must be 'mated' with the vehicle for proper operation of the vehicle's anti-theft immobilizer and other safety technologies on the vehicle. The other seven TRPs -- by far the parts in highest demand -- are all available to any ISP as long as the ISP uses the NASTF registry and their security process to obtain the TRPs.
Our experience is that most ISPs use this process and have no issues repairing Mercedes-Benz models. Where there are issues, and these are relatively few, it is typically a case where the ISP refuses to register through the NASTF website and/or follow the security processes that we feel are integral to protecting our customers and their property."
Some mechanics think it's more about money than safety and security and wonder why valve body parts in the transmission are theft relevant parts.
"You're not going to go out and steal a car and put a value body in it," said Brian Arturi at M Complete. "The customer should be able to go where ever they want to have their car repaired."
Ted Spletz is worried that if it's Mercedes-Benz today, other automakers could follow suit and restrict parts down the road.
That concern led to the state of Massachusetts to enact the 'Right to Repair' initiative in November. Voters overwhelming passed it and now all automakers must give owners and independent repair shops access to the same vehicle diagnostic and repair information that's available to dealers.