FTC Blasts Manufacturer Excuses in Right-to-Repair Report
FTC Blasts Manufacturer Excuses in Right-to-Repair Report By Joel Hruska on May 10, 2021 at 7:29 am
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(Photo by: Pascal Deloche/Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)The FTC has published its final report on manufacturer-imposed repair restrictions in the United States and whether citizens are being treated fairly. It concludes they very much are not in a far-ranging 56-page document that evaluates every explanation various companies have provided for why they limit the right of Americans to repair products they’ve legally purchased.
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On March 30, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered an order dismissing all but one claim against Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (collectively, the “Mercedes Defendants”) in a putative class action arising from alleged defects in the “NECK PRO” active head restraints installed in certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles to prevent whiplash from accidents. The opinion, consistent with Eleventh Circuit law, found that plaintiffs had no standing to pursue state-law claims without a representative plaintiff from the relevant state and also concluded that plaintiffs’ allegations did not support a viable RICO claim. [Disclosure: King & Spalding represents the Mercedes Defendants in this litigation.]
US FTC States Repair Restrictions Imposed by Manufacturers Impact Consumer Rights, Small Businesses
US FTC notes manufactures claim liability, intellectual property, safety, and other reasons for anti-repair practices. By Vineet Washington | Updated: 8 May 2021 17:50 IST
Photo Credit: iFixit
Highlights
US Federal Trade Commission submitted the report to Congress
It also mentioned actions that can be taken for anti-repair practices
US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has submitted a report examining consumer protection and antitrust issues relating to repair restrictions that manufacturers impose, especially in the mobile phone and car industry. These repair restrictions include using adhesives that make it difficult to replace parts, making diagnostic software unavailable, and limiting the availability of spare parts. These repair restrictions hurt small businesses as well as impact consumer rights under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. It also s
FTC Report Calls Out Manufacturers on Their Anti-Repair Bullshit
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After nearly two long years of waiting, the Federal Trade Commission released its “Nixing the Fix” report on restrictions employed by manufacturers on product repairs. Folks, it does not mince words, saying there is “scant evidence” justifying the obstacles companies put in place to limit consumers’ options when it comes to repairs.
FTC report blasts manufacturers for restricting product repairs May 7, 2021, 5:55am EDT
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has published its long-awaited report on how manufacturers limit product repairs. The “Nixing the Fix” report details a host of repair restrictions, especially those imposed by mobile phone and car manufacturers. The anticompetitive practices covered by the FTC range from limited availability of spare parts and diagnostic software to designs that make repairs more difficult than they need to be. In response, the FTC wants to develop new laws and rules surrounding repairs, but it also wants better enforcement of existing legislation like the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA).