On February 10, 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee advanced the REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566) out of committee with a unanimous vote. Bipartisan. No objections.
That's not nothing. In the current political environment, unanimous anything is rare. And this is the second consecutive Congress to push the bill forward, which means it's gaining momentum rather than stalling.
If you care about having options for where you get your car fixed — and paying less for it — this bill matters.
What the REPAIR Act Actually Does
The REPAIR Act — which stands for Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair — would require automakers to provide independent repair shops with the same access to vehicle diagnostic and repair data that they provide to their own authorized dealer networks.
Right now, that data is locked. When your car's computer logs a fault code, the full diagnostic tree — including the software tools to read it, interpret it, and reset it — is often only available to dealerships that have paid for manufacturer certification and tooling. Independent shops either buy expensive workarounds, use generic OBD scanners that don't go deep enough, or tell you they can't help with that particular problem.
You then have no choice but to go to the dealership.
This Is a Consumer Issue, Not Just a Shop Issue
The framing around right to repair often centers on independent mechanics being squeezed out by manufacturer data restrictions. That's true, but it misses the more direct consumer impact.
When independent shops can't access the data they need:
- You pay more. Dealerships charge more than independent shops — significantly more in most markets. Without a competitive alternative, that gap grows.
- You wait longer. Dealer service departments are often backed up for weeks. Independent shops typically have faster turnaround.
- You have less choice. If you've built a relationship with a local shop that knows your car's history, data restrictions may make it impossible for them to handle the increasingly software-driven repairs modern vehicles require.
The data monopoly isn't hypothetical. It's already affecting repair costs and wait times in ways consumers are feeling.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Say your 2024 SUV throws a powertrain fault code related to an over-the-air software update. The dealership can diagnose and fix this with manufacturer tools. Your trusted independent shop may not even be able to read the full fault log, let alone push the software correction — because the automaker doesn't license that capability to independent shops.
Or say you have an ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) issue. The cameras and radar need recalibration after a windshield replacement. Manufacturer calibration software may be dealer-only. Your body shop has to subcontract or send you to the dealer anyway.
This is why AAA's research found ADAS repair costs running dramatically higher than standard repairs — partly because the independent market for that work is restricted.
Where the Bill Goes Next
Committee advancement is a meaningful step but not the finish line. The full House still needs to vote, then the Senate takes it up. Automaker lobbying against this bill has been persistent — manufacturers have a financial interest in keeping repair work inside their dealer networks.
If you want this to move, contacting your representatives does actually matter on legislation like this. The bill has strong bipartisan support but still needs votes to progress.
Why We're Covering This
Ethical Mechanic covers the right to repair fight because it's inseparable from consumer protection. A market where you can only get your car fixed at the dealer — because the manufacturer controls the data — isn't a free market. It's a captive one. And captive markets always cost consumers more.
Read more on the repair data access issue: Automakers Are Restricting Independent Shops From Accessing Your Car's Wireless Data
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