Consumers Advocate for Right to Choose Auto Repair Options in National Poll

According to a new national poll, more than 83% of Americans support the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act (H.R 1566, S. 1379). If passed, the law would create a national vehicle right-to-repair law, ensuring consumers’ right to choose how and where they fix their vehicles. 

Additionally, 77% support the Save Money on Auto Repair Transportation Act, which would amend patent laws to give consumers more vehicle repair choices. 

Access to the data that vehicles collect is required for an increasing number of repairs, even for common parts such as windshields. Automakers want to restrict access to that data, so consumers must use automaker parts and automaker-affiliated dealerships for repairs, where prices are higher and choices are fewer. 

The REPAIR Act would ensure that vehicle owners and the independent repair shops they chose can access the data they need to fix their cars and trucks. The SMART Act would enact patent reforms that would allow aftermarket manufacturers to produce parts that are equivalent to and less expensive than automaker parts, increasing consumer choice and lowering prices. 

According to the poll conducted by The Tarrance Group, and commissioned by the CAR Coalition, support for vehicle right to repair is strongly bipartisan with 84% of Republicans and 82% of Democrats supporting the REPAIR Act. 

“The numbers don’t lie, vehicle owners believe they should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to repairing their own vehicles and accessing their vehicle data, not the auto manufacturers,” said Justin Rzepka, CAR Coalition Executive Director. “As bipartisan support for a national vehicle right-to-repair law continues to grow, we applaud our champions in the House and Senate for supporting the REPAIR Act and look forward to returning consumers’ the right to repair their own vehicles once and for all.” 

Other key findings from the survey include: 

• 98% of respondents said it is important for them to be able to choose where they get their car repaired. 

• 89% said car owners should be able to access their own vehicle data. 

• 86% of Trump voters and 83% of Harris voters support the REPAIR Act. 

• 78% said independent repair shops should have access to vehicle data for repairs. 

• 72% said automakers should be barred from restricting data access. 

• A majority of car owners prefer using independent auto repair shops for vehicle repairs. 

The survey of 1,000 national vehicle owners was conducted June 8-10. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.