Just days ago, President Trump met with auto executives from Ford and GM to discuss “Right to Repair,” a critical concept that will ultimately affect every car owner in America. The exact outcome of that mini-summit remains unclear. But one follow-up comment from Ford CEO Jim Farley should raise your eyebrows.
Having the Right to Repair means consumers should be allowed to choose their own mechanics. There’s been a long-standing debate in government regarding whether or not to codify legislation around this. Big corporations typically want to own all servicing rights exclusively for that sweet, sweet recurring revenue. Small business owners and consumers don’t want to be under the heels of monopolies.
It’s essential to understand that Right to Repair is not just about car enthusiasts like me tinkering on old trucks in our driveways. If automakers are allowed to wall off auto repairs to a corporate-only business, independent mechanics will get squeezed out of existence. If that happens, your only option for service will be dealerships. And if you think their hourly labor rates are high now, what do you think’s going to happen when there’s literally no alternative?
View Price on AmazonShortly after the White House meeting, the Detroit Free Press caught up with Mr. Farley at an event sharing a “$5 million joint investment from Ford Motor Co. and Bloomberg Philanthropies” to modernize and expand the Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation’s auto technician program.
The conversation moved to Right to Repair, on which Farley made a comment that sounds like complete filler: “I think Ford’s position is very reasonable. We’re really a big advocate for the ability to repair a vehicle, but it has to be done at a reasonable cost, and—”
Freep’s journalist then jumped in with the same question I would have wanted to ask: “But you don’t want people repairing their own vehicles?” Farley’s reply: “No, that’s, that’s fine, not for warranty work, though. These are very complicated cars, and we don’t think that’s safe, for many of the repairs on our vehicles, someone at home like myself could never do it. I have no problem working on a ’73 Bronco, but to work on a brand-new Bronco? I need all sorts of specialty tools. That’s something that, um, you know, we would put people’s lives at risk.”
Road & Track presented that as “Ford CEO Jim Farley clarifies automaker’s position on ‘Right to Repair’ rules,” my read is pretty much the opposite. What “position” was he referring to? What the heck did he mean by “reasonable cost”?
As far as “specialty tools” go, the 2026 Bronco does have a few features you might not want to touch as a DIYer—things like ADAS calibration come to mind. But even that kind of technology is pretty commonplace today, and should be serviceable by an independent shop. The Bronco was a particularly weird example to call out, because by and large, the new Bronco is one of the most primitive new cars you can buy right now.
Farley’s comments make me nervous because I’m already feeling the pain of “factory fixes only” corporate culture with my Cub Cadet lawn mower. Last summer, I bought new grass-cutting blades for my ZT1 42E, and talking to the company’s customer service line was like a hostage negotiation. They really did not want to give me the torque spec on a part I had purchased directly from the manufacturer. And good luck finding anything beyond a basic user manual online.
Source: thedrive.com
