In the USA can you be forced to have your vehicle worked on at the dealership?

[FlyingTexan]

I contacted Ineos about having my Grenadier worked on at my preferred imported cars shop. They’re fantastic. I received an emailed response saying

“Regrettably, we do not permit or advise visiting another workshop for repairs or warranty services.”

I was under the impression you could have your vehicle worked on anywhere you wanted. This isn’t for warranty work. Can a company deny access to parts and service manuals in the US to other shops?

 

[Urshurak776]

Nope, as long as they pay for the parts and service manuals. It's not warranty work, so not sure why they would care?

 

[Hall]

They cannot and the person that replied to you is either misinformed or misleading.

 

[Marcozi]

You can have your car worked on by any shop, including the dealer. The Moss-Magnusson Act states the the dealer/manufacturer has to honor the warranty if required services such as oil/filter changes have been performed and you have reciepts.

 

[Trav]

Google for "right to repair" in your state. Tesla has been against right to repair and has actively fought against it but they loose in court.
Its possible the company that made your vehicle is playing the same game.

https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/teslas-a-vocal-opponent-of-the-right

 

[Urshurak776]

Several automakers are against it, not just Tesla.

"Several major automakers have actively opposed "right to repair" legislation, aiming to restrict access to vehicle repair information and tools for independent mechanics and vehicle owners. Companies like General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Tesla, Subaru, and Volkswagen have been specifically named as opposing these laws, according to a letter from U.S. Senators. These automakers claim that opening up vehicle data to third parties could compromise safety and security, while proponents of right to repair argue that it restricts consumer choice and increases repair costs." - Senator Jeff Merkley (December 2024)

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Moss-Magnusson Act is kind of toothless since most vehicle and well just about everything else manufacturers put everything behind software and technology and parts pay wall. Every one in the auto industry wants to be like john deere now.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Several automakers are against it, not just Tesla.

"Several major automakers have actively opposed "right to repair" legislation, aiming to restrict access to vehicle repair information and tools for independent mechanics and vehicle owners. Companies like General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Tesla, Subaru, and Volkswagen have been specifically named as opposing these laws, according to a letter from U.S. Senators. These automakers claim that opening up vehicle data to third parties could compromise safety and security, while proponents of right to repair argue that it restricts consumer choice and increases repair costs." - Senator Jeff Merkley (December 2024)

I agree that they all signed the list, but some are more active than others. The Asians seem to care the least. The U.S. manufacturers - Tesla ford and GM seem to lobby the most. Very telling.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Can a company deny access to parts and service manuals in the US to other shops?

Apparently so with regards to service manuals. Texas passed a law (HB 2963) to address right to repair but unfortunately for you motor vehicles are exempt.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

And NY passed a right to repair law too but slipped in a poison clause making exception if the manufacturer deems it a safety issue so no right to repair for ny

 

[Oillover]

Every one in the auto industry wants to be like john deere now.

Any why wouldn't they?!
It's a highly profitable business model.

 

[iCurious]

I recall KIA is doing that since they are known to have engine failures. If you don't get your oil changes done at their facility, they would not honor any warranty if the engine fails. There was a heated argument regarding this.

 

[goblin]

I recall KIA is doing that since they are known to have engine failures. If you don't get your oil changes done at their facility, they would not honor any warranty if the engine fails. There was a heated argument regarding this.

This is surprising, as Hyundai USA was adamant about me being free to change my oil anywhere I want as long as it's documented and the parts and oil used are documented to specs, when I called them.

Any manufacturer will try to play that card, bit it doesn't mean it will work.

As for Ineos' reply - it's a load of bull byproduct that used to be food.

 

[D60]

Yeah IIRC Tesla wasn't selling parts unless you could prove ownership of a vehicle that would need said parts. Scary IMO. If I want to buy Tesla struts or wheel bearings or even an electric motor, who cares?

Can you imagine having to prove ownership to buy OEM struts for your Accord or Malibu?

 

[Trav]

Yeah IIRC Tesla wasn't selling parts unless you could prove ownership of a vehicle that would need said parts. Scary IMO. If I want to buy Tesla struts or wheel bearings or even an electric motor, who cares?

Can you imagine having to prove ownership to buy OEM struts for your Accord or Malibu?

All true, I remember this fiasco. Other companies don't like the RTR laws and some are more active at trying to influence voters to vote against the bill but AFAIK Tesla was the only one that refused to sell parts or provide diagnostic information.
In MA and a few other states we do have the RTR law covering automobile repair so they can all go to Hades. On the other hand VW/Audi, BMW, MB, Toyota, have been very open in allowing scan tool manufacturers access a lot of the functions normally only found with OE tools.

 

[Donald]

I contacted Ineos about having my Grenadier worked on at my preferred imported cars shop. They’re fantastic. I received an emailed response saying

“Regrettably, we do not permit or advise visiting another workshop for repairs or warranty services.”

I was under the impression you could have your vehicle worked on anywhere you wanted. This isn’t for warranty work. Can a company deny access to parts and service manuals in the US to other shops?

If the manufacturer pays for all the service work (parts and labor) they can force you to go to a dealer for service.

But in most places you pay for service and parts so you can go where you want as long as they use OEM quality parts.

 

[FlyingTexan]

If the manufacturer pays for all the service work (parts and labor) they can force you to go to a dealer for service.

But in most places you pay for service and parts so you can go where you want as long as they use OEM quality parts.

Ineos is saying they will not provide docs to anyone and will not permit them to order parts. That’s a new one on me. My place services everything from BMW to Ferraris and they can’t touch this thing

 

[Mainia]

I recall KIA is doing that since they are known to have engine failures. If you don't get your oil changes done at their facility, they would not honor any warranty if the engine fails. There was a heated argument regarding this.

I never heard of that one about KIA, I have been verbally FUDed by a Hyundai order writer that Hyundai "might not warranty" because I had a Fram Ultra on it when the piston galling messed up the piston skirts my wife;s 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT motor that killed itself, But I barked right back with the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, that if I have the correct Fram filter # for that car they could not deny me warranty. They said they will check with Hyundai 2-4 hours later they called me and said I will be receiving a new motor.

So is this KIA talking this way at their dealershipsby order writers pushing powers they necessarily don't have? Or a big corporate push I never heard of?? What years did this happen in and is it ongoing today?

 

[Hall]

I have been verbally FUDed by a Hyundai order writer that Hyundai "might not warranty" because I had a Fram Ultra

Just imagine how many Hyundai or Kia owners paid for engine replacements when they had a non-OEM filter on theirs and didn't know to push back.

 

[97prizm]

I contacted Ineos about having my Grenadier worked on at my preferred imported cars shop. They’re fantastic. I received an emailed response saying

“Regrettably, we do not permit or advise visiting another workshop for repairs or warranty services.”

I was under the impression you could have your vehicle worked on anywhere you wanted. This isn’t for warranty work. Can a company deny access to parts and service manuals in the US to other shops?

They can't plus since they source BMW engines and use the ZF 8 speed that I think BMW also uses, wouldn't a local BMW shop be a good place to go?