If you've ever been told that only the dealership can service a specific part of your car, you've already felt the right-to-repair problem firsthand. What sounds like a technical limitation is often a business decision — and it's been getting worse.
The right-to-repair movement is pushing back. In 2025, it's moved from advocacy into actual law. Here's what you need to know.
What "Right to Repair" Actually Means
Modern vehicles are essentially computers on wheels. They generate mountains of diagnostic data, and accessing that data — understanding what's wrong with a car — requires software tools and manufacturer-supplied codes.
For years, automakers have controlled who gets that access. Dealers get it. Independent shops often don't — or they have to pay steep licensing fees for incomplete access. This means:
- An independent shop that could fix your car for $400 has to turn you away
- You're sent to the dealer where the same job costs $900
- Parts "pairing" locks components so they only work when programmed by a dealership, even if a replacement part is identical
This isn't about safety. It's about market control.
What Legislation Is Moving in 2025
The REPAIR Act (H.R. 1566 in the House, S. 1379 in the Senate) was reintroduced in February and April 2025. It would require automakers to provide independent repair shops with the same access to telematics data and diagnostic tools that they give their own dealer networks. As of late 2025, it had gained significant bipartisan support but had not yet passed.
At the state level, things are moving faster:
Maine became the first state with a meaningful automotive right-to-repair law in effect, requiring automakers to provide data access to independent shops and vehicle owners through a standardized open-access platform.
Colorado and Oregon both passed laws in 2025 targeting "parts pairing" — the practice of locking replacement components (like headlights, cameras, or even batteries) so they only function after dealer programming. Both laws banned this practice for certain repair categories, which is significant because parts pairing has been one of the auto industry's most aggressive monopolization tools.
What This Costs You Right Now
The impact of restricted repair access is not abstract. When independent shops can't service your car:
- Competition disappears. Dealers have a captive market and price accordingly.
- Repair costs go up. Dealer labor rates run $50–$100/hour higher than independent shops in most markets.
- Wait times get longer. Dealer service departments are already backed up; removing independent shops from the equation makes it worse.
- Older cars become harder to maintain. Owners of vehicles with proprietary software who can't afford dealer prices are left with few options.
The GAO found in a 2024 report that independent repair shops handle a majority of out-of-warranty repairs — and that restricted data access was measurably increasing repair costs for consumers.
What Automakers Say
The industry's stated objections are cybersecurity and safety. If third parties can access your vehicle's data, the argument goes, bad actors might too.
There's a kernel of legitimacy in that concern. But critics — including many security researchers — point out that the solution is proper data security protocols, not a total lockdown that happens to eliminate competitors. Maine's law includes cybersecurity provisions. The REPAIR Act does too.
What You Can Do Now
- Use independent shops when you still can. The more business they have, the stronger the case for preserving their role.
- Contact your federal representatives to support the REPAIR Act — it has House and Senate sponsors from both parties.
- Know your state's status. Colorado, Oregon, and Maine residents have new protections. Others are still in lobbying battles.
- Ask your shop directly if they've been affected by data access restrictions — they'll tell you.
Right to repair isn't a niche issue. It's the difference between a competitive repair market and a dealership monopoly.
Find independent shops in your area that still have full diagnostic capabilities at our mechanic finder.